So where does Wisdom come from? And where does Insight live? It can't be found by looking, no matter how deep you dig, no matter how high you fly.
God alone knows the way to Wisdom, he knows the exact place to find it. He knows where everything is on earth, he sees everything under heaven...He focused on Wisdom, made sure it was all set and tested and ready. Then he addressed the human race: 'Here it is!' Fear-of-the-Lord -- that's Wisdom, and Insight means shunning evil.' (28:20 - 28)The first part of our Old Testament reading focused primarily on holiness - God's set-apartness and His desire for us to also be holy. Now through the story of Job, God is turning our focus to Wisdom and Insight. In fact, He gives us concise definitions: Wisdom is fear of the Lord. Insight is shunning evil.
I like definitions and bottom-lines. Boiling things down to something understandable that I can wrap my brain around. The concepts of holiness and wisdom are very abstract and anything but easily definable. But somehow in the midst of his pain and suffering - maybe because of it - Job sees the source of Wisdom.
Solomon was a man much less acquainted with suffering, but God had also granted him wisdom. His words are more effusive in the Proverbs, but he still give us clues to Wisdom:
Good friend, take to heart what I'm telling you; collect my counsels and guard them with your life. Tune your ears to the world of Wisdom; set your heart on a life of Understanding. That's right - if you make Insight your priority, and won't take no for an answer, searching for it like a prospector panning for gold, like an adventurer on a treasure hunt, believe me, before you know it Fear-of-God will be yours; you'll have come upon the Knowledge of God.
And here's why: God gives out Wisdom free, is plainspoken in Knowledge and Understanding.(Proverbs 2:1-7)Even with all of Solomon's words and Job's succinct definition, I still find the concept of Wisdom and the fear of God mysterious. Just as I find myself unable to accurately describe holiness, much less to live it. As I continue on this quest for God through seeking Wisdom and Holiness, I ran across this George MacDonald quote that adds more insight. (C.S. Lewis said that everything he wrote was influenced by the genius of MacDonald and "I know hardly any other writer who seems to be closer, or more continually close, to the Spirit of Christ Himself.")
"Naturally the first emotion of man toward the being he calls God, but of whom he knows so little, is fear. Where it is possible that fear should exist, it is well it should exist, cause continual uneasiness, and be cast out by nothing less than love.... Until love, which is the truth toward God, is able to cast out fear, it is well that fear should hold; it is a bond, however poor, between that which is and That which creates - a bond that must be broken, but a bond that can be broken only by the tightening of an infinitely closer bond." (MacDonald, Unspoken Sermons, The Fear of God)
God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we're free of worry on Judgment Day - our standing in the world is identical with Christ's. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life - fear of death, fear of judgment - is on not yet fully formed in love. We though, are going to love - love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first. 1 John 4:17-19, MsgWisdom. Fear. Christ. Love.
I don't get it all yet. But I feel like God's opening up some new insight in my finite mind and heart.
2 comments:
I love that Job breaks down wisdom into a simply-put answer: fear of the Lord. Simply-put, but not so simply understood or practiced. Hmmm....what does that look like i nmy life? In my parenting? In my relationships with believers? In those with non-beleivers?
Reading Job's left me, almost, speechless as I just think about the reading throughout my day - and pray that I wouldn't be THOSE friends. :) From the beginning, I didn't like that God brought Job's name up to Satan. His friends' words seemed to be like lemon juice in his wounds. And now, I am loving Job's words back to them! I like that he's standing up to those who think they know so much more about him and the Lord. I earnestly hope that my confidence in the Lord if I was pressed or "schooled" by other believers would be as firm as Job's. I don't know that I wouldn't cave to a different spiritual "spin" on my sufferings. As a person who likes to ask "why?" I'm not sure I wouldn't jump at the first reasonable explanation another gives me--especially if I think the person's walking with the Lord. I want the faith of Job; the faith that stands up to even the judgements of fellow believers, knowing God is my Judge.
Cici - I don't remember which day you commented, but I agree with your statement that the older I get, the more I realize I don't know!!!
I think the older we become in the LORD, the more undone we become. What a defense of Job's integrity and wisdom. But we know the end of the story. I think Job is coming undone. But I can't fault him---I know no one who has lost their 10 children, their wife's support, their possessions and their health all at the same time. This guy is unbelievable that he is still standing, or maybe I should say sitting. Better man than any of us. But, his words are unravelling his motives.
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