- (AMP) 9 They are all plain to him who understands [and opens his heart], and right to those who find knowledge [and live by it]. 10Receive my instruction in preference to [striving for] silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold.
Wisdom (God) is a self-existent reality - a concept hard for our minds to process. Andre Gide is reported to have said, "Believe those who are seeking the truth; doubt those who find it." Gide couldn't process it. He was wrong. We can know Truth (Wisdom).
Wisdom always was and always will be. We have to be aligned to it to learn it. It does not change. It is we who must change to be open to Wisdom's words because Wisdom's truth is not relative - it is absolute. Cicero wrote that the function of wisdom is to discriminate between good and evil. The first man, Adam, could have trusted God for that discrimination: sin changed that trust. Now we must seek truth outside of ourselves. We must find The Truth. To know Truth, we must know Wisdom. And that Truth has value put in terms humans seem to understand best - money. It's more valuable. Now that should change everything.
Wisdom is portrayed as a women calling out to passers by earlier in the chapter. In my mind, I picture this woman to be unadorned, plain. Attractive if one were to stop and notice. But not loud. Not seductive. Strong, confident. Not flirty. I arrived at this from the word pictures used to contrast Wisdom and foolishness. The latter is seductive, alluring, sensual - the kind of women that are presented to our culture today. Shaped the right way. Dressed the right way. Smelling right.
Wisdom, on the other hand, is not shaped by Oprah or Hollywood, dressed by designers or concerned by about seductive smells. She "calls out" with words to live by that have their basis in truth of creation and are not glowing words meant to seduce the listener. She offers advice, not empty flattery with flashing, saucy eyes. Her advice is authoritative because she teaches from her own authority, not others. Her looks are direct and bore into the soul.
She is more valuable than riches yet she is so often ignored. Why? Maybe because she sees us as we are. Hmmm. Now open your mind to that! The human mind is often shut, not because of any real intention to ignore God, but because of laziness. Dull thinking. Chasing what has less value but is more seductive. The destructive focus on the value of "silver and gold" and not the eternal value of truth and living God's way.
Our culture bombards us with images, messages and memories of the "rich and famous." Cars, computers and clothes have seduced us. Sunday morning sports have replaced faith and soul-searching. And for some of those who find a church, it's more about what it will do for them rather than loving others. The foundation of Wisdom is Love which is about others, not ourselves. And love is close at hand.
No need to pack-up and travel about to search for Wisdom. Wisdom is right here – easily found. Clear words. Plain thinking. Easy to understand. The key? Allow Wisdom's words to shape our behavior.
Copyright (c) 2006 by P. Griffith Lindell
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