King Solomon recorded many valuable spiritual thoughts and concepts in the thirty-one chapters of the book of Proverbs. As wisdom was his primary divine gift, there is much to be gained from reading and meditating upon each chapter.
Proverbs Eight is focused on the eternal nature of wisdom. It personifies wisdom as having been living with God from the beginning of time. Its wording leads many biblical scholars to interpret it as having a dual meaning, referring not only to wisdom but to the eternal presence of Jesus Christ Himself.
22 “The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way, before His works of old. 23 I have been established from everlasting, from the beginning, before there was ever an earth…30 Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman; And I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him, 31 rejoicing in His inhabited world, and my delight was with the sons of men. Proverbs 8:22-23,30-31 (NKJV)
John 1 tells us that the Word, Christ, was with the Father from the beginning and that all things were made through Him and for Him. The parallels between this gospel and Proverbs 8 are striking.
The master craftsman of Wisdom has put His divine stamp upon all creation, one that is apparent from the smallest plant or aquatic life to the cutest puppy or kitten, to the soaring eagle or the miraculous birth of a child. When we take time to look at or walk around in nature, we can see a reflection of the beauty of its Creator. Getting out and experiencing it often brings restoration and a peace to our soul.
Solomon’s Proverbs 8 also leads us to think about the eternal nature of time. It tells us that Wisdom was present with the Father from the very beginning, even before the works of creation began. Being firmly rooted in space and time, our created minds find the concept of living outside of time difficult to envision.
Another link between Jesus and King Solomon is found in a portion of the Sermon on the Mount. Here, Jesus cautioned His disciples to avoid getting caught up in a state of worry and anxiety, two harmful conditions. To illustrate the point, He directed them to look at the beautiful lilies of the field and to remind themselves of the Father’s creative abilities and His never-ending care for them.
28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Matthew 6:28 (NKJV)
Worry can sneak up on a lot of us. Jesus need not have said this if it was not a common problem. On any given day, we might find ourselves feeling out of sorts or somewhat obsessed by a troubling situation. As imperfect human beings, our faith can get sidetracked, and we may slip into feelings of anxiety, which can lead to self-centeredness and self-pity, all a dangerous mix.
Jesus reminds us that, even though we may sometimes forget about Him, He and the Father will never forget us. He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. When we become aware of our need to turn back to God and His unfailing love, He will show us the way through our problems, and restore us to a life of joy and peace as we walk with Him. This is following the true wisdom of Christ.
Reflection
Someone has said, “Fear knocked at the door, faith answered, and there was nothing there”.
Father God, we take this moment to present all of our worries and troubles to Your care. You are the antidote for our feelings of anxiety, brokenness, and loneliness. We trust in You for our complete recovery. You are our Creator and Restorer of our physical and mental health, and of spiritual peace. We ask this, believing, in Jesus name, Amen.
Final note: Solomon wrote thirty-one chapters in the Book of Proverbs, equal to the number of days in most months. This makes it easy to take a moment and read the chapter that corresponds to today’s date. Many have benefited from this practice. Some throw in the corresponding Psalm, as well.
Daily Meditations from the Genealogy of Jesus 