Scripture Daily

Context No. 2214 of 4322 · Wisdom

Context · Reflection

Wisdom 6:1-16: in context

1Hear therefore, you kings, and understand. Learn, you judges of the ends of the earth. 2Give ear, you rulers who have dominion over many people, and make your boast in multitudes of nations, 3because your dominion was given to you from the Lord, and your sovereignty from the Most High. He will search out your works, and will inquire about your plans, 4because being officers of his kingdom, you didn’t judge rightly, nor did you keep the law, nor did you walk according to God’s counsel. 5He will come upon you awfully and swiftly, because a stern judgment comes on those who are in high places. 6For the man of low estate may be pardoned in mercy, but mighty men will be mightily tested. 7For the Sovereign Lord of all will not be impressed with anyone, neither will he show deference to greatness; because it is he who made both small and great, and cares about them all; 8but the scrutiny that comes upon the powerful is strict. 9Therefore, my words are to you, O princes, that you may learn wisdom and not fall away. 10For those who have kept the things that are holy in holiness will be made holy. Those who have been taught them will find what to say in defense. 11Therefore set your desire on my words. Long for them, and you princes will be instructed. 12Wisdom is radiant and doesn’t fade away; and is easily seen by those who love her, and found by those who seek her. 13She anticipates those who desire her, making herself known. 14He who rises up early to seek her won’t have difficulty, for he will find her sitting at his gates. 15For to think upon her is perfection of understanding, and he who watches for her will quickly be free from care; 16because she herself goes around, seeking those who are worthy of her, and in their paths she appears to them graciously, and in every purpose she meets them.

After warning rulers that their authority comes from God and that they will answer to him, the passage turns to wisdom, and describes how readily she is found by those who want her. Wisdom is radiant and unfading, it says, and is easily seen by those who love her, and found by those who seek her. She anticipates those who desire her, making herself known. She goes about seeking those worthy of her, and meets them graciously in their paths. Wisdom is not hidden from those who genuinely want her; she is found by those who seek, and even seeks them.

The encouragement here is that wisdom is readily available to those who genuinely seek it. Wisdom is not locked away, reserved for a few, hidden from ordinary people; she is radiant, easily seen by those who love her, found by those who seek her. And more than that, she meets the seeker halfway: she anticipates those who desire her, goes about seeking those worthy of her, appears to them in their paths. The one who genuinely wants wisdom and seeks it will not seek in vain; wisdom is found by those who seek, and even comes to meet them. This corrects a discouragement we can feel about gaining wisdom. We can imagine that wisdom is beyond us, that it belongs to the exceptionally gifted or learned, that we could never attain it. But this passage says wisdom is found by those who seek her, that she is not hidden from those who want her, that the seeker is met and even sought. Wisdom is available to any who genuinely desire and pursue it. And Scripture roots this in God, who gives wisdom to those who ask. I love those who love me, wisdom says in Proverbs, and those who seek me diligently find me. If any of you lacks wisdom, James says, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given him. Wisdom is not withheld from the seeker; God gives it readily to those who ask and seek. This should encourage us to seek wisdom, expecting to find it. We do not need to despair of gaining wisdom as though it were beyond us; wisdom is found by those who seek her, and God gives it to those who ask. The one who genuinely desires wisdom and pursues it, who asks God for it, who watches and longs for it, will find it, for wisdom is readily found by those who seek her and even comes to meet them. This calls us to seek wisdom in the confidence that it is found by those who seek. Rather than assuming wisdom is beyond us, we are called to pursue it, to ask God for it, to seek it, trusting the promise that wisdom is radiant and easily found by those who love her, that she anticipates those who desire her, and that God gives wisdom generously to all who ask. Seek, and you will find; and wisdom is found by those who seek her, given readily by the God who does not withhold it from those who genuinely desire it.

Do I despair of gaining wisdom as though it were beyond me, reserved for the exceptionally gifted or learned, or can the promise that wisdom is radiant and easily found by those who seek her, anticipating those who desire her and meeting them in their paths, together with God's readiness to give wisdom generously to all who ask, encourage me to seek wisdom in the confidence that it is found by those who seek, pursuing it and asking God for it rather than assuming it is beyond my reach?

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