Where then does wisdom come from?
    Where does understanding dwell?
Job 28:20 (NIV)

Wisdom and foolishness.

The ancients pondered these contrasting character qualities long and hard. So much thought and contemplation were given to them that there is a whole genre of ancient writing known as Wisdom Literature. Job is a classic of the Wisdom genre.

Shakespeare used the motifs of wisdom and foolishness to great effect. He often portrayed his rich and powerful characters with fatal, foolish flaws while reserving some of the most wise insights to characters who were classic fools.

I don’t find that contemporary culture thinks much about wisdom and foolishness in the classic sense. We think about fame and fortune. We value success and popularity. We strive for appearances and for avoiding failure that would result in social humiliation. Being wise is considered an honorable trait, of course. No one pursues foolishness. Yet, the world by-and-large doesn’t dwell on attaining wisdom or understanding foolishness. I went to the Amazon’s book section and did a search for “wisdom.” Pretty much every book that shows up is rooted and cloaked in Judeo-Christian or other ancient spiritual traditions. There are some “it” Christian authors. There are some more modern thinkers like Tolstoy and T.E. Lawrence. There’s not a single “it” influencer in popular culture on the cover of a book hawking the virtues of wisdom or the hidden traps of foolishness. No Oprah. Not even a Kardashian.

One of the keys to unpacking the book of Job is to understand that the author constructed it using different elements. Job’s and his friends have conversed in three rounds of back and forth discourses and ended in a stalemate. The ancient Hebrew writer now inserts a classic Hebrew wisdom poem before entering the second major section of the book in which there will be a trinity of monologues from Job, his friend Eli, and finally, God.

The ancient Hebrews liked to construct poetry and songs in such a way that the center of the text contains the central theme. Today’s chapter serves that function. The heart of the Job story is about gaining wisdom, and the author explains that wisdom can’t be mined by human means, nor can it be bought and sold like a commodity. Wisdom is found in the fear of the Lord and the shunning of evil. Embedded in this conclusion is both a nod back to the beginning of the story in which three times Job is described as a man who “feared the Lord” and “shunned evil” (1:1, 1:8, 2:3). It is also a foreshadowing of the final climax of the story in which God will have the final word.

In the quiet this morning, I found myself contemplating who I’ve encountered along my life journey whom I would consider wise, and those I’ve known who I would label a fool. As I contemplated this, it struck me that not one wise person I know was perfect. In fact, one of the life lessons I’ve gained from being associated with the wise is the necessary disappointment of learning that even the wise make foolish mistakes and have blind spots. I’ve come to believe that this is the true lesson of Solomon. As I tried to think of a fool I know who became wise, I had to think hard. In the few individuals that came to mind, there was always an epiphany event that preceded the life change. There was a gracious God moment, even if they weren’t otherwise religious, in which they walked away from their foolish path and pursued a path of wisdom.

And, that’s exactly the conclusion of the author’s wisdom poem. To “shun evil” I’ve learned that there is a divine grace woven with corresponding human will that is required. But it’s the divine grace that is the source, both the beginning and the end of wisdom and everything in between. It’s this humble acknowledgment repeatedly embraced that forms the path to wisdom.

If you know anyone who might be encouraged by today’s post, please share.