ABOUT PROVERBS CHAPTER 8
One winters day a long time ago, six children and their mum went for a walk like none before.
This walk saw children excitedly crisscrossing road and path, bending over stems and flowers, calling out to one another “look at this one! It’s a spiral!”, “look at this one! It’s an opposite!”, “look at this lily! It’s one and one!”
The conversation just before the walk had been their mother sharing from a book where she’d read that the leaves of every stem either grew opposite one another… or in such a way that a spiral around the stem could be traced from one leaf to the next and the next.
There was no random.
She also read that the petals and stamens of flowers was linked by multiplication. One stamen, one petal. Or five petals and a multiple of five for stamens. This of course is harder to see so the Arum lilies were it for the day but even that was stunning. But also, except for deformity, every five petaled flower will have five. Not four or seven. Five. And the same of every type.
Each after it’s own kind.
Not random.
The delight of that walk was palpable.
Details all around us, crying out to be seen yet we had never.
Seen.
Had never seen what was always there.
The same is true for water. It’s structure. It’s cycle.
The same is true of the dirt underfoot and the planets spinning in space.
-of the structure of a thumb opposite the fingers, the interplay of senses and mind, the interdependence of the entire cosmos around us that if one millimeter different would see earth freeze or burn.
The wisdom of God is on display all around us. It cries out to be seen and heard but we are so busy, so familiar, so distracted, so baby-bird like in our “give me give me” prayers that we’re often blind and deaf to the wonder, glory and wisdom that surrounds.
Could I make a leaf and make it live?
Could I breathe into a sculpture and watch it open its eyes and speak?
The wisdom of God that was at His side in the beginning on display.
The wisdom of God calling out to be heard.
The wisdom of God that walked among us speaking riddles with revelations to those who seek after them.
Just as the woman came from Adams side.
Just as the Bride came from Jesus side.
Just as the Son came from the Fathers side.
Perfect in Oneness and unity.
Wisdom, personified as a woman yet in perfection and preexistence totally and only God.
The spirit that hovered over the face of the deep.
The spirit that calls deep into deep.
The spirit that stirs is Him.
It is a named part of His wholeness.. ”Wisdom”.
Like talent. Or Strong. Or musical. None can exist apart from the one being described.
Wisdom. A named part of His Wholeness.
Every bit as much as Love.
No true wisdom is separate from Him.
No true wisdom exists that He didn’t make so.
It’s why the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
It’s why the beginning of wisdom is – to get wisdom!
It is Him.
Read Proverbs 8 as Jesus in the place of wisdom.
And again as the Spirit.
And again as the Father.
In proverbs 1, some versions say “the riddles and sayings of the wise”.
Just as Jesus spoke in parables (stories that can seem so obvious that their layered depths are left unseen) the riddles laid out in Proverbs can also be… unless we see Jesus. Unless we hear His Spirit. Unless we see the great great love and wisdom of the Father waiting to reveal Himself if we will only press in, seek Him first, ask and keep on asking. Not to get, but to Know.
Wisdom isn’t a list of good ideas or principles to apply.
Wisdom is a Person who wants to be known.
PROVERBS CHAPTER 8
Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice? 2 She takes her stand on the top of the [bh]high hill, Beside the way, where the paths meet. 3 She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, At the entrance of the doors: 4 “To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men. 5 O you [bi]simple ones, understand prudence, And you fools, be of an understanding heart. 6 Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, And from the opening of my lips will come right things; 7 For my mouth will speak truth; Wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 8 All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; Nothing crooked or perverse is in them. 9 They are all plain to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge. 10 Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold; 11 For wisdom is better than rubies, And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.
12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And find out knowledge and discretion. 13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate. 14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength. 15 By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice. 16 By me princes rule, and nobles, All the judges of [bj]the earth. 17 I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me. 18 Riches and honor are with me, Enduring riches and righteousness.19 My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, And my revenue than choice silver. 20 I [bk]traverse the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice, 21 That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, That I may fill their treasuries.
22 “The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old. 23 I have been established from everlasting, From the beginning, before there was ever an earth. 24 When there were no depths I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills, I was brought forth; 26 While as yet He had not made the earth or the [bl]fields, Or the [bm]primal dust of the world. 27 When He prepared the heavens, I was there, When He drew a circle on the face of the deep, 28 When He established the clouds above, When He strengthened the fountains of the deep, 29 When He assigned to the sea its limit, So that the waters would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth, 30 Then I was beside Him as [bn]a master craftsman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him, 31 Rejoicing in His inhabited world, And my delight was with the sons of men.
32 “Now therefore, listen to me, my children, For blessed are those who keep my ways. 33 Hear instruction and be wise, And do not disdain it. 34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors. 35 For whoever finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the Lord; 36 But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; All those who hate me love death.”