While our streets have been filled by day with those who demand justice, and by night with those who seek to loot and burn, no one seems to have any answers. Municipal officials seem helpless to prevent destruction of private property. Protesters are long on passion but short on proposals – after all, it’s much easier to point out problems with the justice system than it is to develop solutions. And the riots by night prove that police are needed, even as the protests by day point out that the police must be held accountable to use force only in the right way and for the right reasons. No one seems to know how to structure a society that is at the same time orderly but also safe for all its citizens.

But as we see in the Proverbs, true wisdom often cuts through the Gordian knot that our conflicting interests have snarled. For as long as we Americans continue to make material wealth our top priority, as long as we crave absolute autonomy, as long as we live to satisfy our own desires regardless of the cost to other people, as long as we “spin” the truth so that it only reinforces what we already believe, there will never be any peace or justice in our streets.

How much better then to embrace true wisdom, a wisdom that is founded not on self-fulfillment but on the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 1:7, 9:10). For when God and His priorities enter the picture, everything we want is turned upside down.

For God’s wisdom is worth so much more than anything money can buy (Proverbs 8:10-11). God’s wisdom has nothing to do with the pride that looks down on people because of their genetics or heritage, or with the arrogance that spurns any attempt to preserve the truth (Proverbs 8:13). It’s only God’s wisdom that can bring true justice to any government, to any society (Proverbs 8:15-16, 20). It’s only God’s wisdom that leads away from death into life (Proverbs 8:35-36).

And why is that? Not only because God’s wisdom is woven into the very fabric of creation (Proverbs 8:22-31), thus forming the very basis of all our knowledge of the natural world. It is also because only God in His wisdom could understand that the only way to restore peace to a selfish, violent world was to absorb that violence, not to add to it. For the only way to bring true justice to sinners was not to lash out at us in the anger that we deserve but to die for us on a cross.

So, as long as we Americans try to get what we want from each other, we will only tear what remains of our social fabric apart. But if we’ll forget about our desires and focus on the needs of our neighbors, if we’ll obey God by living in self-sacrificial, unconditional love for all those with whom we live, we’ll find a way through the anger and hatred to real justice, real peace.

Proverbs 8:1-21 (NASB)

Does not wisdom call, And understanding lift up her voice?
2 On top of the heights beside the way, Where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3 Beside the gates, at the opening to the city, At the entrance of the doors, she cries out:
4 “To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men.
5 “O naive ones, discern prudence; And, O fools, discern wisdom.
6 “Listen, for I shall speak noble things; And the opening of my lips will produce right things.
7 “For my mouth will utter truth; And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 “All the utterances of my mouth are in righteousness; There is nothing crooked or perverted in them.
9 “They are all straightforward to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge.
10 “Take my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choicest gold.
11 “For wisdom is better than jewels; And all desirable things can not compare with her.
12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And I find knowledge and discretion.
13 “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way, And the perverted mouth, I hate.
14 “Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine.
15 “By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice.
16 “By me princes rule, and nobles, All who judge rightly.
17 “I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me.
18 “Riches and honor are with me, Enduring wealth and righteousness.
19 “My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold, And my yield than choicest silver.
20 “I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice,
21 To endow those who love me with wealth, That I may fill their treasuries.