Wisdom: the Daughter of God

In exploring the person Wisdom from Proverbs 8, I wanted to create a conversation between the Creator in Job 38, Wisdom in Wisdom of Solomon, and Proverbs and humanity. I have chosen to use the voice of the creator in Job 38 as the orienting voice that I prefer in recognizing with awe, the immenseness of creation and creator, but which leads me often to being overwhelmed in the sheer scale and scope of that theology. The voice of Wisdom, taken mostly from the Wisdom of Solomon and Proverbs, speaks to me, telling me that it is not my job to need to grasp immenseness but to instead play in the inhabited world, delighting alongside Wisdom. She understands the cosmic intimately, she’s able to navigate it and is found more radiant than light itself, and still, she chooses to play daily in creation and delight in humanity.

This idea began as a response to my personal existentialism and response to immense creation. I saw Wisdom as holding space, a small, lean-to tent, a womb just big enough for the present, a bubble rising within the primordial sea. She’s a manager against the myopic focus of humanity, guarding against life scope seep, and protecting the sacred nature of creation. Wisdom holds up the canvas of the tent that God’s presence dwells in. Wisdom is the surface tension that allows life to sprout on the bubble that is Earth. Wisdom is who holds space for humanity to play and rejoice, delighting. Wisdom is who holds space for me to play and rejoice, delighting through the worship of my creator.

Wisdom, in the context of Proverbs 8, is very much the mediator between humanity and a God who is perceived as distant. She is endlessly invitational, though, inviting all into her blessings and, by proxy, the blessings of God, who perhaps is not quite so distant as perceived. The resulting project is a “Reader’s Theater.”

Introduction

Wisdom grew up with the Creator as a parent and teacher; she now acts as a mediator between humanity and God. The social contexts from which Wisdom was birthed speak to the need for wisdom in today’s theological framework and humanity. Wisdom’s role as a daughter of the Creator, a knowledgeable and apostolic presence for God on earth, and her willingness to be both at the side of the Creator and among humanity place her in a unique mediator position. Wisdom is not present to supersede or interfere with God’s ongoing works of creation but to point humanity to the blessings of seeing them in our daily lives. She is happy to rejoice along side humanity across time who look for someone to fulfill this role.  

Texts in italics are my own words. I have taken liberties to modify pronouns and subject for clarity. I take liberties in taking on the voices of the scriptural authors and modifying their self-disclosure pronouns to fit this work. Pronouns for the Creator are ungendered with intention; often, He is replaced with God or They/Them. The gendered pronouns for Wisdom are mostly left feminine, for clarity, to compensate for missing feminine language in much public theology, and lastly, because it contributes to the creative work of the metaphors used. Some scripture may be paraphrased for clarity.

The Creator is left justified, Humanity Center justified, and Wisdom is right justified; this will remain throughout.

Wisdom’s Reader’s Theater

Creator

In the beginning, I made.

Created. Separating.

Dividing primordial seas of chaos.[1]

Wisdom

Delighted, I swept as your breath over the waters.

Spoken into existence.

It was good.

It was good. 

Humanity[2]

Dear God, are you there?

(Wisdom is immediately delighted, calling out an invitation)

Yes! Of course, the Creator is right here at my side.

You are welcome here with us.

(creator surprised, presses against the new voice, confused)

Why are they not sure if we are here?

Do they not see all the beauty I made for them?

(calling out, as if across an abyss but also bemused)

“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell me if you have understanding.
Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
Or who stretched the line upon it?[3]

(giggling, delighted to share her knowledge)

I have unerring knowledge of what exists

and I know the structure of the world.[4]

I am of the woven creation, drawn from the bedrock of all substance.

The Creator spun me and formed the fibers of the universe.

Why do I feel so alone?

Lonely for companionship like I’m on a deserted island.

Are you there? Anyone?

Do you know on what were its bases sunk,
or who laid its cornerstone.[5]

Who fastened the islands on which you dwell

To the core of the earth?

(now more concerned, calling out)

Do you hear us? I’m right here, down the street

Calling out, can you hear?

I know the beginning and end and middle of times,[6] I was set up,

 at first, when We marked out the foundations of the earth,[7]
I saw the love woven into every layer of the earth’s core,

there are no islands here that can be deserted.

Why does this sky feel like an intimidating expanse

I feel like I will be swallowed up in the infinite.

I’m too small. It is too big.

Can you not hear?

Were you there when the morning stars sang together
and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy?[8]

Together we delighted, rejoicing, singing,

filling the expanse with praise,

I know the constellations of the stars,

When God established the heavens, I was there.[9]

You are not too small beloved,

The Creator bound that expanse,

It may seem infinite but it will not transgress on to you.

The sky is not falling.

Do you know who shut in the sea with doors
when it burst out from the womb,

when I made the clouds its garment
and thick darkness its swaddling band,

 and prescribed bounds for it,
and set bars and doors,

and said, ‘Thus far shall you come and no farther,
and here shall your proud waves be stopped?[10]

at the first, before the beginning of the earth

when the sea was assigned to its limit,
so that the waters might not transgress God’s command,[11]

I was there, I saw the knots tied in the fabric of the sky

and the lines drawn in the sand

Can you see them too?

I will show you, listen, follow me!

(hearing with their ears, the call of Wisdom,

cups hands to ear and leans in the direction of Wisdom)

How do I know I can trust you?

Who are you?

(offering some consolation, trying to build trust)

Have you commanded the morning since your days began
and caused the dawn to know its place,
so that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth,
and the wicked be shaken out of it?[12]

I am Wisdom,

The Creator’s daughter

I’m here for you!

I will conceal no mysteries from you,
but will tell you the stories from the first beginnings
and bring my the knowledge into the open;

in no way will I bypass the truth.[13]

It is all here for you to know,

Listen…

I’m listening… 

From the depths of the sea,

my care and love is rooted for you and your siblings in humanity

Have you entered into the springs of the sea
or walked in the recesses of the deep?[14]

Hear me, I will tell you everything…

If you long for wide experience,
I know the things of old and infer the things to come;
I understand turns of speech and the solutions of riddles;[15]

When there were no depths I was brought forth,
when there were no springs abounding with water.[16]
I have foreknowledge of signs and wonders
and of the outcome of seasons and times.[17]

I will teach it all to you.

I don’t think that I can ever grasp all of that…

I’m not even sure why I’m here.

Why I exist. 

Do not be afraid,
Have the gates of death been revealed to you,
or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?[18]

I know where darkness sleeps,

I can teach you that also,

Show you why you were made

Compared with the light I am more radiant,
for it is succeeded by the night,
but against me evil does not prevail.[19]

The constraints of time and death don’t bother me,

You can be right at my side. 

I don’t know who you are..

How can you teach me who I am?

I know you because I’ve been here the whole time!

I know the story of your people and of the Creator.

Before the mountains had been shaped,
before the hills, I was brought forth,

I reach mightily from one end of the earth to the other,
and order all things well.[20]

I’m here. Right at your side.

Dwelling and roaming the earth.

I’m the daughter of the creator

Growing up in the middle of God’s creating.

I am a reflection of eternal light,
a spotless mirror of the working of God,
and an image of God’s goodness.[21]

I was sent forth from the holy heavens,
and from the throne of God’s glory, I was sent,[22]

I’m here just for you.

I’m here to teach you.

Here to teach me what?

Here to teach us what?

I was there when God made firm the skies above,[23]

I know the activity of all the elements[24]

I was daily God’s delight,
playing always,[25]

I am more beautiful than the sun
and excel every constellation of the stars.[26]

I’m here to teach you to shine in the same way.

Teach you how to flourish.

Wait, I’m supposed to be flourishing?

I feel like I’m barely surviving.

Of course, I have plans for your blessing
Do you know the ordinances of the heavens?
Can you establish their rule on the earth?[27]

You can establish their rule on earth.

Of course we can! I’m here.

I’ll teach you!

Although I am but one, I can do all things,
and while remaining in myself, I renew all things;
in every generation, I pass into holy souls
and makes them friends of God and prophets,

 for God loves nothing so much as the person who lives with me.[28]

(with hints of hope)

Make them friends of God and prophets?

Teach them to speak and hear God? 

I love those who live with Wisdom.

Who has put wisdom in the inward parts

 or given understanding to the mind?[29]

It is Wisdom who fortifies all understanding

Awe is just the beginning… 

Just the beginning?

Yes! The beginning is now,

kinship with me is immortality,
and in friendship with me, pure delight,
and in the labors of my hands, unfailing wealth,
and in the experience of my company, understanding,
and renown in sharing my words,[30]

Let us rejoice together in one another

 and in all of creation.

Let us rejoice together in one another

 and in all of creation.

Let us rejoice together in one another

and in all of creation.

[3] Job38:4-5

[4] WoS 7:17 paraphrased

[5] Job 38:6

[6] WoS 7:18a

[7] Proverbs 8:29

[8] Job 38:7

[9] Proverbs 3:19

[10] Job 38:11

[11] Proverbs 8:29-30

[12] Job 38:12-13

[13] Wis 6:22

[14] Job 38:16

[15] WoS 8:8

[16] Prov 8:24

[17] WoS 8:8

[18] Job 38:17

[19] WoS 7:29-30

[20] WoS 8:1

[21] WoS 7:26

[22] WoS 9:10

[23] Proverbs 8:28

[24] WoS 7:17

[25] Proverbs 8:30

[26] WoS 7:29

[27] Job 38:33

[28] WoS 7:27

[29] Job 38:26

[30] WoS 8:17-18