The Well
The Well |
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Connecting Hope to the Hurting | |
Saturday
November 8, 2008
I love all who love me. Those who search for me will surely find me. Unending
riches, honor, wealth, and justice are mine to distribute. My gifts are better
than the purest gold, my wages better than sterling silver! I walk in
righteousness, in paths of justice. Those who love me inherit wealth, for I fill
their treasuries.
Proverbs 8:17-21
Who is this person in the Old Testament telling us He loves us? Well, earlier in this chapter, we discover that this person is Wisdom! Wisdom – a person? Absolutely! Okay, now, get this – the Word says that Wisdom is a woman! Hello! Don't close me off – it isn't a literal woman, wisdom is the feminine side of Jesus.
For a very long time I wondered why God would use the feminine gender to describe wisdom when the church, especially at that time, had such a low opinion of women. Well, as He always does when we seek Him, He gave me divine revelation about this aspect of Himself.
For reproduction, God made us male and female. He also did this so we could learn better how to look beyond ourselves and better understand someone different than ourselves. Unfortunately, not many reach this point in their journey. They are so hung up on stereotypes that if you even mention a feminine side of God you could get excommunicated.
Okay, now that we've dealt a little with that issue, let's go on to the point He is trying to make. Gaining wisdom is far more important than having mega bucks, honor, and all those things. Yes, He wants us to have those things, but God wants us to love! He wants us to have wisdom and understanding of Who He is and how He loves!
Our Father is omnipotent. He knows everything. He sees everything. He keeps a record of everything. Therefore, He knows when we are operating in love or in a need to have honor and riches. Ouch! Hallelujah!
Personally, I feel that is why people who are entering the field of ministry often undergo such strenuous tests of their faith. If we do what we do from the love side of everything, we aren't distracted or despondent when the money doesn't measure up immediately. He will test us through the fire until He knows that we are tempered.
Well, Virginia Slims announces that we've come a long way baby, but I say, we've got a long way to go baby! I know very few people who have this love walk down pat, but praise God I do know a few. These people are awesome to be around.
People who walk the love walk don't condemn, criticize, and accuse, they allow the Holy Spirit to do that. The only time they get angry is at an injustice they see in the life of someone else – not in their own life. That is the kind of loving wisdom that gave Jesus the boldness to walk with women, heal the sick, and turn over the tables of the money-changers. Love takes risks!
Father, I thank You so much for taking the risk of allowing Jesus to come to earth, walk among men, show us a glimpse of who You are, and then suffer physical death. That was genuine risky business, but You are worthy to be praised because You had a plan for resurrection! Hallelujah!
