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Resisting: Wisdom & Worth

This week's revisited archived post is from May 26, 2023. 


Yesterday I finished the short series Howard's End. The main character, Margaret Schlegel, gives a beautiful explanation of worth in regard to her marriage choice. Margaret's wise words to her sister, "I do not intend to correct him, or reform him. Only connect. That is the whole of my sermon. I have not undertaken to fashion a husband to suit myself using Henry's soul as raw materials."



Wisdom & Worth


Wedding season is peaking! What better book to read than the Song of Solomon in a month full of marriage?


The book of poems is rather sensual for biblical times and reflects God's intense desire for us, His bride; but there is more...


Interestingly, the Song of Solomon is considered one of the five books of wisdom and, more specifically, one of the three books of Solomon's wisdom.  


In chapter two the bride says, "My lover has arrived and he's speaking to me!" (MSG)
What is He saying to His bride?
He invites, "Arise and come to me."


How can we do such a thing? How do we muster the strength to forgo self-protection and chase after deep eternal love? 


The feeling of love might bring happiness, but it does not lead to soul healing. Intimacy with a wisely chosen, worthy lover is what generates needed multi-level restoration.


Value must be placed on intimacy and the one worthy of pursuit.  The key to recognizing merit is wisdom. It's a simple concept, but why do so many bright ladies partner up with boys who are incapable of cherishing them? Or promising gentlemen choose manipulative damsels determined to drain them? Straying from the Bible, that teaches how to correctly appraise value, has produced a culture of love without wisdom.


In Solomon's book of love-wisdom, the Shulammite Bride refers to herself as a "wall" symbolizing her discretion and prudence. Without walls the bride would allow unworthy suitors into her heart. Conversely, inappropriate walls of excessive fear would block valid love.


If your relationships are unfruitful or intimacy seems to evade you, ask Holy Spirit to show you where you have lacked His love-wisdom. Ask Him to make His wisdom known to you. 

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