Embrace Her
Proverbs 4:4-9
It’s hard to imagine what it would be like to be an Olympic gold medal winner. To represent your country then achieve at that level under such pressure would have to be very satisfying. I guess it makes the old church softball trophy pale by comparison. What a moment! But of course that moment doesn’t last. It’s soon just a memory. Four years later most of the names of the medal winners will be forgotten.
Some years ago, I was with one of my daughters at a fast-food restaurant. Much to my surprise I looked over and saw a Heisman trophy winner a few tables away. He was with a girl about his same age and a young child. To be honest, they looked miserable. I’m not sure what was happening at that moment in their lives, but it wasn’t good. No one else seemed to know who he was. It’s amazing how quickly the cheering crowds fade away.
But what if the one putting the crown on your head was lady wisdom? She will place on your head a garland of grace; she will present you with a crown of beauty. The Hebrew word here for crown is not like a king’s crown. It’s what was referred to as a victor’s crown. It was the Olympic gold medal of the ancient world. What a moment to know you get one shot at life and your race ends with the victor’s crown. You are crowned a champion of skillful living.
Of course, receiving that crown doesn’t just happen any more than someone just happens to win an Olympic medal. You have to want it enough to pursue it with all your might. The Proverbs puts it like this: Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will guard you. Love her and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; and with all your acquiring get understanding.
The Hebrew word translated acquire means much more than to merely purchase. It carries the idea that something is of highest value and one must do what is necessary to have it. It’s a bit like Jesus’ pearl of great price in Matthew 13. The merchant is willing to sell all to purchase that one pearl.
It’s interesting how many of these Proverbs emphasize not the wisdom itself, but the importance of wanting the wisdom. The Bible is full of wisdom for life, not just the Proverbs. The question is do you want it. We answer that question everyday by how much we pursue it.
What’s unique about this Proverb is how wisdom is personified like a lover. Don’t forsake her, love her. It goes on to say, Prize her, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her. To embrace her literally carries the idea of hugging her or cuddling up with her. It’s a very romantic imagery. She’s your lover and you can’t get enough of her.
Patti and I started off as pals. She was all tomboy, and we had a lot of fun together. At some point my feelings for her went beyond pal to someone I wanted to spend my life with. When I fell, I fell hard. I couldn’t imagine spending my life with someone else. The only real problem was convincing her of the same. I was pursuing and she was fleeing.
Eventually I must’ve worn her down. She stopped fleeing. She moved to Lincoln, and we had a year together before we were married. I lived down by Lincoln High School and she lived around 48th and Highway 2. I was a poor college student paying my way through school so all I had for transportation was a Honda CL 360 motorcycle. Not bad except in the dead of winter.
Three to four times a week I would put on my coveralls, mittens, scarf and helmet and travel across town on the fringe of perishing from the cold just to see her. Why? I was in love. It wasn’t a hardship. She wasn’t making me do something. No one passed a law that I had to do that. I did it because I wanted to see the woman I was passionately in love with. I never really gave it that much thought. It was a small price to pay for something I wanted so deeply. Honestly, after 40 years together I would still do it in a heartbeat. It’s a small price to pay for something of such value to me.
That’s the imagery of the Proverb. Pursue lady wisdom like you would pursue a lover. If you do, she will place on your head a garland of grace; she will present you with a crown of beauty. The prize doesn’t come easy. Wisdom does not necessarily come with age. I’ve met plenty of older fools. I’ve also known some very wise teenagers. It’s more about how passionately you’re willing to pursue lady wisdom.
It’s not easy to live skillfully. It’s not a 1, 2, 3 formula. Life is complicated. It’s a lifetime of listening and learning. It’s realizing the value of lady wisdom and making it a life priority to chase her and embrace her. Do you do that? How many Christians only read their Bibles when they are in church? Do you think once a week will do? I can assure you it will not. You will not wear the crown of beauty if you’re not willing to do the work.
Put on your coveralls, mittens, scarf, and helmet and go get her. Pursue her, chase her down. I can assure you the prize is worth the effort. Let’s go for four times a week in the Word. Love her and she will watch over you.