Searching Your Caller ID

I hope you didn’t miss the call. Search your Caller ID and see if you have a verified number from Wisdom calling you.

We are continuing, now on our Wednesday odyssey having undertaken a search and rescue mission for wisdom. Understanding that enlightenment is within our reach we shall seek and find the knowledge and inspiration necessary to uplift, support and enhance our collective journeys as well as our own personal paths.

I want to thank you all for being here today. Whether you’ve followed this series, or if this is the first time you are joining us. We are involved in an extended study of wisdom as taught in the Book of Proverbs. If you’d like to know more about The Passion Translation and why we are using it for this undertaking, you can find a recap near the end of this edition of “Becoming Today”.

When the Bible keeps talking about the same thing over and over, that’s  because it is important.   That’s why Solomon continues  on the themes  of loving wisdom and treasuring her.  

Along with that we choose to understand that honoring the commandments of God will prevent us from making complete messes of our lives. They are our service, protection and give us life, joy, and everlasting blessings.

These analogies are not about reminding that there are alternatives and that the resources we need to avoid these pitfalls are readily available. 

What are those tools? 

Wisdom And understanding. 

That’s why we continue along this discourse here on our shared path on “Becoming Today”.

 

Last week in our discussion on Searching For True Love, admittedly the headline was by design, intentionally perhaps a bit misleading. However, it makes sense  once you understand our discussion was not about romance, nor is it about hunting for a soul mate. 

So what then does this have to do with true love? Glad you asked, it’s about what your true love should be. 

As was written in Proverbs 7, verses four and five,  ” Say to wisdom, “I love you,” and to understanding, “You’re my sweetheart.” ‘May the two of you protect me, and may we never be apart! For they will keep you from the adulteress, with her smooth words meant to seduce your heart.”

Honoring the wisdom and commandments of God as well as the inspiration and guidance available from Him within each can and does keep us safe. They protect us from the “predatory woman” who tries to lure us into her traps and away from Divine Love; which should be our true love as it is the only 100 percent pure love.

Next let’s read along together as we’ll examine Proverbs 8, on this edition of “Becoming Today”.

This chapter is divided into four sections beginning with:

Wisdom Calling

1–3 Can’t you hear the voice of Wisdom?[a]

    From the top of the mountains of influence

    she speaks into the gateways of the glorious city.[b]

    At the place where pathways merge,

    at the entrance of every portal,

    there she stands, ready to impart understanding,

    shouting aloud to all who enter,

    preaching her sermon to those who will listen.[c]

4 

“I’m calling to you, sons of Adam,

    yes, and to you daughters as well.

5 

Listen to me and you will be prudent and wise.

    For even the foolish and feeble can receive an understanding heart

    that will change their inner being.

6 

The meaning of my words will release within you revelation

    for you to reign in life.[d]

    My lyrics will empower you to live by what is right.

7 

For everything I say is unquestionably true,

    and I refuse to endure the lies of lawlessness—

    my words will never lead you astray.

8 

All the declarations of my mouth can be trusted;

    they contain no twisted logic or perversion of the truth.

9 

All my words are clear and straightforward to everyone

    who possesses spiritual understanding.

    If you have an open mind, you will receive revelation-knowledge.

10 

My wise correction is more valuable than silver or gold.

    The finest gold is nothing compared to the revelation-knowledge

    I can impart.”

11 

Wisdom is so priceless that it exceeds the value of any jewel.[e]

    Nothing you could wish for can equal her.

12 

“For I am Wisdom, and I am shrewd and intelligent.

    I have at my disposal living-understanding

    to devise a plan for your life.[f]

13 

Wisdom pours into you

    when you begin to hate every form of evil in your life,

    for that’s what worship and fearing God is all about.

    Then you will discover

    that your pompous pride and perverse speech

    are the very ways of wickedness that I hate!”

The Power of Wisdom

14 

“You will find true success when you find me,

    for I have insight into wise plans that are designed just for you.

    I hold in my hands living-understanding,[g] courage, and strength.

15 

I empower kings to reign and rulers to make laws that are just.[h]

16 

I empower princes to rise and take dominion,

    and generous ones to govern the earth.[i]

17 17 

I will show my love to those who passionately love me.[j]

    For they will search and search continually until they find me.

18 

Unending wealth and glory

    come to those who discover where I dwell.

    The riches of righteousness and a long, satisfying life

    will be given to them.[k]

19 

What I impart has greater worth than gold and treasure,

    and the increase I bring benefits more than a windfall of income.

20 

I lead you into the ways of righteousness

    to discover the paths of true justice.

21 

Those who love me gain great wealth[l] and a glorious inheritance,

    and I will fill their lives with treasures.”

Wisdom in the Beginning

22 22 

“In the beginning I was there,

    for God possessed me[m] even before he created the universe.

23 

From eternity past I was set in place,

    before the world began.

    I was anointed[n] from the beginning.

24 

Before the oceans depths were poured out,

    and before there were any glorious fountains

    overflowing with water,[o]

    I was there, dancing![p]

25 

Even before one mountain had been sculpted

    or one hill raised up,

    I was already there, dancing!

26 

When he created the earth, the fields,

    even the first atom of dust,

    I was already there.

27 

When he hung the tapestry of the heavens

    and stretched out the horizon of the earth,

28 

when the clouds and skies were set in place

    and the subterranean fountains began to flow strong,

    I was already there.

29 29 

When he set in place the pillars of the earth

    and spoke the decrees of the seas,

    commanding the waves

    so that they wouldn’t overstep their boundaries,

30 

I was there, close to the Creator’s side[q] as his master artist.[r]

    Daily he was filled with delight in me

    as I playfully rejoiced before him.[s]

31 

I laughed and played,

    so happy with what he had made,

    while finding my delight in the children of men.”[t]

Wisdom Worth Waiting ForWisdom Worth Waiting For

32 

“So listen, my sons and daughters, to everything I tell you,

    for nothing will bring you more joy than following my ways.

33 

Listen to my counsel,

    for my instruction will enlighten you.

    You’ll be wise not to ignore it.

34 

If you wait at wisdom’s doorway,[u]

    longing to hear a word for every day,

    joy will break forth within you as you listen for what I’ll say.

35 

For the fountain of life pours into you every time that you find me,

    and this is the secret of growing in the delight

    and the favor of the Lord.

36 

But those who stumble and miss me will be sorry they did!

    For ignoring what I have to say will bring harm to your own soul.

    Those who hate me are simply flirting with death!”[v]

Take a moment to reflect, and then we’ll begin to break down some of today’s concepts.

The first three verses of this chapter have me picturing Solomon, metaphorically banging his head against the wall and crying out, “Hello! Anybody listening? Can’t you see we need some more common sense around here?

As we read, “At the place where pathways merge,at the entrance of every portal,there she stands, ready to impart understanding,shouting aloud to all who enter, preaching her sermon to those who will listen”.

She is of course the reference to Wisdom, which is always available to those willing to listen to it. Here we see she is  waiting, ready to share her knowledge and unlock our understanding at any moment we allow or recognize our paths are intersecting.

In verse 10, she reminds su that there is value in choosing to accept wisdom and that the search for knowledge is not a task, rather it is something we should cherish;  “My wise correction is more valuable than silver or gold. The finest gold is nothing compared to the revelation-knowledge I can impart.”

And it’s value continues to increase as described in verse 11, “ Wisdom is so priceless that it exceeds the value of any jewel. Nothing you could wish for can equal her”.

We then learn in verse 12, that Wisdom wants to give us her charms so that we may use them, as she says to each of us, “I have at my disposal living-understanding to devise a plan for your life”.

Plus you can begin to see that plan become revealed when you choose “to hate every form of evil in your life”, which leads to unlimited potentials, picking up in verse 14, ““You will find true success when you find me, for I have insight into wise plans that are designed just for you. I hold in my hands living-understanding, courage, and strength”.

All are certainly very “Becoming” traits and characteristics to develop.

Then in the final section of this chapter Lady Wisdom encourages us to realize that she is worth waiting for. In verses 33 through 36, we are told, “Listen to my counsel, for my instruction will enlighten you. You’ll be wise not to ignore it.

If you wait at wisdom’s doorway, longing to hear a word for every day, joy will break forth within you as you listen for what I’ll say.

For the fountain of life pours into you every time that you find me, and this is the secret of growing in delight and the favor of the Lord.

But those who stumble and miss me will be sorry they did!”

Don’t become one of the sorry. Aren’t there enough sorry people in the world already? Rather embrace the possibilities. Accept wisdom’s guidance and receive the gift of an enlightened and better illuminated journey here along this shared path we call “Becoming Today”.

Truth, understanding, enlightenment and wisdom are all very “Becoming” traits. They empower us to grow and learn to be who we truly were intended to be. Which in turn enables us to continue moving on, with our momentum fully powered forward and upward.

As always I encourage you to actively participate. Please post your comments, questions, suggestions or concerns below. This is a safe space to share and there are protections in place to keep spammers out. I will respond to all who choose to participate. 

If you do not feel comfortable sharing below, remember you can always reach out privately through the easy to use form on our Contact page.

I pray each and every one of you enjoys a safe and blessed day. Then join us tomorrow as we continue our discussion with an enlightening topic here along this shared  journey we call “Becoming Today”. 

For those that have been here for a while I hope some of the repetitive nature of these posts is not too distracting. Not only are some of these points to remind us of our focus this month, it is also designed to also be welcoming.

We never know when a fellow traveler may walk along with us, or need to take a diversion. 

This is especially true since I have no idea what algorithm directed you, what search method may have pointed in our direction or how many of you find us on any given day. Therefore it’s necessary to recap some of the outline for our combined purposes. 

I appreciate your patience and understanding, so I’ll now mention we’ve come to that point in this conversation and if you’ve already heard this, then you can skip the next few paragraphs and pick up with the next image.

Now for those of you listening to the podcast I know that makes no sense, since you can’t hear any of the beautiful graphics we create each day, so you’ll just have to listen along; again… (insert audible giggle here) understanding that I’m laughing with you not at you.

As I am apt to do, even if you have studied Proverbs before, our undertaking may be a bit different, as we’ll be adding some passion to it. 

I am being called to focus this teaching around the The Passion Translation® book of Isaiah and New Testament with Psalms, Proverbs, and Song of Songs translated from Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic texts.

Done so by  Dr. Brian Simmons who believes the” message of God’s story is timeless; the Word of God doesn’t change. But the methods by which that story is communicated should be timely; the vessels that steward God’s Word can and should change.