Wisdom's Call

For Friday, October 27, 2006
Proverbs 9:1-6

1 Wisdom has built her house;
she has hewn her seven pillars.
2 She has slaughtered her beasts;
she has mixed her wine;
she has also set her table.
3 She has sent out her young women to call
from the highest places in the town,
4 "Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!"
To him who lacks sense she says,
5 "Come, eat of my bread
and drink of the wine I have mixed.
6 Leave your simple ways, and live,
and walk in the way of insight."

We will see later the contrast that is being set up in this chapter between Wisdom and Folly. For now, note again the attempt of Wisdom to draw the foolish away from their folly. She has a well built house to invite others to. She has prepared a sumptuous feast. She has sent out her messengers who use the most public means possible to send out her invitation. She offers blessing to those who turn to her.

What she calls them to do, she calls of all of us:

Leave: leave our simple ways. That is, leave the ways we go out of mindless following. These are the ways of fashion, of popularity, of whatever is the latest fad. Ways that we follow because we will not be thoughtful about how we live.

Live: really live rather than merely stay alive. Live a life that is productive, that is fruitful, that is meaningful. Don't live the life of the fool who, if he works, does so merely to make a living and who in his spare time merely looks for stimulation.

Walk: in the way of insight, not in mindless following. Go through a day, through a life using your brain and not merely "following the heart" which the world insists that you do. Instruct your heart, so that it moves you to do what is right; instruct your heart so that it discerns between what is loving and what is harmful.

Think of this in light of Christ's calling to you. Leave the world for Christ, live abiding in Christ, and walk in the way that he has instructed you and prepared for you.

WHO

For Thursday, October 26, 2006
Proverbs 8:32-36

32 "And now, O sons, listen to me:
blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction and be wise,
and do not neglect it.
34 Blessed is the one who listens to me,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting beside my doors.
35 For whoever finds me finds life
and obtains favor from the LORD,
36 but he who fails to find me injures himself;
all who hate me love death."

Note how easy Wisdom is to obtain. It is simply a matter of hearing her instruction and then following through on it. There is no mountain to climb; one must simply sit by her door waiting for to step out. She is not hidden. Finding her is merely an act of waiting patiently for her. So the simple steps are Wait, Hear, Obey. And yet these steps are apparently difficult for us. Consider them.

Wait: But we don't have time. There is much to do; deadlines to meet; we are growing older and the time seems to be going faster.

Hear: How do we hear when there is so much noise that we are also listening to. If in the car, we have the radio on; if walking we have our iPods on; if at home the TV is home. Perhaps we can slip in a few minutes of Bible reading, but there is too much to do in a day.

Obey: We will obey when we can afford the luxury to obey. Meanwhile, we have pressing demands; we have many troubles. We are lives get in order, then we can think about obeying.

It always comes back to the heart. We will make time to WHO (Wait, Hear, Obey) for what matters to us. And God will be not be as sympathetic to our motive as we are. Those who will not WHO will be regarded as those who hate Wisdom and love death. For that is their destiny.

Ancient Wisdom

For Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Proverbs 8:22-31

22 "The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work,
the first of his acts of old.
23 Ages ago I was set up,
at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
24 When there were no depths I was brought forth,
when there were no springs abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains had been shaped,
before the hills, I was brought forth,
26 before he had made the earth with its fields,
or the first of the dust of the world.
27 When he established the heavens, I was there;
when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,
28 when he made firm the skies above,
when he established the fountains of the deep,
29 when he assigned to the sea its limit,
so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
30 then I was beside him, like a master workman,
and I was daily his delight,
rejoicing before him always,
31 rejoicing in his inhabited world
and delighting in the children of man.

What a wonderful expression of creation and the joy of that creation. And what an awesome revelation of Wisdom's place. She is ancient; she is intimate with God; she was used in creating; she knows the foundations of the earth; she delights in this creation, in its creatures, in mankind.

Wisdom is not only beautiful, not only valuable like gold and jewels; she is sacred and profound and steeped in the pure joy of God the Maker.

The Reward of Wisdom

For Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Proverbs 8:12-21

12 "I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
and I find knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil.
Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
and perverted speech I hate.
14 I have counsel and sound wisdom;
I have insight; I have strength.
15 By me kings reign,
and rulers decree what is just;
16 by me princes rule,
and nobles, all who govern justly.
17 I love those who love me,
and those who seek me diligently find me.
18 Riches and honor are with me,
enduring wealth and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold,
and my yield than choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
in the paths of justice,
21 granting an inheritance to those who love me,
and filling their treasuries.

Persons may rise to power through lucky circumstances or even through deceitful and wicked behavior. Individuals may obtain wealth through the same means. But their rise sets up their downfall, for they mistake power and wealth for what only Wisdom can provide - prudence, knowledge, discretion, counsel, sound wisdom, insight, and inner strength. Is the ruler who decrees what is just and who governs justly that is able to withstand his enemies and carry out his rule with riches and honor.

Whether as a government ruler or in any other position of authority, the one who rules with pride, arrogance, the way of evil and perverted speech can at best hold on to his position through intimidation. That is a precarious position. He continually created enemies and his sin must increase in order to keep his semblance of security.

It is only a semblance of security, because his greatest enemy is Wisdom. She hates such traits. She withholds from the wicked her virtues that bring lasting joy and security, and she gladly bestows these gifts on those who diligently seek her.

Why then envy the wicked? Why bemoan your circumstances which seem to be worse than that of the arrogant? As easily as they may seem to rise to position and wealth; as easily they will fall. And pray that they will fall in this lifetime so that they may repent and diligently seek Wisdom. Otherwise, their destruction is inevitable. You, if you have found the Wisdom of the Gospel, have been given the assurance of an eternal inheritance that cannot be destroyed, nor you be prevented from possessing. Your trials can only result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Read for yourself:

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls (1 Peter 1:3-9).

Wisdom Calling

For Monday, October 23, 2006
Proverbs 8:1-11

1 Does not wisdom call?
Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 On the heights beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;
3 beside the gates in front of the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
4 "To you, O men, I call,
and my cry is to the children of man.
5 O simple ones, learn prudence;
O fools, learn sense.
6 Hear, for I will speak noble things,
and from my lips will come what is right,
7 for my mouth will utter truth;
wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are righteous;
there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
9 They are all straight to him who understands,
and right to those who find knowledge.
10 Take my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 for wisdom is better than jewels,
and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.

Compare Wisdom to the Forbidden Woman. Both go out into the public places (8:2-3, 7:12); both speak out (8:1, 7:11); both make offers to men (8:4-11, 7:14-20). Now contrast the two womem. Whereas, the Forbidden Woman entices the simple to commit sin and join her in wickedness, Wisdom offers what is noble, true, and righteous (7:18-20, 8:5-8). The Forbidden Woman views the simple and foolish as prey; Wisdom view them as those needing help (7:21-23, 8:4-5). The Forbidden Woman entraps men; Wisdom makes their way straight (7:22-23, 8:9). The Forbidden Woman's enticements lead to destruction; Wisdom's gifts lead to possessions greater than physical riches (8:10-11, 7:21-27).

It seems an easy choice to make, and, yet, more choose the Forbidden Woman than Wisdom. Why? Verse 9 suggests the reason. To choose Wisdom, one must already have some understanding as to what is wise and good; one must be a seeker of knowledge. Most people are seekers of easy pleasure, of what satisfies the ego. Thus, what Wisdom regards as crooked, most people regard as straight paths to their pleasure. What Wisdom regards as wickedness, fools regard as releasing restraints.

The heart must already be prepared to receive Wisdom. All the more then pray for that work which belongs to the Holy Spirit - to prepare the heart to receive the Wisdom of the Gospel. Fools listen the Forbidden Woman, not Wisdom. The former makes sense to them; Wisdom sounds prudish and naive. Pray for the Spirit to do his work of awakening them from the dead, giving them ears to hear, and turning their hearts of stone to hearts of flesh that will be convicted and will turn to the truth of the Gospel. Wisdom is calling out loud and clear. No one will have an excuse that Wisdom did not make herself clear. Pray for your neighbors to have their ears and minds open to her. Pray for yourself, as well. For you also are dependent upon the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit to open your ears and minds.