a partner for life

The truly capable woman – who can find her? She is far beyond the price of pearls.

(Proverbs 31:10 NJB)

It is about you; it isn’t just about you.

It is about a woman, capable, strong, powerful, productive, full of virtues. She is Ruth, Naomi, Esther, Sarah, Lydia, Mary, and Old Mrs. Lynch, all rolled into one.

But it’s about more than that, and about more of us than just wives. It is in fact advice for all people. This passage completes the book of Proverbs – a book about Wisdom, how and why to have Wisdom with you in your life.

This advice you might say is for a young man starting out in life: “What you need is a good wife… Ah! But who can find a truly capable woman?”

But this advice is not just advice to a young man on seeking a spouse and helpmeet. It is advice to all people of faith on the partner each of us needs to team up with, whatever our station in life – single, married, old, young, male or female.

Wisdom is the partner that you need beside you – and Wisdom is the companion, the guide, that the Church, the people of God, need as they journey together on the path God sets before them.

Like Sarah and Abraham setting out for the land of promise, we, the people of God today, seek God’s leading and desire God’s guiding presence.

This partner is with us, and vindicates us, even when it seems that no human partner is available. The un-chosen maiden, the childless couple, the bereaved grandmother, the lonely child: these are God’s people, God’s chosen, God’s beloved, God’s blessed ones; and their companion is Wisdom.

The spirit of Wisdom is the Spirit of God. God is present with us. Emmanuel. Even now.

Like a dove descending, like a pillar of fire, like a quiet ripple on the water, like thunder.

Like - a truly capable woman.

We can be open to God’s leading, if we realize – God is with us. Wisdom is our partner.

And we are on the journey together. 

Proverbs 31:10-31
Psalm 1
James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a
Mark 9:30-37
Proper 20