Saint Francis of Assisi: A Beacon of Humility in a Culture of Excess
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Wisdom has always fascinated me. The way the Bible talks about her (yes, her) feels poetic, almost mysterious. She’s described like a woman standing at the city gates, calling out to passersby. She prepares a feast and invites the simple to dine. She cries out in the streets, asking to be heard.
And yet, in the New Testament, we read that Jesus Himself is the Wisdom of God.
So what’s going on here?
If Jesus is wisdom, why is wisdom so often described as “she” in the Bible? And how is it that wisdom is also listed as one of the gifts or even fruits of the Holy Spirit?
Is wisdom a person? A virtue? A mystical force? Or something we’re meant to grow into?
Let’s explore what Scripture, the Church, and the saints tell us, because this is more than just an interesting theological question. It actually tells us something about how to live, how to grow, and how to draw near to God.
? Wisdom as a "She": The Poetic Voice of the Old Testament
First, let’s start where most of us first encounter wisdom in the Bible—Proverbs. It’s here we meet Lady Wisdom, a mysterious, radiant figure:
“Wisdom cries aloud in the street,
in the markets she raises her voice;
at the head of the noisy streets she cries out…”
(Proverbs 1:20–21)
And again in Proverbs 8, she speaks directly:
“The Lord created me at the beginning of his work,
the first of his acts of old…
When he established the heavens, I was there.”
(Proverbs 8:22, 27)
If you read this chapter slowly, you’ll notice something profound: Wisdom is described as being with God from the beginning—a co-worker in creation, delighting in the world and in the children of men.
Now, here’s where it gets even more interesting: in Hebrew (the original language of the Old Testament), the word for wisdom—Chokmah—is grammatically feminine. And in Greek, the language of the Septuagint, wisdom is Sophia, also feminine. This is why the biblical writers personified Wisdom as a woman.
But it wasn’t just for grammatical reasons. The feminine imagery captures something of wisdom’s beauty, nurturing nature, and intimacy. She invites. She instructs. She nourishes. She calls out—not as a lawgiver barking orders, but as a motherly guide or noble lady beckoning you into a higher way of life.
? Christ: The Fulfillment of Lady Wisdom
As we move into the New Testament, the language shifts. Wisdom is no longer just poetic and feminine—it becomes personal and incarnate in Jesus Christ.
“Christ [is] the power of God and the wisdom of God.”
— 1 Corinthians 1:24
“In [Christ] are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
— Colossians 2:3
What was once symbolic becomes literal. Jesus doesn’t just have wisdom. He is wisdom—divine, eternal, and perfect.
In other words, Lady Wisdom of Proverbs is a veiled glimpse of Jesus, who is the full revelation of God’s wisdom in human flesh.
The early Church Fathers recognized this. St. Augustine and others taught that those beautiful Old Testament passages about Wisdom—being with God in the beginning, delighting in creation—point us toward the pre-existent Word, the Second Person of the Trinity.
? But Then… Wisdom Is a Gift? A Fruit?
So if Jesus is Wisdom, how can wisdom also be something we receive? Something that grows in us, like a fruit?
Great question, and here’s the key:
Jesus is Wisdom by nature.
We receive wisdom by grace.
? Wisdom as a Gift of the Holy Spirit
Isaiah 11:2 lists seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. The first one mentioned?
Wisdom.
This is the Spirit-given ability to see life through God’s eyes—to love what God loves, to make decisions rooted in eternity. It’s not the same as book knowledge or human intelligence. It’s deeper. Holier. Humble.
St. Thomas Aquinas explains that the gift of wisdom perfects the virtue of charity. The more we love God, the more we begin to see the world like He does. And that, he says, is true wisdom.
So even though Christ is wisdom, He also wants to share His wisdom with us through the Holy Spirit.
? Wisdom as a Fruit of the Spirit?
Now here’s where it gets even more beautiful. In Galatians 5:22–23, Paul lists the fruits of the Spirit:
“Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”
Wisdom isn’t named directly, but here's what the Church has long understood: the fruits of the Spirit are the visible effects of a soul in union with God.
So when you’re walking with Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit, all the treasures of wisdom hidden in Him begin to take root and blossom in you. Wisdom becomes a “fruit” in the sense that it grows naturally in a soul that belongs fully to God.
If Jesus is the Vine, and we are the branches (John 15), then wisdom is like one of the grapes, sweet, nourishing, and born of deep connection.
? The Saints on Wisdom
The saints weren’t just brilliant thinkers, they were wise because they lived close to Jesus, Wisdom Himself.
St. Thomas Aquinas said:
“Wisdom is a gift of the Holy Spirit by which we judge rightly concerning divine things through the inclination of the Holy Spirit.”
St. Augustine reminds us:
“Let us not be like the foolish who wish to understand in order to believe, but like the wise who believe in order to understand.”
St. Teresa of Ávila pointed out:
“It is love alone that gives worth to all things.”
And that’s the core of wisdom: seeing and choosing all things in light of divine love.
? Why This Matters
This isn’t just theological musing. It touches real life.
Sometimes we think we need more information. Or more clarity. Or better decision-making skills. But what we really need is more of Christ.
If you’re seeking wisdom on how to parent, how to love, how to live with peace in a world that feels upside-down you don’t need to chase secret knowledge.
You need to abide in Jesus.
Because wisdom isn’t about having all the answers.
It’s about being so united with the Answer Himself that you begin to walk in His way, think with His mind, and love with His heart.
? In Closing
So… is wisdom a person or a fruit?
The answer is yes.
Wisdom is Christ—eternal, divine, and full of glory.
Wisdom is a gift—poured into us by the Holy Spirit.
Wisdom is a fruit—grown in the soul that abides in God.
So don’t be discouraged if you feel like you don’t have it yet. Ask the Holy Spirit for the gift. Remain rooted in Christ. Let His Word dwell in you richly. Wisdom will come.
She always does, to those who seek her.
“Wisdom is radiant and unfading,
and she is easily discerned by those who love her,
and is found by those who seek her.”
— Wisdom 6:12
If this reflection spoke to you, I’d love to hear your thoughts. And if you feel led, please consider sharing this post or supporting my blog by “buying me a coffee." Every prayer, every share, and every small gift helps me keep writing and creating for the Kingdom.
With love in Christ,
Chay
I am a catholic writer who shares exegetical essays and letters based on Scripture, Magisterium and the wisdom of the Saints. If you like my work, please consider reading more on my Substack opheliamolina.substack.com.
