Breathtaking Wisdom
Reflective Reading: 1st Kings 10:1-13, Proverbs 3:9-35
In the book of First Kings, we read,
[Solomon] spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were a thousand and five. And he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree in Lebanon, even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall. He spoke also of beasts and of birds, and of creeping things, and of fish. And there came some from all the people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom. 1st Kings 4:32-34
Solomon’s Wisdom reached into the realms of poetry, music, forestry, botanical medicine, ornithology, zoology, ichthyology, entomology, culinary arts, architecture, landscaping, theology, and even the manufacturing of apparel. All of Solomon’s achievements affected the cultural, relational, and moral climate of his day. His servants were so inspired by his achievements and wisdom that they too reflected his beauty and excellence. Notice how the writer records the following description of Solomon’s servants,
And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built, And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her. And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. 1st Kings 10:4-6
Their entire way of life was elevated as a result of Solomon’s Wisdom. Keep in mind that the meaning of the word Wisdom is the idea of “skillful excellence.” A seminary professor of mine once coined a description of Wisdom that I will never forget. He said Wisdom is, “negotiating life skillfully.” We read in 1st Kings that Solomon’s elevated influence of Wisdom, took the Queen of Sheba’s breath away.
When was the last time that you encountered something that took your breath away? Most sunrises and sunsets do that for me. Beautiful stonework, landscapes, flowers, and the fragrance of European roses all take my breath away. Great pieces of art have the same effect, from Caravaggio and Rubens to Rembrandt. I’ll never forget the first time I stood in front of a Rembrandt at the Louvre. I couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. Such a sight impressed upon me a profound sense of appreciation. However, beauty, excellence, and Wisdom don’t come naturally to mankind. Reaching such a degree of skill comes from years of study, practice, and perseverance.
This leads me to one of my favorite sections in Proverbs. In Chapter 4 we read,
“Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.” Pro 4:5-8
Do you see the repeated word? Five times the word “get” appears. God is placing special emphasis on this word to demonstrate how wisdom is cultivated. Let’s get a little deeper here. The word “get” carries the idea of “acquired excellence.” To acquire wisdom requires a cost. In the Christian life, grace is free, but wisdom is costly.
When the world sees God’s children live a life of wisdom, beauty, and excellence, there will be a platform where people will listen to what you have to say. People are always attracted to worth. Whether it is a beautiful painting, a well-designed car, a landscape, a well-written book, an architectural marvel, or just a life lived well. All are opportunities for the Gospel.
In Proverbs 22:29 we read,
Show me a man diligent in his work and he will stand before kings and not before obscure men.
Jesus said the children of this generation are wiser than the children of light. I think it’s time to bring Wisdom back into the world! The question is whether we are willing to pay the price.
Sincerely,
Mark Hamby
M.S., M. Div., Th. M., D. Min.
