Two women call out from Proverbs, Wisdom and Lady Folly.
The bible has some interesting things to say about wisdom.
One of the most interesting things that I found is that it describes wisdom in feminine terms. In:
- Proverbs 4:6, 7 Never walk away from wisdom, she guards your life; love her – she keeps her eye on you. Above all and before all, do this: get wisdom! Write this at the top of your list: Throw your arms around her, believe me, you won't regret it; never let her go- she'll make your life glorious. She'll garland your life with grace, she'll festoon your days with beauty
- Proverbs 7:4 talk to wisdom as to a sister.
- Proverbs 14:33 Lady Wisdom is at home in an understanding heart, fools never even get to say hello.
The interesting thing I found as I studied this was that God's word truly points out the difference between wisdom; who is looked at as a beautiful, prized woman that you should seek after and Folly, who is a foolish woman who's immoral and is a wanton seductress. God's word tells us where we can find both of these ladies.
WISDOM, (Proverbs 8 in the message) says – she has taken her stand at 1st and Main, at the busiest intersection, right in the city square where traffic is thickest. She lives on Righteous Road at the intersection of Justice Avenue, yelling out to everyone that she's there.
FOLLY, you can find her easily too but you're more likely to happen upon her, you run into her when you start to lose your way when you've wandered off.
And in Proverbs 9 she calls out too: There's this other woman, Madam Whore, brazen, empty headed, frivolous. She sits on the front porch of her house calling out to the people as they walk by… "Are you confused about life, don't know what's going on? Steal off with me, I'll show you a good time, no one will ever know"…But they don't know about all the skeletons in her closet, that all her guests end up in hell.
In Proverbs 7 it says that soon she has him eating out of her hand, bewitched with her honeyed speech, but before you know it, he's trotting behind her like a calf led to the butcher shop, like a stag lured into ambush and then shot with an arrow, like a bird flying into a net… not knowing that it's flying life is over.
God's word tells us to be cautious, to watch closely where it is that we travel.
We've talked before about how following Jesus is described as a walk of faith… but here we see that its important where we walk, how purposely we walk, and who it is we walk to that will make all the difference. James 3:13 message – do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here's what you do: live well, live wisely, live humbly. It's the way you live, not the way you talk that counts. Mean spirited ambition isn't wisdom. Boasting that you are wise isn't wisdom. Twisting the truth to make yourself sound wise isn't wisdom.
It's the furthest thing from wisdom, its animal cunning, devilish conniving. Whenever you're trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others' throats.
Real wisdom, God's wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next – not two faced.
(See, you cannot be a fence sitter and have wisdom)
How do we get wisdom?
First and foremost we can ONLY get it when we put our trust in God and seek after Jesus.
Proverbs 9:10 skilled living gets its start in the Fear of God, insight into life from knowing a Holy God, it's through me that your life deepens, and the years of your life ripen.
The very beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord… to recognize that our lives can be destroyed IF we do not put our trust in Him.
1. Ask God for wisdom.
James 1:5 - if you need wisdom- if you want to know what God wants you to do – ask Him, and He will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking.
God's word tells us that all good and pleasing gifts come from Him.
We need to seek God's wisdom… not the worlds because it is much different.
Right off the start in Genesis 3:6 – Eve made the mistake of eating the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that God had already forbidden her to eat from.
Why did she do it?
She did it because the food looked pleasing and she thought it would give her wisdom.
When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it and also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. There have been many wrong choices done because something looked pleasing AND there have been many a poor choice done out of trying to gain worldly wisdom.
Eve was seeking after worldly wisdom when she ate from this tree… she had already been given the best instruction from God himself… but she risked that she could know better.
WE ARE NO BETTER THAN EVE– WE DO THE SAME THING ALL THE TIME!
Earthly wisdom brings on confusion, instability and disorder… but God's wisdom brings us sound mind, a firm path and complete order.
Travel the roads that she lives on instead and spend your time with her.
For when you do that – you receive much, much, more.
Psalm 33:18 says that the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him. On those whose hope is in His unfailing love.
You receive His watching out for you.
Even though nothing goes unnoticed by God, His eyes rest in a special way on those who truly fear Him. God watches over us and protects us from harm so that we will not die unless it is according to His plan.
Also: Psalm 34:7 the angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them.
You receive His protection.
God's word talks about ministering spirits that are sent to serve those who will inherit salvation. He gives His angels charge over them, protecting them from physical and spiritual danger… BUT this promise is only reserved for those who truly fear Him. (Those who seek after wisdom)
AND: Proverbs 10:27 the fear of the Lord adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.
You receive a longer life.
And isn't that just like our God, He tells us to do a simple thing like seek wisdom, which is to fear Him, honor Him, and give to Him what He so rightly deserves and He gives us back so much more.
He guards us
He sends His angels to protect us.
And He adds length to our life.
All because we seek after the true hottie, the true beauty…HER, which is wisdom!
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