Added to the basic orientation just presented are certain other qualities of mind common to all wise men. These qualities, together with the foundation attitude, appear to comprise what psychologists call the General Factor of intelligence. Examining all that Solomon said about the wise reveals this general mentality. Their hatred of evil makes them cautious.

A wise man is patient; he controls his emotions. If a quarrel erupts nearby, he does not get caught up in it. He quietly ignores an insult. Certainly he will remember and learn from the experience, but he will not be provoked into a meaningless fight, choosing instead to hold back his anger and to use his intellect to seek peace and reconciliation.

Notice, for example, how great national leaders successfully field the challenges and criticisms hurled against them. Wise men neither cause trouble nor look for it. Indeed, given the opportunity they will go out of their way to avoid it. When they see potential danger, they prepare ways to avoid or escape from it. Hence, they pay attention to warnings. If instructions specify certain things to avoid, they prudently attend to the advice. If laws impose restrictions, they obey the laws.

No matter how lofty their station in life may be, wise men are humble and eager to learn. They accept correction and try to change when proven wrong. Having discovered the power and beauty of truth, they listen to good counsel and receive teaching and education. They are especially careful to respect the advice and recommendations of experts and authorities. Indeed, they seek out many advisers and toil in the process of finding information and knowledge. They invest their time, money, and labor in the quest of learning. They enroll in courses of study and acquire libraries. As they continually accumulate their knowledge, they both increase their ability to learn and increase the pleasure they get in acquiring it. Indeed, education and learning become a form of recreation for them. Notice how successful, progressive nations and private companies promote activities to discover wiser ways to improve their efforts. They hire experts and invest in research; and as they make new discoveries, they carefully guard their knowledge, knowing that it enables them to survive and compete.

The wise understand the true difference between right and wrong, good and evil. They know the real meaning of justice and fair-play. They do not judge by appearances only, but they also see with depth. They have insight and foresight, enabling them to perceive both the underlying dynamics of things while accurately anticipating results and consequences. Therefore, they show good judgment and make correct decisions. Wise men are able to successfully perceive ahead because they have faith in the ultimate value of wisdom, even though for the moment it may seem to be ineffective or, perhaps, may even appear to be an obstacle; nevertheless, the wise know that in the end, the Lord's truth (whether in nature or Scripture) is always victorious. And so the wise are law-abiding, heedful of both natural law and social law. They can see far enough ahead to know the benefits of right living. The penalties for violations are too costly, and penalties are inevitable, because Solomon said,

The wise are especially noted by their skill with words. First, they show self-control and restraint in their use of language. Realizing the power of words, they speak with great caution. When they do speak, what they say is true and relevant. Moreover, their words are both dignified and astute. What they say is uplifting and ennobling, bringing aid and comfort to others. Their wisdom and skill with words bring them security, honor, prosperity, and power.

Physical strength is no match for a well-developed mind. Men have long mastered the most powerful beasts. Countries that develop the national intellect have long towered over those that promote only physical prowess. There is no strength like wisdom and there are no great men like the wise.

In sum: In addition to their love of knowledge and their rejection of folly, wise men, everywhere demonstrate the following common characteristics. They are humble, behaving with cautious reserve and emotional control. Valuing knowledge they actively pursue it in order to live successfully. They eventually develop skill in learning and come to enjoy the process. Their use of words is likewise controlled, knowledgeable and effective.

Growing in wisdom is a lifetime process. Indeed, it is our duty to continue increasing our motivation for truth, while developing our self-control, and adding to our knowledge and understanding. Several times in the Bible a man's life (which, Jesus said, does not consist in the abundance of his possessions) and his mind are compared to the growth of a tree or the construction of a house. In these we can see the fundamental process involved in godly mental development. For example, in the first Psalm we find these words.

Growing in wisdom is a process involving a continuous interaction of the intellect with perception. Intellect comes from seeing, and seeing comes from intellect; the two work together. The sense organs of the body are channels through which information is sent for the mind to build our cognitive structure. Through use of the eyes and the ears (primarily) we have access to knowledge. But eyes and ears only transmit the elements of information. Understanding and wisdom are created in the mind.

Helen Keller had neither working eyes nor ears, yet she acquired a college degree and became an accomplished speaker. Two people can view the same thing but may "see" something entirely different. Perceiving involves understanding, and this is done in the mind from the information provided by the eyes. We use our eyes and ears together with the knowledge and understanding within our hearts to perceive the world around us. Far more important than healthy eyes and ears in determining what we see and hear is the nature of our minds. The author of the letter to the Hebrews spoke of the necessity of training our senses by comparing knowledge with food.