Solomon certainly had the creds to preach about wisdom.

But it wasn’t as if the Lord God just decided to lay it on him one day.  He asked for it, and he got it! Not only that, he was also obliged to share it.  [see: 1Kg. 3:5-13]  Maybe that’s why he chose to jot down some of his thoughts:

“To know wisdom and instruction…to discern the sayings of understanding…a wise man will hear and increase in learning…to understand a proverb and a figure, the words of the wise and their riddles.” [Prov. 1:1, 5a, 6] [my emphasis]

And wisdom is certainly not without an Origin:

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.  Fools despise wisdom and instruction.”  [Prov. 1:7]

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”  [Prov. 9:10] 

So, even if I have doubts about the origin of wisdom, or feel like I can’t benefit from Solomon’s collection of proverbs, I could surely acknowledge one important principle after reading them:  It doesn’t just happen. In order to have it, I need to look for it—or “her,” as the “teacher” sometimes suggested:

“If you seek her (wisdom) as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures, then you will discern the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God.” [Prov. 2:4-5]

I’m certainly no authority on why the feminine pronoun was commonly used to describe an inanimate topic in ancient Hebraic dialog, but I can make an educated guess. That’s because I’m a male.  I’m naturally predisposed to modify an object of my affection into a more familiar image of gratification.

When did you ever hear a female say something like, “Mary, come look at my new pearl necklace, ain’t she a thing of beauty?”

But a man can’t help it.  He correlates the beauty of a woman with his restored ’49 Roadster Coupe, or his new fiberglass bass boat, or his old burnished Winchester over/under 12 gauge shotgun.

The most remarkable wisdom that Solomon imparted to the reader of his proverbs was that a man’s most precious object of affection is realized in the Word of God Itself—or rather, Herself.

And I don’t have to look that far to find Her.

“Wisdom shouts in the street, She lifts her voice in the square.  At the head of the noisy streets She cries out.  At the entrance of the gates in the city She utters Her sayings: ‘How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded—and scoffers delight themselves in scoffing—and fools hate knowledge?'” [Prov. 1:20-22]

But just like your new bass boat, She comes with a price tag.  For Solomon, that cost was paid with humility and reverence. These human attributes were commonly expressed by the Jewish patriarchs as a fear of the Lord.

It’s interesting that he seemed wise enough to ask God only for wisdom to lead His people even before the Lord granted him the capacity to do so.  He didn’t ask for a new horse, or greater authority, or a long and healthy life.  [1Kg. 3:5-13]

He perceived the majesty of God’s sovereign wisdom and just character as something comparable to the glory and elegance of a righteous woman. [Prov. 31:10-31]

It was priceless.

“So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.”  [Psa. 90:12, the words of Moses]