[lead]Look outside a moment and observe God’s handiwork.[/lead] When was the last time you noticed the intricacies of creation?
Take the stars, for example. We live in a time when we get to see what other generations could only dream about. The clarity and resolution of our telescopes allow us to see more stars than ever before. Each has its own color, its own position, its own purpose. And yet, “He counts the number of the stars; He gives names to all of them” (Psalm 147:4 NASB).
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Look also at the flowers of the field. Many flowers display extraordinary symmetry. There’s a logic to the design and a beauty that appeals to the eye. Their order proclaims that they have a Creator.
Think also of the most barren place, a desert. There aren’t many flowers in a desert, and what life there is often hides from view. Even a desert, though, has a strange sort of beauty, something that points beyond itself to the One who created it.
Our God is a God of order and beauty. On every level creation displays the wealth and the magnitude of God. We see a creativity and a playfulness in the strange creatures that abound all around us, a richness in the splendor that is on display every single day. The glory of God is astonishing, and it’s worthy of our praise.
Although we may take time to reflect on the beauty of the physical world, we don’t always make the connection between beauty and wisdom. Psalm 147:11 makes this connection for us. In the midst of this psalm describing the glory of nature, it says that God delights in and favors “those who fear Him.” From Proverbs 9:10 we know that “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (NASB). Psalm 147, then, ties wisdom to the beauty of the created order.
The question arises, then, how should we understand this connection between wisdom and beauty? We begin to find the answer in Proverbs 9:1–6, Wisdom’s invitation to the foolish. She has built her house, prepared her food, and set her table. She is the picture of order and beauty, having everything prepared for those who forsake their folly and turn to her.
The Hebrew word for wisdom used in this passage also means “skill.” If we look to the example of the personification of Wisdom, we see that our lives must reflect that order. True wisdom is ordering our lives so that every aspect is under the dominion of God. Our lives become works of beauty, just as creation is beautiful in its design.
True wisdom is ordering our lives so that every aspect is under the dominion of God. Our lives become works of beauty, just as creation is beautiful in its design.
Even when we see the connection between wisdom and beauty, we are still in need of training and tutelage to learn how to give thanks to God. This is where the work of the Holy Spirit comes in. The Holy Spirit in us manifests the new life that we have in Christ. His presence in our lives, in turn, gives it a quality that points back to Him and manifests His beauty to a watching world.
Like creation, we proclaim the glory of God. Our minds, wills, emotions, decisions, imaginations, and actions are all brought under Him when we place our trust in Him. We become new beings. Wisdom helps us live new lives of order. This leads us to give thanks “for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God” (Ephesians 5:20 NASB).
Wisdom helps us live new lives of order.
Not only this season but all year round, let us rejoice always and give thanks not only for the creation around us, but also for the beauty of wisdom. This thanksgiving is an act of wisdom and so creates more beauty that reflects His goodness.
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Go deeper into the biblical theme of wisdom by learning about the wisdom psalms.
These are the last recorded statements of Jesus Christ before His death on the cross. Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing. (Luke 23:34) When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and
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In the article below, Dr. Boa synthesizes material from several teaching sessions from his series Biblical Principles for Marriage and from portions of his spiritual formation text Conformed to His Image (primarily from chapter 18, “Holistic Spirituality”). Dr. Boa focuses on agape love as one of the five forms of loves (based on the different Greek words). After reviewing all forms, he gives reasons for why agape is the greatest.
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