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People from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?” Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.”

Today we encounter Jesus doing some tough problem solving that is completely consistent with the statement in the Book of Wisdom: God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living.

In the Old Testament, Wisdom is personified as a woman, or the female face of God. The female imagery of Wisdom personifies God’s creative counsel and purpose, as well as God’s presence and active involvement in the world as its builder and the lover of our souls. She personifies the gift given to us by God for guidance in obeying His commands and responding to His calling. Lady-Wisdom, then, represents wisdom itself, in all its forms and manifestations. However, wisdom was never understood to be a goddess or a divine being independent of the one and only God. Neither is “Wisdom” ever used in Scripture as a substitute or alternative name for God.

Wisdom can be alluded to as Israel’s homemaker – the one who cares for the people and sees to their need, the builder of family life. 

She is the counselor. With patience and care she teaches the values of justice, well-being, and life. She offers the opportunity of salvation to those who listen to her counsel.

Finally, she is lover, a personification of the intimacy God desires to have with us. God’s love is an intimacy marked by faithfulness, fidelity, and truth. God stand before us constantly offering love, but never forcing us to accept it. Indeed, only the wise accept His love.

See how Jesus fulfills these aspects of His Godhead. He lets us know that He has come to draw us into intimacy. We see in today’s encounters that sickness, doubt, a lack of understanding and trust, and even death will not get in the way of Jesus’ reaching us. He removes those evils.

Throughout this passage Jesus counsels those He encountered, as well as us, in God’s way of doing things. Jesus protects the family and the home, that is the community of believers. He loves abundantly and draws us into an intimacy that gives life.

Jesus came to destroy death, break the chains that bound us, and reveal the fulness of the Father. In accord with God’s plan death and destruction has no place with Him. Let us be wise then in following His wisdom way.