Scripture
Vs 5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning,
and the one who understands obtain guidance,
Vs 10 … if sinners entice you, do not consent.
Vs 15 … do not walk in the way with them;
hold back your foot from their paths, it takes away the life of its possessors.
Vs 20 Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice;
Vs 21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;
at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
Vs 22 “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing?
VS 23 If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you;
I will make my words known to you.
Observation
The epic wisdom of Solomon’s proverbs begins here.
Solomon wants desperately for his next generation, and ultimately, all of Israel to “get it”.
He begins with the significant difference between the wise and fool.
The wise person has a willingness to receive wisdom …
An understanding that they are not their own source of wisdom.
A wise person must “learn” wisdom.
A wise person must “obtain guidance”.
The foolish person has a certain relationship with their own state of foolishness …
A fool “despises wisdom”, but “loves being simple”.
They “delight” in their current status, rejecting outside wisdom.
What’s more is, the fool is not only content in their own foolishness,
But wants others to join them in it.
The fool will “entice” and lure others down their own awful path of destruction.
Application
What stands out to me today as Solomon introduces his proverbs,
Is the ready availability of both foolishness AND wisdom.
Foolishness is available to me because it is already in me!
Going back to Genesis 3 … I will make my own determination of good and evil, right and wrong.
I don’t have to search out foolishness … I am it.
Wisdom, though, is also readily available, perhaps to my surprise.
Wisdom, it seems, is not some rarity or hidden treasure I need to uncover.
I simply need to be open and ready and available for it.
Wisdom “cries aloud”.
Wisdom “raises her voice”.
And just as significantly, Wisdom “speaks at the entrance”.
I don’t have to learn wisdom from the “hard knocks” of life.
I don’t have to learn wisdom from bad experience after bad experience.
I can “hold back my foot from the foolish path”!
I must just “turn” … repent … and “the Spirit will be poured out on me”!
Because Jesus Christ has become wisdom for me!
Prayer
Thank you, God, for Your wisdom.
Give me a heart to receive it early and often
Give me feet to walk your path
Give me courage and will to resist the lure of the foolish path
In Jesus name
Amen