Love Requires Wisdom

Love and wisdom go together. The Lord is love itself and wisdom itself. Things that relate to love are goodness, affection, kindness, charity. Things that go with wisdom are truth, reason, righteousness, faith. Love operates in the willing part of our minds, and wisdom operates in the understanding part.

God said to Solomon, “Ask! What shall I give you?” When King Solomon was allowed to ask God for anything at all, he asked for an understanding heart. (1 Kings 3:5,9) He wanted to be able to love with discernment. So God said to him, “Behold, I have done according to your words, see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart…” (1 Kings 3:12)

Love is our very life (Swedenborg, Divine Love & Wisdom #1). Understanding, intelligence and wisdom of life - about things spiritual and natural - may often seem to be of primary importance, but really wisdom isn’t wisdom without love.

“A person may know from wisdom that he ought to do this or that, and yet he does not do it, because he does not love it. But so far as a person does from love what wisdom teaches, so far he is an image of God. Wisdom that does not make one with its love appears to be wisdom, but it is not; for the one must derive its essence and its life reciprocally from the other.” (DLW #39)

Our loves and affections are involved in everything we care about, everything that motivates us, everything that affects us or touches the heart. And it’s all because the Lord is love.

“Since life and love are one, it follows that the Lord, because He is Life itself, is Love itself.” (DLW #4)

Love wisely. Exercise judgment from a loving motive. Join love and wisdom together as in a marriage. This is how we can live in the image (wisdom) and likeness (love) of God.

- Tom