Does not wisdom call, and does not understanding raise her voice? … ‘To you, O people, I call, and my cry is to all that live.’” vss. 1, 4
Proverbs 8:1-4
Many thousands of years ago as humans began to live in community, they took note of those things that made for peace and harmony–the actions and behaviors necessary for people to achieve common goals and avoid discord. For generations these tidbits of wisdom were stored up by leaders and eventually began to be written down. The Hebrews valued this reservoir of insights and practices and eventually made Proverbs a part of their scripture. For them, wisdom was personified as a woman and they made sure that every generation became acquainted with her knowledge. They elevated her status and many believed that she was a part of the divine team that had brought all things into existence. From the very beginning she had been there as a full partner in creation. In Greek she was called Sophia and in our time some have come to see her as related to what we call the Holy Spirit. In their eyes she provides a feminine dimension to the Holy Trinity and is a helpful corrective to the traditional masculine understanding of God. Whatever we might think about that notion, there’s no doubt that our faith ancestors were right on target in believing that the voice of a woman is the voice of wisdom for humanity. How sad it is that too often that voice has been marginalized in the Church of Christ!
Thought for the Day: What makes women wise?
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