Wisdom

She's a good ol' gal, but too many of us don't know her. She has been around a long time, but too many of us wouldn't recognize her if she slapped us in the face. Who? Wisdom.

Solomon portrays wisdom as a woman to be heard and highly valued.

Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks: "How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?" (Prov 1:20-22)

Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you. (Prov 4:5-6)

Now, of course, wisdom isn't actually a woman. It's what we call "personification." But wisdom is highly vaunted in Scripture.

Wisdom is the pinnacle of a few recommended qualities. There is knowledge -- true information. There is understanding -- grasping the nature of that true information. And there is wisdom -- the proper application of understanding built on knowledge to life. It is a structure that is repeated in Scripture. Paul wrote, "From the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding." (Col 1:9-10) (See also Prov 2:6; Isa 11:2; Dan 2:21, for instance.) Wisdom is a good thing.

It's interesting (perhaps only to me) that Solomon wrote both that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Prov 1:7) and the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Prov 9:10). It would seem, then, that this pile of qualities -- knowledge on up to wisdom -- is rooted and grounded in God. It would appear that if we want the Truth (John 14:6), we have to start with God and if we want to know best how to understand and apply the truth, we have to start ... with God (Prov 2:6; James 1:5).

It only seems wise.