Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," and call understanding your kinsman; they will keep you from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words (Proverbs 7:4-5).

Family is a strange, powerful, mystical thing.  Some of the well-known aphorisms that are out there -- "Blood is thicker than water" or "Bros before hoes" -- are kind of silly and perhaps not entirely indicative of what happens in real life... But I think I know what they're getting at.  Family relationships call forth a sort of intuitive loyalty that is otherwise rare in our culture of consumerism.  We often prioritize family, even when we don't feel like it (consider holiday traditions, for example).  And if we don't prioritize family, for whatever reason, we tend to feel disproportionately guilty about it.  Family has a hold on us like few other things in life.  With these reflections in mind, I think it's interesting to consider the challenge of Proverbs 7:4-5, to think of wisdom as a sister and understanding as a brother or uncle or cousin.  I believe this is saying something very significant.

I've got two brothers and one sister.  We're all spread out these days -- Ohio, Texas, the Netherlands -- and honestly, we don't do a great job of keeping in touch.  We had a good time growing up together, but we had some dysfunction too.  And while I really and truly love my siblings with all my heart, I'd be lying if I said that we all get along perfectly as adults.  We still know how to push each other's buttons (particularly in competitive situations!).  We still annoy each other easily, when we're together.  Even so, in spite of all the imperfections in our relational dynamics, there's that family thing that holds us together.  I'm fiercely loyal to my brothers and sister.  I cannot ignore the impulse to have their backs, particularly when it comes to any kind of conflict with "outsiders."  I get all protective, all confrontational, all brotherly when it comes to my siblings.  Because that's just the way it's supposed to be.  I may not always like my brothers and sister; but I will always love them and ultimately side with them should the need arise.

So to think of wisdom and understanding in this same way is a strange, powerful, and mystical thing, indeed.  This gives me something stronger than my personal desires and impulses tend towards the foolish -- which can be very strong, embarrassingly strong, at times.  Seductive words and pleasurable experiences can call out to me in a very convincing way, but if I remember that wisdom is my sister and understanding is my kinsman then I can withstand the pressures and reinforce that absurd adage "Bros before hoes."