The Crown of Wisdom


Proverbs 4:1-9
1Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight,
2for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching.
3When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother,
4he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live.
5Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
6Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you.
7The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.
8Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her.
9She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”

I’ve always been taught that if you ask God for wisdom, He will grant it to you, as that please Him. Clearly, this idea is expressed with great intensity by Solomon in these verses. Seems like a circle. If you want to possess God’s wisdom, start there. Seek after His Wisdom.

The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom!

By the same token, it sounds like if I want to walk away from wisdom, I can. The temptation is to say that would be “unwise”, but that’s a little cheeky so I won’t. Here we find Solomon harkening back to what his father, King David, taught him; seek after wisdom.

St. Paul takes up the same message with further explanation in his letter to the young pastor, Timothy.

2 Timothy 3:14-17
14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Jesus Christ is the embodiment of Wisdom for salvation. In responding to His Gospel invitation, we are indeed on the path of wisdom. It only grows stronger from that foundation. And of course, the source of that training is found in the Word of God. It all seems rather basic – and it is. There’s nothing wrong with beginning at the beginning. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom!

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