Wisdom of Solomon 6:12-16
Description of Wisdom
12 Wisdom is radiant and unfading,
and she is easily discerned by those who love her
and is found by those who seek her.
13 She hastens to make herself known to those who desire her.
14 One who rises early to seek her will have no difficulty,
for she will be found sitting at the gate.
15 To fix one’s thought on her is perfect understanding,
and one who is vigilant on her account will soon be free from care,
16 because she goes about seeking those worthy of her,
and she graciously appears to them in their paths
and meets them in every thought.
Devotion
We often think that wisdom is found in our prefrontal cortex, helping us make smart decisions. The description of Wisdom in this reading from the Apocrypha sounds like a person we would like to know. Wisdom is referred to as she, which sounds less like an abstract idea than a personal presence. It becomes clear, Wisdom is not merely “prudent actions” or even “Godly knowledge.” Wisdom is someone, the Spirit of the living God.
The poetic images of this passage remind us of the Spirit’s abiding presence everywhere in our lives and that we can become aware and cultivate that presence by awareness, imagination, prayer, and thoughtful discernment. Wisdom’s loving presence makes every moment a sacred time of encounter with God’s spirit who meets us in our every thought. She will be found waiting for us, sitting at our gate.
Prayer
Meet us Lord in our thoughts and at our gate that we may be free from care and rest in your presence. In Jesus name, Amen.