Name your pillars

Proverbs 9:1
Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars.

First perusal of this verse suggests a metaphor, an abstraction at best, but I believe this to be something entirely different. Wisdom, in the world, is an abstract, poorly defined and rarely found. Likewise, if wisdom is an abstraction, what but a house of air and a pillar of hope can an abstraction hew?

Instead, let us consider the possibility that wisdom is not mere abstraction, but has feet! Let us consider that wisdom is something that is present - which it may not be measured by the means of man, but still has a firm presence in reality, and has distinct aspects that it can and does touch us.

One of the most powerful approaches to understanding something in scripture is to identify where it is first mentioned. Doing so often sheds light on something that, at first, appears only abstract.

Let us initially turn our eyes to wisdom.

The first mention of wisdom, in scripture, appears in Exodus 36:1 - and provides clear indication that wisdom comes from the LORD. In Proverbs 5:1 we find that we can choose to respond to wisdom. Thus, wisdom is a gift from God, but is not autonomously heeded - we must CHOOSE to attend to it. Indeed in Proverbs 8:1 it is revealed that wisdom itself is requesting our attention. Thus wisdom is a gift from God, desires to draw our attention, but the following of which is optional.

Then the question might be: what use is wisdom? Or, rather, what does the heeding of wisdom offer? According to Ecclesiastes 8:1, it makes man's face to shine and gives the man boldness. Likewise Proverbs 14:1 indicates that a woman with wisdom builds a house. Thus heeding wisdom gives boldness, confidence, and security of a sort. So scripture has revealed where wisdom comes from and that it has practical results.

Thus, the next question is - what are the seven pillars mentioned in the original verse?

Sevens, in various forms, show up nearly 600 times. As pillars are items, we will shy away from units of time as well as groups of people. Likewise, wisdom is given of God, so we will also shy away from groups of sevens that are crafted by man. Thus, for the first grouping of seven we look to the seven fruits of the spirit, clearly revealed in Galatians 5:22.

Do you recognize and observe these as part of your walk with Christ Jesus?

I challenge you this day to
... identify what pillars wisdom has built in you.
... identify what pillars wisdom has not finished building in you.
... identify what pillars wisdom intends to build in those around you, through your witness of the LORD.