In Praise of Wisdom

Wisdom is a tree of life to those that find her (Prov.3:18)

The Book of Wisdom, found only in Catholic Bibles, tells of all the riches that come to the seeker of Wisdom.  Solomon, the author of the book, reveals that, although he was a mortal, like other men, he asked for wisdom, and that along with her, came multiple other gifts:

• friendship with God;
• sound knowledge of existing things:  the organization of the universe and the force of its elements; the beginning and the end and the midpoint of times; the changes in the sun's course and the variations of the season; cycles of years, positions of the stars; natures of animals, tempers of beasts; powers of the winds and thoughts of men; uses of plants and virtues of roots---such things as are hidden and such that are plain; for Wisdom the artificer of all, taught me.

To read the Book of Wisdom slowly and thoughtfully is to pray along with Solomon for the Gift that is from above, that only God can give; along with wisdom come long life, knowledge, prudence, and understanding.  She is better than riches, because "all good things come to [us] in her company"(7:11).  Solomon says, "knowing that I could not otherwise possess her except God gave it---and this too, was prudence, to know whose is the gift---I went to the Lord and besought him, and said with all my heart:" [the whole of Solomon's prayer can be found in Chapter 9 of Wisdom.]



Reading this book makes it clear that knowledge cannot produce wisdom, but wisdom opens the door to knowledge.  It is said of George Washington Carver, the American Negro scientist who was born just before the Civil War, that he asked God to show him the secrets of "God's great universe."  "If I showed you the secrets of the universe," God answered, "you would not understand them.  But I will show you the secrets of the peanut."  Carver went on to discover over 150 uses of the peanut, making that crop more useful to the South than the cotton crop which was steadily depleting the soil and keeping his people in economic slavery even after the Emancipation.  Carver reported that while teaching at Tuskeegee Institute, he would go out each morning to roam the woods, seeking specimens for his class in botany that day.  During those early mornings, according to him, he "received from God his orders for the day." 

Carver is just one of thousands of scientists, musicians/composers, artists, and other saints who sought wisdom and who received along with wisdom, "knowledge of crafts" (7:16).  The story of the building of the Temple found in the Books of Kings and Chronicles tells of craftsmen endowed by the Lord with knowledge and skill to adorn the Temple.  Each person is given knowledge, skill, and wisdom in his/her own field of ministry by the Spirit of God for the building up of the Body as a whole.  In I Corinthians 12, Paul lists the gifts given by the Spirit for the building of the church, the Body of Christ---the expression of wisdom; the expression of knowledge; faith; gifts of healing; mighty deeds; prophecy; discernment of spirits; varieties of tongues; interpretation of tongues.

In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit is personified as Wisdom, "the artificer of all things."  As she "passes into holy souls, making them friends and lovers of God," she bestows also the gifts of "practical wisdom," (knowledge and skill), and courage to set about the things of God and His kingdom.

Let us not cease to pray for Wisdom!