Wisdom Vs. Folly

Prov. 9:10

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

Wisdom is portrayed clearly in chapter nine's personification of Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly. Lady Wisdom is:

• prudent- prepared the meal and drink, sent out her young women to invite from the high places
• strong- built a house, slaughtered beasts
• generous- invites others in, the wise as well as the simple 
• enriching - offers the good gift of insight to all
• a teacher about life relationships-reproof, giving instruction
• a teacher about character- the scoffer, the wise man, the righteous man
• a life-lengthener-days and years will be multiplied

But by contrast, Lady Folly is

• loud
• seductive
• vacuous
• devoid of honor- sits at the door
• a trap for the simple 
• deceptive- has no riches of her own- offers stolen water and bread eaten in secret
• the hostess of dead guests- live in Sheol 

A contrast such as this should make it easy to see the superiority of wisdom over folly, yet the nature of man often follows the way of folly, a way filled with empty deception and death. What can I learn about wisdom from this lady? First, if I want to be wise, I must look at my heart. How do I respond to correction and reproof? If a fool is reproved, he will hate you for it, but a wise man will grow wiser still from the reproof and a righteous man will increase in learning. Reproof is a gift not a curse! Foolishness has distorted its image and made it seem a negative thing instead of a positive. Secondly, I must observe the actions of others and relate to them accordingly. Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury. It is the wise man who knows who to reprove and how to reprove. He does it carefully for the good of that person not with self-serving motives. Finally, the key concept is that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. The passage demonstrates clearly how wisdom looks and acts, but undeniably asserts that wisdom is not achieved in human strength. It comes only from the Lord, from a personal and intimate relationship with Him. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere, and a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. How unlike anything that the world calls wisdom!

Father,
Make Your wisdom mine. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name.
In Jesus name,
Amen