“A fitly built house”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Sunday, August 18, 2024
Proverbs 9: 1-6 (Forward, p. 20) CEV p. 654
In these closely linked verses from Proverbs we hear of Wisdom, personified as a woman, inviting people to a banquet in her home. The banquet is, of course, an opportunity to shed our ignorance and become wise. Fair enough: this is very straightforward.
But what has really intrigued countless people ever since these verses were penned, is the description of Wisdom’s house as having seven pillars, which is rather significant as in the Bible the number seven often signifies completeness. And so, these people have tried to give each of those pillars an identity.
One pundit described them as purity, peaceability, gentleness, reasonability, mercy, humility, and sincerity. Another as prudence, knowledge and discretion, fear of God, counsel, sound wisdom, understanding and power. And yet another, as counsel, knowledge, understanding, might or strength, power or authority, riches, and honour.
But perhaps the best exposition of these is found in James 3:17: “The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle/ considerate/ easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.”
As can be seen from these lists this wisdom is almost universally based on what we are inside, what we are like as people. There are some that relate to our inner dispositions, our morality, things like purity, humility, and sincerity. There are others that relate to our intellects and wills (our decision making), things like understanding, prudence, discretion, and the fear of God. And finally, all sorts of things that have to do with how we treat other people, things like gentleness, peaceability, reasonableness, and mercy.
I would suspect that, with such and extensive and comprehensive list, we would score high in some and not so high in others. So, maybe a good exercise for us individually is to look at this list and see where there is room for improvement, and then, with God’s help, seek to do better on those counts.
Forward notes: “Lay aside immaturity, and live, and walk in the way of insight” (verse 6).
“In the summer of 2003, I left my husband and children in the care of extended family to undertake a pilgrimage in Spain, the Camino de Santiago (the Way of St. James). Before I departed, the rector of my church gave me this verse from Proverbs to reflect upon.
“Some might question the wisdom of leaving my young family and walking alone in Spain with minimal Spanish. Already, I was bogged down in the details: the heat, my oversized backpack, the blisters, and the sleeping accommodations. But, near the end of my journey, I began to make room for insight. After one grueling morning walk, hours before dawn, I looked over my shoulder to see an enormous orange sun skirting the horizon. In this flat, boring section of the Camino that I had dreaded, I felt an unexpected closeness to God. Surely, wisdom comes from God, and seeking this closeness to God is the way. I remind myself today to stay alert, especially in life’s dreaded places—where I just might find insight.”
MOVING FORWARD: “Where do you find closeness to God and insight into how to move forward?”