Proverbs 9:1–6 

Wisdom has built her house; 

she has hewn her seven pillars. 

She has slaughtered her beasts; 

she has mixed her wine; 

she has also set her table. 

She has sent out her young women 

to call from the highest places in the town, 

“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” 

To him who lacks sense she says, 

“Come, eat of my bread 

and drink of the wine I have mixed. 

Leave your simple ways, and live, 

and walk in the way of insight.”

I struggle with a tenacious but empty hope: to possess the resources I need to make everyone I love both holy and happy. It does not take long for me to taste the bitter fruit of this kind of hope. 

Hope turns into a demand; demand turns into anger; anger turns into bitter resentment. After all I have done, nobody is turning out the way they ought. No one is holy enough; no one is happy enough.

Suddenly I realize that I have been listening to Folly in the back alley of empty promises. I cannot create a banquet of real food for anyone, including myself. There is only one banquet and Wisdom, alone, has prepared it. Everyone is invited to come; no one eats her food second hand.

On the one hand this banquet costs me nothing. Any fool or simpleton can come and eat for free. On the other hand, it costs me everything. I have to let go of my dream of providing a banquet for others; I have to let go of my need for more assets to make my dream come true. 

Ironically, the best thing I can do for anyone, including myself, is to forsake my need for natural assets and come to Wisdom’s banquet table and eat.

Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her. Proverbs 8:10–11