It is often assumed that knowledge is good and even the essence of wisdom. That is not the case. Whether the ability leads to good or evil depends on how it is used.

Lessons prepare us to understand how to use it either way. We must evaluate our experiences to determine how knowledge could have helped or hurt us.

Wisdom leads to being able to make sound judgments about a subject, while knowledge is simply knowing. Anyone can learn about a topic by reading, researching, and memorizing facts. It takes a healthy dose of perspective and the ability to come through experience to use knowledge correctly.