Wisdom is a woman. She is a wise hearted woman. I love this passage in Exodus 35:25-26 describing the women getting things ready for the tabernacle: “And all the women that were wise hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen. And all the women whose hearts stirred them up in wisdom spun goats’ hair.” Their wise hearts taught them to get busy spinning and weaving.
The woman in Proverbs 31 “works willingly with her hands” (verse 13). I think we can say that wise hearts produce working hands. Wisdom doesn’t sit around thinking great thoughts but is building something, making something. The wise woman in Proverbs 14:1 is building a house. The wise-hearted women in Exodus were making fine linen. They had busy hands. “She extends her hand to the poor, yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy” (Proverbs 31:20).
God works wisdom into our hearts and it comes out our fingertips. This is a feminine strength, not to be despised or blown off. This kind of wisdom is not idle. It is stirred up to make lasagna and wash the sheets. There is nothing menial about the work when a wise heart is stirred up to do it.
A wise heart bestows beauty: it’s blue and purple and scarlet. It is very fine. So is my mac and cheese (or so my husband says). A large, tender heart is the perfect place for wisdom to reside.
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So funny…I was just mulling over this very idea this morning: wisdom does. I forget what I was listening to a few days ago — I think one of Toby’s old sermons — that noted that the Bible doesn’t really start getting revved up talking about wisdom till Bezalel and Aholiab get into gear with their work in the tabernacle. Wisdom is identifiable by its fruit.
(And now I’m in the mood for mac and cheese. Think I’ll go whip some up for lunch!)
I really like this post. Giving freely is such a hard thing to do sometimes. But there is blessing in it for us as we’ll when we do!!
Thank you! These daily devotions are such a pleasure. I have 3 children that are 3 & under. My busy hands often lend themselves to a busy heart. These precious, quick reads fit perfectly into my day.
Thank you! This was so encouraging!