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Thank you, Jess. 
That was like so fast. 

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Today is International Women's 
Day. 

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I'm going to ask all the men to 
stand. 

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Old men, if you can turn around,
put let your eyes connect with a

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woman and say you are blessed. 
So there you go. 

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What are we doing? 
So guys, you got to do this 

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again. 
OK, all the guys sit down. 

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I'm going to show you how to do 
this. 

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You're going to rise up and say 
you are blessed. 

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It goes like this. 
I arise and say you are blessed.

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All right, one more time, 123. 
Oh, my goodness, you guys. 

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OK, so you were just fulfilling 
biblical descriptions of honor. 

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And we sometimes miss this. 
This is one of those lines in 

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Proverbs 31. 
It's a very famous poem about 

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the valiant woman, the heroic 
woman, the superwoman. 

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I want to put it all in context 
though, so that we see this 

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passage for what it is, that 
it's actually a call to actually

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live a life of embodied wisdom, 
and that the whole book of 

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Proverbs, it's fascinating, the 
whole book of Proverbs sort of 

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paints wisdom as something that 
you must earnestly desire. 

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And when it gets to the last 
chapter, it actually moves from 

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the Proverbs of Solomon, and it 
moves towards another teacher, a

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woman who is teaching King 
Lemuel's mother. 

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We're not sure if the famous 
poem it's hers, but it may well 

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be. 
And so let her be your teacher 

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today from the Word of God about
becoming a person who embodies 

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all of the wisdom of God. 
This passage that we're going to

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read is sometimes heard by the 
modern ear as a burden. 

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And so I acknowledge that that 
some women hear this and go, 

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they get to the end of it and 
go, Oh, no, I'm already tired, 

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what am I going to do? 
And so if you need to hear this 

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as just a description of the 
ideal woman, then let this be 

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the speech given at her lifetime
achievement award ceremony. 

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This is what's seen over the 
course of a life. 

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But for both men and women who 
read this passage in its 

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context, you must read it as a 
call of God, a call of the voice

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of wisdom itself, calling out to
you to say be a person who 

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embodies the wisdom of God. 
Here's some of what it might 

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look like. 
Proverbs 31. 

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If you have a Bible, you can 
open it there or your Bible app.

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The sayings of King Lemuel and 
inspired utterance his mother 

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taught him. 
Listen my son, listen, son of my

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womb. 
Listen, my son, the answer to my

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prayers. 
Do not spend your strength on 

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women, your vigor on those who 
ruin kings. 

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It is not for kings, Manuel. 
It is not for kings to drink 

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wine. 
It's not for rulers to crave 

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beer, lest they drink and forget
what has been decreed and 

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deprive all of the oppressed of 
their rights. 

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Let beer be for those who are 
perishing, wine for those who 

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are in anguish. 
Let them drink and forget their 

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poverty, and remember their 
misery no more. 

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But you. 
Speak up. 

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Speak up for those who cannot 
speak for themselves, for the 

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rights of all who are destitute.
Speak up and judge fairly. 

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Defend the rights of the poor 
and needy. 

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A wife, a wife of noble 
character who can find she is 

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worth far more than rubies. 
Her husband has full confidence 

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in her and lacks nothing of 
value. 

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She brings him good, not harm, 
all the days of her life. 

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She selects wool and flax and 
works with eager hands. 

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She is like the merchant ships 
bringing her food from afar. 

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She gets up while it is still 
night. 

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She provides food for her family
and portions for her female 

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servants. 
She considers a field and buys 

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it out of her earnings. 
She plants a vineyard. 

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She sets about her work 
vigorously. 

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Her arms are strong for her 
tasks. 

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She sees that her trading is 
profitable and her lamp does not

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go out at night. 
In her hand she holds the 

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distaff and grasps the spindle 
with her fingers. 

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She opens her arms to the poor 
and extends her hands to the 

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needy when it snows. 
She has No Fear for her 

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household, for all of them are 
clothed in scarlet. 

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She makes coverings for her bed.
She is clothed in fine linen and

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purple. 
Her husband is respected at the 

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city gate, where he takes his 
seat among the elders of the 

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land. 
She makes linen garments and 

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sells them, and supplies the 
merchants with sashes. 

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She is clothed with strength and
dignity. 

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She can laugh at the days to 
come. 

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She speaks with wisdom, and 
faithful instruction is on her 

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tongue. 
She watches over the affairs of 

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her household and does not eat 
the bread of idleness. 

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Her children arise and call her 
blessed. 

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You get it, guys. 
Her husband also, and he praises

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her. 
Many women do noble things, but 

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you surpass them all. 
Charm is deceptive and beauty is

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fleeting, but a woman who fears 
the Lord is to be praised. 

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Honor her for all that her hands
have done, and let her works 

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bring her praise at the city 
gate. 

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We've been in a series called 
Financial Peace and Purpose. 

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Some of you've been astonished 
at the text we have chosen along

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the way, and you might be 
astonished that this is the one 

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we're ending with. 
We started with a text in 

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Revelation that spoke of 
Babylon. 

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Babylon, that city that robbed 
people of dignity and worth and 

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ultimately stole the glory of 
God. 

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But we know we live in that 
system, but we also live in the 

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system of the Kingdom of God as 
the people of light. 

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And so some of you have been 
frustrated along the way, but I 

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still have to have money. 
I have to earn it. 

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I have to spend it. 
I have to give it. 

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I probably should save it. 
I still need money in this 

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setting. 
Who could save me from these 

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kinds of decisions? 
And ultimately, I hope you've 

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understood no one can save you 
from those decisions. 

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God intends for you to make 
decisions about money, 

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especially as you organize your 
life under Him. 

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One of the pictures that I like 
to draw about our life and 

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relationship with Jesus is in 
the walk through the gospel. 

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And in that picture, we put 
ourself here in the middle, and 

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we understand that we were made 
for four relationships, a 

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relationship with God. 
That's what we were made for. 

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This is who we are called to. 
But we also live in this body 

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and we have a sense of self. 
And we were made to have a 

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relationship with ourselves, to 
know ourselves, to become a 

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person. 
Much of that is done and 

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understood in relationship to 
others. 

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And we were made to have a 
relationship with other people. 

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And money belongs into that 
sense of mammon that we were 

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made to have a relationship with
the stuff of Earth. 

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You're all here at university 
studying the stuff of Earth and 

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what people have done with it 
and what we could do with it. 

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And many of you have ambitions 
about that and dreams about what

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to do with that. 
And some of you have sensed this

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is what God has put in my heart 
and this is what I want to do 

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and I want to do it well. 
The call of scripture and the 

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call of God is to organize our 
life in relationship to Him. 

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And we often gather that around 
the word worship that I am 

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worshipping God. 
But how to understand our self 

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in the world is organized around
the word wisdom. 

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And in the Scripture it says 
that wisdom begins with the fear

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of God and it resets our life so
that in relation to people we 

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know we are called to serve. 
And it changes our relationship 

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with the stuff of earth so that 
now we know we are a steward. 

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To steward the grace of God in 
its many forms requires wisdom. 

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Wisdom will be set in your life 
according to what you worship 

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and who you worship. 
The call of Jesus is for us to 

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understand all of this through 
the picture of the cross and the

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life of the cross. 
That may not be readily apparent

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in Proverbs 31, but there are 
some gifts in Proverbs 31 that 

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will ultimately lead us to the 
cross. 

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The 1st is that we have to 
reconcile that wisdom is 

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something we actually want. 
That wisdom blesses abundantly. 

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Can you move me forward there 
one back, there we go. 

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Proverbs 2 For wisdom will enter
your heart, and knowledge will 

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be pleasant to your soul. 
This is when you open your heart

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and life to God and you start to
ask for wisdom. 

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It says wisdom will enter your 
heart and knowledge will be 

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pleasant to your soul. 
Discretion will protect you and 

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understanding will guard you. 
Wisdom will save you from the 

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ways of wicked men. 
Wisdom will save you. 

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And it's repeated several times.
Then in chapter 3, it says that 

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blessed are those who find 
wisdom, those who gain 

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understanding. 
She is a tree of life. 

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Any tree huggers here that 
you're like, I will go and hug 

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that tree. 
And he says wisdom is that kind 

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of tree. 
Embrace this tree. 

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She is a tree of life for those 
who take hold of her, and those 

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who hold her fast will be 
blessed. 

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If you read Proverbs one through
9, you're going to hear this 

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depiction and you'll actually 
hear the voice of Lady Wisdom 

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calling out. 
She's contrasted with the foil 

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of Lady Folly, Wisdom and Folly.
They each have their house that 

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they invite you into. 
They each promise you life, but 

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only one delivers. 
One delivers life, one delivers 

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death. 
But wisdom doesn't fully do its 

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words. 
If it's just words of wisdom, 

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they must become embodied into 
our lives. 

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They must be reflected on, 
thought about. 

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A proverb on the tongue is of 
little value in the mouth of a 

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fool because it hasn't done the 
work yet in the heart. 

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And so Lady Wisdom calls out in 
the words of the mother of King 

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Lemuel, to the king. 
We've been introduced here to 

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two kinds of people with power. 
The king has power. 

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These are the sayings of King 
Limwell and inspired utterance 

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his mother taught him. 
Listen. 

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The call to listen is is 
actually a call to obey, to give

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thought to not just the words, 
but to your life. 

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And then the poem to this wife 
is actually a poem to a valiant 

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woman, a woman of valor. 
The word valor here is often 

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used in the Old Testament for 
men. 

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The mighty men of David, the 
mighty woman, the mighty wife, 

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the valiant woman. 
Do you know this poem is recited

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every week and the home of my 
friend Rabbi Shalom every night 

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and every Friday night as the 
Shabbat meal has been served. 

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And then there's this moment of 
recognition in the family and 

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they've prayed. 
The man of the house stands up 

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and recites this poem to his 
wife every Friday. 

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What a wise man to rise up and 
call her blessed. 

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We have something to learn. 
Embodied wisdom. 

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Let's make some observations 
about it. 

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Embodied wisdom battles, fights 
for the flourishing of others. 

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This is what King Lemuel is 
trying is to be reminded of by 

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his mother. 
Do not spend your strength on 

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those who ruin kings. 
It's not for kings to crave 

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beer, lest they forget what has 
been decreed and deprive all the

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oppressed of their rights. 
Speak up. 

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Speak up. 
Do you know how easy it is for a

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man to just be quiet? 
It's harder for him to speak up.

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Speak up, Speak up for those who
cannot speak for themselves. 

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Speak up and defend the rights 
of the poor and needy. 

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This is what wisdom is to do. 
Embodied wisdom battles for the 

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flourishing of others. 
It takes hold of the power that 

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you have and says I will spend 
it for others. 

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The temptation always, and 
especially in our culture today,

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is to say that I must use my 
power to promote myself. 

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I must use my power to make 
myself great and mighty. 

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I must use every position that I
can attained for myself so that 

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I can take all my power out on 
those who offend me. 

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And I can remember every grudge 
and everything they ever did. 

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And now I will take that power 
out against my enemies. 

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This is the picture of power in 
our day. 

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It's not new. 
King Lemuel had to be reminded. 

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But then the great illustration 
and picture of wisdom embodied 

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valor for others is in the 
valley at woman. 

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Look at all the things she does.
Look at the activity described. 

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She brings good to her husband. 
She selects wool and flocks with

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eager hands. 
She's bringing food from afar. 

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00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:57,080
She gets up while it's still 
night, tired, yet provides food 

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for her family and portions for 
her servants. 

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00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:05,280
She considers a field and buys 
it out of her earnings. 

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She plants a vineyard. 
Notice the work and activity of 

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the wise. 
For the benefit of others. 

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Next slide. 
She's not done yet. 

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She sets about her work 
vigorously. 

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Her arms are strong for her 
tasks. 

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Women, do you have strong arms? 
This is the picture of vigor of 

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the valiant woman. 
Her arms. 

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Notice the descriptions here 
aren't of beauty in the standard

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beauty picture. 
Notice that these are aptitude. 

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This is about strength. 
This is about intellectual 

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strength and capacity. 
Notice the descriptions. 

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She sets about her work 
vigorously. 

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Her arms are strong for her 
task. 

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She sees that her trading is 
profitable and her lamp does not

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go out at night. 
In her hand she holds the 

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00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:26,560
distaff and grasp the spindle 
with her fingers. 

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00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:31,680
Do you all know what this is? 
This is how you you spin wool. 

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00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:34,040
It's a staff. 
It's a dis staff. 

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And at the top of it is this 
mess, this mess of wool and 

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fiber. 
And she's spinning it out. 

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00:21:43,960 --> 00:21:47,840
She's pulling it out. 
She's grasping that rod from 

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00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:51,320
here to here and holding it, 
spinning it. 

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00:21:51,560 --> 00:21:55,480
And down here she has a spindle 
that's gathering those threads. 

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00:21:57,680 --> 00:22:04,400
This is complicated, but the 
real picture here is she's 

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00:22:05,320 --> 00:22:09,840
taking the messes of life and 
doing something good with them. 

249
00:22:15,550 --> 00:22:22,550
She opens her arms to the poor 
and extends her hands to the 

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00:22:22,550 --> 00:22:26,390
needy. 
This valiant woman. 

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00:22:27,120 --> 00:22:29,640
Of course it's doing things that
take care of herself. 

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Of course she's doing things 
that take care of her husband 

253
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and her family. 
But she's also doing things that

254
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extend beyond her family and 
oikos to make room for others. 

255
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She's thinking not only of 
herself, but also others. 

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This is what wisdom does. 
Wisdom battles for the good of 

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others, but it also anticipates 
the future, but it doesn't fear 

258
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the future. 
Embodied wisdom anticipates the 

259
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future but does not fear the 
future. 

260
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This is not a fraidy cat. 
This is the person who says 

261
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difficult times will come. 
I was probably borning 1, but I 

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know who holds the future, and I
will also prepare for the 

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00:23:33,160 --> 00:23:38,840
future. 
This summarizes a good bit of 

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Jesus's own teaching that we 
need not fear the future because

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we know who holds the future, 
but we can even do things today 

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that secure ourselves and others
for that future. 

267
00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:01,480
It's the consideration of the 
worst case scenario. 

268
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What if it snows here in the 
Middle East? 

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What if it snows here in the 
desert? 

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00:24:08,040 --> 00:24:12,240
Most of the time my family is 
walking around around in white 

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clothes. 
They can. 

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00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:16,280
I get lost on a snowy day in the
desert. 

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00:24:16,880 --> 00:24:22,600
We can't see them, but not hers.
When it snows, she has No Fear 

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00:24:22,600 --> 00:24:26,640
for her household, for all of 
them are clothed in scarlet. 

275
00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:31,000
Ha, she's like, I won't lose 
you, my child. 

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00:24:31,960 --> 00:24:37,840
In that snow bank. 
You'll have a red scarf with a 

277
00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:44,120
Canadian Maple Leaf and red 
mittens with a Canadian Maple 

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00:24:44,120 --> 00:24:49,440
Leaf. 
We're showing our roots, aren't 

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we? 
She is clothed with strength and

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00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:56,160
dignity. 
She can laugh at the days to 

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00:24:56,160 --> 00:24:59,640
come. 
She's like, bring it on, it's OK

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00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:04,360
'cause I know who holds the 
future and I'm actually 

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00:25:04,360 --> 00:25:06,520
diligently setting myself to 
prepare. 

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00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:11,480
She watches over the affairs of 
her household and does not eat 

285
00:25:11,480 --> 00:25:16,840
the bread of idleness. 
The suggestion being, I'm not 

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00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:19,920
waiting for trouble to come. 
I'm going after trouble all the 

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00:25:19,920 --> 00:25:26,040
time, just preparing ahead. 
Embodied wisdom anticipates the 

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00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:29,080
future. 
It doesn't live with this blank 

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00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:37,400
future of fear. 
It lives with an animated future

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00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:45,600
of faith that says great things 
can come even on a difficult 

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00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:49,440
day. 
Embodied wisdom does even more. 

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00:25:49,880 --> 00:25:54,640
It actually generates teaching 
and words worth hearing. 

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00:25:55,720 --> 00:26:00,760
It says of her she speaks with 
wisdom and faithful instruction 

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00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:12,940
is on her tongue. 
You often hear me quoting Dallas

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00:26:12,940 --> 00:26:17,440
Willard and Speaking of him, but
he says he went through a time 

296
00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:20,360
in ministry where he was really 
worried about Will. 

297
00:26:20,920 --> 00:26:23,760
Will there actually be people to
hear what I have to say? 

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00:26:24,720 --> 00:26:28,880
And God corrected him. 
And he says God impressed upon 

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00:26:28,880 --> 00:26:33,640
my heart. 
Dallas just worry about having 

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00:26:33,640 --> 00:26:40,960
something to say, have something
to say, have something worth 

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00:26:40,960 --> 00:26:49,800
saying. 
And an audience will come. 

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00:26:53,040 --> 00:26:55,640
Sometimes in our lives we feel 
like I don't really have 

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00:26:55,640 --> 00:26:57,640
anything to say. 
And I'm like, have you lived a 

304
00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:01,120
day yet? 
If you've lived a day and 

305
00:27:01,120 --> 00:27:06,400
thought reflectively about it, 
you probably have something to 

306
00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:13,640
say about your lived experience 
in that day, if you will reflect

307
00:27:13,640 --> 00:27:20,000
on it with God and His Word. 
And this is what embodied wisdom

308
00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:22,800
does. 
It generates teaching and words.

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00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:26,320
And This is why I appreciate our
International Women's Day that 

310
00:27:26,320 --> 00:27:30,400
IO is organizing because she's 
saying I want to have an 

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00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:34,640
intergenerational conversation 
where hopefully there have some,

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00:27:35,000 --> 00:27:39,840
there have been a few women who 
have lived a few days and they 

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00:27:39,840 --> 00:27:44,920
have something to say and we 
have something to say to each 

314
00:27:44,920 --> 00:27:46,960
other. 
It's not about young or old. 

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00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:50,960
I actually find I can meet older
folks who lived in the House of 

316
00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:55,080
Folly and I don't want to spend 
a lot of time listening to what 

317
00:27:55,080 --> 00:27:58,920
they say. 
What a day we live in where 

318
00:27:58,920 --> 00:28:05,400
every day our leaders say things
were like, you let that be born 

319
00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:10,720
in your heart in the House of 
Folly every day. 

320
00:28:10,720 --> 00:28:16,160
It's shocking what our leaders 
across North America stand up 

321
00:28:16,160 --> 00:28:21,280
and say, and we should be 
shocked because they come from 

322
00:28:21,280 --> 00:28:30,360
the death pit of folly. 
You must have discerning ears. 

323
00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:52,080
You must have discerning minds. 
Embodied wisdom also generates 

324
00:28:52,080 --> 00:28:56,800
honor. 
It generates honor that 

325
00:28:56,800 --> 00:29:00,560
reciprocates, that goes back and
forth. 

326
00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:05,000
The husband rises up and calls 
her blessed. 

327
00:29:05,320 --> 00:29:07,920
The children rise up and call 
her blessed. 

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00:29:07,920 --> 00:29:13,160
And when they show up at the 
city gate, the elders there rise

329
00:29:13,160 --> 00:29:18,840
up and say, Blessed are you. 
There's an honor that 

330
00:29:18,840 --> 00:29:25,120
reciprocates back and forth. 
And her life here, the life of a

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00:29:25,120 --> 00:29:30,720
wise person, is generating A 
reciprocal honor with the people

332
00:29:30,720 --> 00:29:34,200
they meet. 
Instead of using the words of 

333
00:29:34,200 --> 00:29:37,840
their mouth to tear down people,
they use the words of their 

334
00:29:37,840 --> 00:29:44,520
mouth to build up people, to 
honor people to always look for 

335
00:29:44,520 --> 00:29:50,480
the dignity and worth of others,
no matter their wealth, their 

336
00:29:50,480 --> 00:29:54,400
education, their status or 
situation in life. 

337
00:30:03,720 --> 00:30:10,640
I hope that everyone of you will
be the kind of people who embody

338
00:30:10,640 --> 00:30:14,800
this wisdom. 
That you will embody this wisdom

339
00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:20,000
such that your relationships are
honorable even when you don't 

340
00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:24,800
experience honor. 
You're unoffendable. 

341
00:30:28,280 --> 00:30:33,160
That you're the kind of people 
who embody the wisdom so that 

342
00:30:33,160 --> 00:30:36,840
the words of your mouth are 
actually worth hearing. 

343
00:30:39,360 --> 00:30:43,240
That you will become the kind of
people who take the power that 

344
00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:47,600
you're given and even when it 
seems like you have nothing, you

345
00:30:47,600 --> 00:30:51,240
will recognize the agency that 
God has given to you and you 

346
00:30:51,240 --> 00:30:57,000
will become a Co creator with 
him to bring good to others. 

347
00:30:59,760 --> 00:31:06,640
That you'll be like Dorcas and 
Junius, Priscilla, Eudia and 

348
00:31:06,640 --> 00:31:10,400
Sintechi. 
That you'll be like Stevens 

349
00:31:10,400 --> 00:31:13,240
daughters. 
That you'll be like Susanna 

350
00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:21,920
Wesley and Catherine Booth. 
Do you not know the women of the

351
00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:25,080
Scripture and the women of our 
generations? 

352
00:31:32,890 --> 00:31:39,250
Their voices have been silenced.
It's time for us to honor them. 

353
00:31:45,110 --> 00:31:48,190
You see, the strange thing about
this valuable, valiant life 

354
00:31:48,190 --> 00:31:52,670
gifting wisdom is that it 
actually has its source in God. 

355
00:31:55,120 --> 00:31:59,960
Charm is deceptive, beauty is 
fleeting. 

356
00:32:00,520 --> 00:32:04,920
But a woman who fears the Lord 
is to be praised. 

357
00:32:06,760 --> 00:32:10,480
As we get to the end of the 
poem, we're called back to the 

358
00:32:10,480 --> 00:32:15,760
true source of the beauty and 
praiseworthiness of her life. 

359
00:32:16,600 --> 00:32:24,160
And it's that she knows God. 
She fears God, she has a deep 

360
00:32:24,160 --> 00:32:29,520
respect and abiding love for 
God, that everywhere she goes 

361
00:32:29,520 --> 00:32:32,320
she thinks about God where she 
goes. 

362
00:32:36,800 --> 00:32:42,560
This is the very picture of God 
himself. 

363
00:32:44,960 --> 00:32:50,600
Jesus is the wisdom of God 
available to everyone who will 

364
00:32:50,600 --> 00:32:55,080
respond to his call. 
He is the voice of wisdom. 

365
00:32:55,360 --> 00:33:01,840
He is Lady Wisdom calling out 
listen to me, listen to me. 

366
00:33:03,000 --> 00:33:05,800
Paul said this. 
Of him we preach Christ 

367
00:33:05,800 --> 00:33:09,680
crucified. 
Christ is the power of God and 

368
00:33:09,680 --> 00:33:13,640
the wisdom of God. 
Brothers and sisters, think of 

369
00:33:13,640 --> 00:33:15,760
what you were when you were 
called. 

370
00:33:16,640 --> 00:33:21,760
God chose the foolish things. 
God chose the weak things. 

371
00:33:22,160 --> 00:33:29,520
God chose the lowly things. 
It is because of him that you 

372
00:33:29,520 --> 00:33:34,960
are in Christ Jesus, who has 
become for us wisdom from God. 

373
00:33:35,440 --> 00:33:39,360
That is our righteousness, 
holiness, and redemption. 

374
00:33:39,360 --> 00:33:44,240
What is wisdom? 
It is embodied wisdom. 

375
00:33:44,880 --> 00:33:51,920
It is powerful power used, 
exercised for the benefit of 

376
00:33:51,920 --> 00:33:56,520
others. 
Isn't that who Jesus is? 

377
00:33:57,480 --> 00:34:03,840
Isn't this what Jesus does? 
Jesus took all of the power of 

378
00:34:03,840 --> 00:34:10,040
God and let it be wrapped up in 
flesh in the womb of a woman, 

379
00:34:11,920 --> 00:34:16,440
and then burst out in the flesh 
of manchild. 

380
00:34:19,280 --> 00:34:26,520
And he gave himself for us who 
were powerless, who were needy, 

381
00:34:26,679 --> 00:34:31,840
who were unable to enter the 
Kingdom of heaven. 

382
00:34:32,840 --> 00:34:37,960
He gave himself, poured out his 
life for the forgiveness of sin,

383
00:34:38,760 --> 00:34:41,760
and now he calls out to us 
through the Spirit. 

384
00:34:42,120 --> 00:34:45,719
Come to me, let me enter your 
life. 

385
00:34:45,920 --> 00:34:52,159
Open your heart to me. 
Let me transform your life so 

386
00:34:52,159 --> 00:34:57,720
that you will also embody the 
very wisdom of God with your 

387
00:34:57,720 --> 00:35:00,600
life. 
Let's pray together. 

388
00:35:04,120 --> 00:35:08,960
Heavenly Father, as we come to 
your table, we are reminded of 

389
00:35:08,960 --> 00:35:16,680
the embodied wisdom of Jesus, of
God in his flesh and in his 

390
00:35:16,680 --> 00:35:20,640
life. 
We thank you for this bread that

391
00:35:20,640 --> 00:35:22,920
reminds us that his body was 
broken. 

392
00:35:23,400 --> 00:35:27,600
We thank You for this cup that 
reminds us that his life was 

393
00:35:27,600 --> 00:35:33,600
poured out as a covenant and 
promise of your faithful love 

394
00:35:33,600 --> 00:35:36,880
and loyalty towards us and all 
who receive you for the 

395
00:35:36,880 --> 00:35:44,440
forgiveness of sin. 
And Lord, we admit that we are 

396
00:35:44,440 --> 00:35:49,720
not always so wise. 
We admit that we use our power 

397
00:35:49,720 --> 00:35:53,040
selfishly, that we're drawn to 
comforts. 

398
00:35:56,560 --> 00:36:01,360
We admit that we are short 
sighted and we pray that you 

399
00:36:01,360 --> 00:36:05,000
would forgive us and reset our 
lives. 

400
00:36:05,440 --> 00:36:09,760
Give us a vision of life and 
your church as the kind of 

401
00:36:09,760 --> 00:36:12,960
church and people who embody 
wisdom. 

402
00:36:13,640 --> 00:36:17,480
Lord, may this ideal not set us 
back, but instead may it 

403
00:36:17,480 --> 00:36:22,960
illuminate our path as a way 
forward to see all the goodness 

404
00:36:22,960 --> 00:36:27,120
and power and miracles of God in
our lives every day. 

405
00:36:28,560 --> 00:36:34,640
Come, Lord Jesus, and shape your
people to be a wise people. 

406
00:36:36,800 --> 00:36:40,440
Stand with me as you're able, 
and we'll share the Lord's 

407
00:36:40,440 --> 00:36:41,240
Supper together.
