A Message of Hope

In the last post, we looked at the Hebrew concept of chokmah, which basically means “a practical or artistic skill.”  Then we noted that chokmah is also the Hebrew word for wisdom.  We defined wisdom as “the skill of living.”

If we want to learn to live life well – if we want to be skillful at life – then we need to ask God for wisdom.  The Bible is clear that wisdom does come from God.

 If you look at the beginning of Proverbs 8 in your Bible, it may say something like “Wisdom’s Call.”  This chapter is a poem in which wisdom is personified – is represented as a person – as a woman to be more precise – and wisdom calls out and urges people to live according to  her teachings.  In verse 22, Lady Wisdom says, “The Lord brought me out as the first of his works” – wisdom came forth from God before God created anything else.  She says in verse 23, “I was appointed from eternity” – Because wisdom comes from God’s very being, she is as eternal as God is eternal.  She says that she was present with God throughout creation, and in verses 30-31 she says,

 Then I was the craftsman at his side.
I was filled with delight day after day,
       rejoicing always in his presence,
rejoicing in his whole world
       and delighting in mankind.

 Notice the idea of Wisdom being the craftsman of creation, and how she found joy and delight in this process.  The nature of Wisdom is built into the very fabric of our universe, and if we want to be successful craftsmen in the skill of living, then we would do well to listen to her words.  That’s why she goes on to say,

Blessed is the man who listens to me,
       watching daily at my doors,
       waiting at my doorway.
For whoever finds me finds life
       and receives favor from the LORD.
But whoever fails to find me harms himself;
       all who hate me love death.” (Proverbs 8:34-36)

 So Lady Wisdom says, “If you find me, you find life.  If you fail, to find me, you harm yourself.  If you hate me – if you willfully reject me—then you will find death instead of life.”

God is the source of Wisdom, and he has woven her into his creation.  If we want to live successfully in this world, then we must listen to the words of Wisdom. 

 If you look at Genesis 1, creation is viewed as God taking some raw materials that were in a chaotic state  and God fashioned a beautiful world out of them.  In Proverbs 8, wisdom says that she was there even before chaos, and she was God’s agent in taking the chaos and was the craftsman who formed this amazing creation. 

 Right now you may think that the word “chaos” describes your life, that it’s a mess.  You may be right.  But I believe that God has already assembled all of the raw materials in you that you need to lead a beautiful, skillful life.   You are made in God’s image.  His blueprint is stamped on you, and Wisdom is the craftsman who can take that blueprint and the raw materials of your life and craft you into the person that god designed you to be!