Most of us here have favorites quotes or “words we live by.” Can anyone think of a favorite inspirational quote? Be sure to share one or two of your own.

Often we consider those whom we like to quote to be wise individuals. What does it mean to be wise? What does the word wisdom mean to you?

If they are right, affirm their ideas. Otherwise, offer Merriam-Webster’s definition and ask if they would agree. Here’s the definition: accumulated philosophic or scientific learning : KNOWLEDGE b: ability to discern inner qualities and relationships : INSIGHT c: good sense : JUDGMENT.

We tend to think of wisdom as something “out there” like the definition states, “Accumulated philosophic or scientific learning…” or something you possess only when you are older, but in Jesus’ time, for the Jewish people, the word wisdom meant something more practical.

Wisdom meant “skill for living” and the Wisdom writings were considered moral guides for everyday life. These important books from the Bible continue to teach us how to live in the normal routines of daily life according to God’s ways.

The Wisdom Writings of the Old Testament include seven books that express practical truths, spiritual meaning, and discussions of the problems of life. They wrestle with basic and universal human questions about the meaning of life and human destiny, happiness and suffering, good and evil, all the while seeking God in the midst of it. Sounds like things we question as well, doesn’t it?

Invite the participants to locate and turn to each book as you describe it to become familiar with where these books are in the Bible.

Job: Debates the mystery of why good people suffer - By debating the question of why innocent people suffer if God is loving and powerful, we realize there are experiences in our lives that we cannot control or understand about suffering, that it is sometimes a mystery and we too, like Job, are challenged to trust God.

Proverbs: Provides short truisms for moral conduct - This book provides us with practical norms for daily moral discernment and conduct to guide us in our relationship with God and others.

Ecclesiastes: Concludes that everything is temporary except for God - The author of Ecclesiastes encourages the reader to accept by faith God’s goodness and justice and to enjoy all that God has given us. This book doesn’t provide rules or guidelines like Proverbs, but rather the author makes observations about the human experience.

Sirach: Summarizes the wisdom of the times - The book of Sirach provides snippets of wise teachings as a practical guide to our relationship with God and each other. This book is sort of a “how to” or a resource in relationships.

Book of Wisdom (Wisdom of Solomon) Provides hope for immortality - The author of this book wrote this guide for daily living in the traditions Jewish faith at a time when they were strongly influenced by Greek culture, which had many gods and philosophies. The author encouraged them to remain faithful to their covenant relationship with God.

Song of Solomon: (also known as Song of Songs) Describes the ideal love between a man and a woman. – Human love is a beautiful experience, and many theologians believe that descriptions of it can help us to understand the intense and passionate love God has for us. The Song of Songs is a passionate description of human love between a bride and a groom. Can you imagine God loving you like a newlywed?

Psalms: Lyrical expressions of the people’s relationship with God - Unlike Proverbs which is very logical, the book of Psalms is filled with emotion. It contains laments (a cry out to God followed by a recall of God’s deliverance and faithfulness which leads to praise), songs of thanksgiving and hymns of praise.