Wisdom or Folly?

Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.”

History is replete with people who lived their lives with choices. Each had decisions to make, either to hear wisdom or listen to folly. Whatever voice the people choose to listen, carries a consequence.

Wisdoms voice is sound, and carries good sense. It awaits, ready for you to hear, to stop, listen, and receive instruction. Its message is bold, and it looks for the heart that is turned toward it, to receive the heavenly counsel that brings life.

The other voice is calling, it shouts in the streets, and screams at the people. Folly carries with it the deceptive allure a foolish heart wants to receive. Looking, calling, waiting to see who responds, knowing the more fools it draws into its deception, the more it leads to death. It is loud and proud, a common sign we observe even today.

Proverbs 9:13-17 “The woman Folly is loud;
she is seductive and knows nothing.
She sits at the door of her house;
she takes a seat on the highest places of the town,
calling to those who pass by,
who are going straight on their way,
“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
And to him who lacks sense she says,
“Stolen water is sweet,
and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”

Folly is defined in those who lack good sense. They walk with poor judgement, and have no foresight before they make a decision. They make foolish decisions because they lack any depth of insight or knowledge. The message is seductive, it draws people in by catering to their passions and desires and once they succumb to the temptation, it leaves them for dead.

Proverbs 9:18 “But he does not know that the dead are there,
that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.”

The Embodiment of Wisdom

To accept wisdom is to receive life, its foundation is found in the holiness of God.

If you value your life, you will listen carefully to what the Word of God instructs. The tools necessary for a good life now and eternal life to come are found within its pages. The Lord has clearly laid out the path, He sustains those who walk along its course and blesses those who faithfully obey. It isn’t difficult, but it does require sacrifice.

The call of wisdom resonated to the highest places in the town, these were the places of shrines, stone pillars of remembrance, and eventually became the places of false worship.

The Temple of the Lord stood at the highest place in Jerusalem and served as a reminder of who established Israel. To approach God required purity and sacrifice, offerings of atonement were presented before God as acts of repentance by all who worshipped the living God.

Proverbs 9:1-6 “Wisdom has built her house;
she has hewn her seven pillars.
She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine;
she has also set her table.
She has sent out her young women to call
from the highest places in the town,
“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
To him who lacks sense she says,
“Come, eat of my bread
and drink of the wine I have mixed.
Leave your simple ways, and live,
and walk in the way of insight.”

We each have a choice of whom we will listen. Where is your heart, what call resonates with you? If the heart is far from God, foolishness sounds like fun. If the heart is near to God then wisdom resonates and purpose with conviction draws the wise away from trouble.

When you observe the attributes of wisdom you begin to see the face of God. Jesus embodied wisdom in everything He did. If we can take each attribute and put them into practice, we too can walk in the way of the wise.

As believers walk, they also have a guide in the Holy Spirit. He instructs, teaches, and leads those who abide in Him.

How would your day look different if wisdom was the focus and honoring the Lord was your drive? It takes diligent practice to exemplify the attributes of God, patterns that don’t come naturally to a fallen race.

Signs of Folly

The attributes of folly is the practice of a fool. It is rooted in rebellion, echos of a fallen angel who continues to draw others into his net.

James 3:13-15 “Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.”

If the wise are relying upon God’s strength in humility, then the foolish are relying upon their own understanding in pride.

The attributes of folly lead to jealousy, selfish ambition, and a twisting of the truth. Lacking contentment, the fool races to gain more. Every thought of the fool is concerning their own pleasure, even if it’s focused on something else, the ultimate desire is personal gratification. The fool twists the truth to make it sound appealing, to satisfy their guilty conscience and continues to motivate them along the path of destruction.

James 3:16 “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.”

Look at the life of a fool, it spins out of control, they lack any true purpose since they navigate by their own sense of right and wrong.

We must be Wise

Search your heart, pray to God, and for He gives wisdom freely. He does not hold back from the one who earnestly seeks Him.

James 3:17 “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.”

Wisdom is God given. Not the wisdom of the world, but the depth of insight that comes from the Spirit speaking truth, drawing you into living righteously, and walking in faith.

There are those who are walking this path and would be happy to walk it with you. Look for them, follow along, and receive counsel.

You too will be wise as your eyes look to the Father of lights. He will shine on you.