Solomon describes Wisdom as a person holding gifts in her hands: in the right, life; in the left, riches and honor. Today, Good Friday, we know exactly Who this personified Wisdom is. And we know exactly what happened to those hands.
“Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.”
Proverbs 3:16 · NIV
Reflection: The Paradox of the Cross
Solomon describes Wisdom as a person holding gifts in her hands: in the right, life; in the left, riches and honor. Today, Good Friday, we know exactly Who this personified Wisdom is. And we know exactly what happened to those hands.
The text says Wisdom holds "long life." But on Good Friday, Wisdom incarnate had his right hand pierced by a Roman nail. He gave up his own earthly life, cut off from the land of the living at 33 years old.
Why? So that from that wounded hand would flow the definitive "long life" for us: Eternal Life. Our immortality was purchased with his death.
The text says the left hand holds riches and honor. But look at Calvary. Jesus hung naked, spat on, mocked, and stripped of all material possessions. He lost all honor before men.
He emptied himself of his divine riches to carry out the greatest transfer of wealth in the universe: he took on our shame and our spiritual poverty to hand us the crown of sonship and the riches of grace.
Jesus's hands weren't closed, hoarding those treasures for himself. On the cross, his hands were opened and stretched out to the fullest. Wisdom gave everything away.
What the world saw as a shameful defeat was, in fact, the most strategic victory in all of history.
The apostle Paul summarizes the mystery of Proverbs 3:16 in 2 Corinthians 8:9: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”
The cross is the counter where the exchange was made. The devil thought that by nailing Jesus's hands, he was destroying Life and Honor. But it was exactly through those nailed hands that the door of heaven was thrown wide open for us.
This Good Friday, don't look at your own hands to see what you've managed to build. Look at Christ's bloodied hands. That's where your true life, your sustenance, your peace, and your salvation come from. He paid the bill we could never pay.
Today's Challenge: A Prayer of Gratitude
Today is a day of silence and deep gratitude. Go to a quiet corner of the house, close your eyes, and offer a prayer that's simply a "Thank You."
Say: "Jesus, thank you for opening your arms on the cross for me. Thank you for exchanging your full hands for my empty ones."
Today isn't a day to ask. It's a day to acknowledge the price that was paid.
For the grown-ups to read with the kids
Open-Hand Gifts — Wisdom Pill
Proverbs 3:16 · 2 Corinthians 8:9