Wisdom cries out in the street; in the squares she raises her voice. At the busiest corner she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks: “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?”
Of all of the names for God, of all of the concepts for God, I’ve always had a special affinity for Wisdom. Wisdom is something that seems within my grasp. I have some worldly understanding of wisdom, whereas I’m not sure what to do with Root of Jesse, or Adonai.
That is to say that as I start reading Proverbs, and it opens with the notion that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom, perhaps I’m not so clear after all. Luckily, this practice of reading, reflecting and writing allows me the space to chew on this notion.
I’ve previously understood wisdom as something additive to knowledge, summed up in the quip that knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad. Wisdom therefore, is the application of knowledge, of using knowledge beyond just being able to recite the facts. Another way I’ve understood knowledge is as it relates to my son. He’s always been great at math. As a kid, he actually went to a math camp. The teacher called and told us that he’d never be a math Olympian, able to do complex calculations in his head quickly. But he had an understanding of math that’d impressed her. He eventually went on to get a degree in theoretical math. (I had confirm, a bit tongue in cheek, whether this it was the degree that was theoretical or the math).
I couldn’t have defined it, but my mom had wisdom, and I always admired that about her.
So the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Hmm. And a whole book in Scripture focused on Wisdom. Hmm. My sunshiny theology doesn’t want to include fearing the Lord. I don’t want a God that I fear. And I don’t think that God wants me to be afraid, especially since that is Jesus’ most frequent admonition. Do not be afraid. Maybe it’s not quaking-in-my-boots-fear, but more like a healthy respect. I don’t ‘fear’ the nob and tube wiring in my new/old house, but I definitely won’t mess with it! Maybe that’s the fear that’s described. Fear the Lord, have a healthy respect for the Lord’s way, perhaps even fear what happens when you mess with the nob and tube.
The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord. The beginning of being wise is to understand the power and ways of God, and to whatever you can to do that, to follow that way. That makes some sense to me. (If it seems like I’m coming to these understandings as I write, like this is stream of consciousness, it is, and I am. Thanks for joining me)
Wisdom, it says, cries out on the busiest street corner. Wisdom is trying its darndest to be where we are, to cry out where we’ll hear. Wisdom is not hiding or elusive. Wisdom is trying to be found. How long will you love to be simple, Wisdom cries out.
Maybe God’s Wisdom doesn’t help us with the tomato-in-the-fruit-salad dilemma, God’s Wisdom does help us to know how to behave so we love God and love our neighbor. God’s wisdom is all around us, shouting from the street corners. We just need to pay attention.
This morning, I’m thinking about how to spot Wisdom, how to invite Wisdom into my day, and into my decisions throughout the day.
Psalm 130:3 For there is forgiveness with you; *
ReplyDeletetherefore you shall be feared.
This from last Sunday's Track 1 lectionary readings. I think it casts a better and stronger light on what in the heck the word "fear" is intended to mean when it's used so often in scripture. In this verse, "feared" can't mean "be appropriately viewed as terrifying," or anything like that.
Maybe something like "respected, or "loved," or "approached with gratitude." Or some rich combination of such meanings. Anyway--I hope you've received the occasional little notes I've responded to your meditations with over the past few years, expressing how much, in my life, you've been "feared"!