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Monday April 28 - A mother’s wisdom
Wisdom has built her house; she has set up its seven pillars Proverbs 9:1
Set in an era and geographical context often depicted as the epitome of patriarchy and misogyny, I love that the book of Proverbs’ personification of wisdom is presented in the feminine. A senior lady I knew would say we must remember that man is the head of woman, but also that the neck turns the head! The metaphor of Proverbs 9 is that of a woman who builds her house well, a picture Jesus uses in the masculine in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:24-27).
The meaning of the ‘seven pillars’ of ‘her house’ is not entirely clear – perhaps symbolising the cycle of the week, or seven virtues of wisdom, including qualities like purity, peace and mercy. Whatever they are, the pillars depict stability and continuity. Verse 2 says that she has also prepared a meal and drinks, meaning that, whether outwardly or inwardly, this woman’s house is a place of strength and provision.
When I came to faith in my mid-twenties, the pursuit of wisdom was not on my radar. Wonderfully, I soon found myself surrounded by the wisest of elderly Christian ‘mothers’ who would feed me, encourage me, teach me, correct me, and speak to me about everything from relationships to good financial management. Like the wise woman of Proverbs 9, their ‘houses’ were places of godly wisdom.
Father, thank you for wisdom and the spiritual mothers you have blessed us with. Let us establish pillars of wisdom in our own lives, that you may be glorified. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Tuesday April 29 - The whosoever
“Let all who are simple come to my house!” To those who have no sense she says, “Come, eat my food...” Proverbs 9:4-5
‘Liberation theology’, which began in South America during the revolutions of the 1960s, questions policies that only support the ‘worthy poor’. This refers to sources of help for the poor, whether institutional or individual, setting criteria that distinguish the ‘worthy poor’ from the ‘unworthy poor’. In Christian terms that might be expressed as “God helps those who help themselves,” or not giving to people living on the street “because they will only buy drugs.”
In the text today, the ‘wisdom-woman’ begins with no such distinction, instructing her servants to shout from the rooftops an invitation to the ‘simple’ and ‘those who have no sense’. I love her message: “Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of insight” (v 6). I had a colleague who told of a car mechanic to whom he gave a New Testament. He became a Christian and asked my friend to highlight biblical passages for him. The mechanic immediately brought new people to church and asked my friend to highlight more passages. He offered him scripture references, but the mechanic said, “No, highlight them please. I can’t read, so I ask people to read the highlighted passages and then I explain it to them!” It’s wrong to use my prejudiced lens to decide who is worthy of the wisdom of God!
Father, help me to receive your love and wisdom and share it indiscriminately. Thank you for the privilege of seeing you work in my life and the lives of others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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PRAYER FOR TODAY
PRAYER FOR TODAY