First?

Proverbs 10:31 (KJV) The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.

As I read this I have a question of priorities.  Do we find people who are “just” and ask them for a bit of wisdom or do we listen for wisdom and assume the speaker is “just”?  The NASB translates “just” as “righteous”.

I assume that the order will be different in different situations.  While we may not know the inner nature of the speaker we will hopefully have some clues by past behavior.  We may also have quiet people who speak rarely.  That in itself may be a mark of wisdom.

So?  The best way to recognize wisdom when you hear it is to have a working knowledge of the basics.  If you are reading your Bible with your brain turned on then you will know the principles of wisdom and sense when it is being applied.