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PROVERBS AND GODLY WISDOM
Lesson Four
The Call of Wisdom
Proverbs 1:20-33
In this reading, wisdom is personified. Wisdom is spoken of as though wisdom is a person taking action. Wisdom is presented as a real, aggressively determined person who has an agenda that seeks to benefit people. Wisdom seeks to interact with all people as it pursues their best interests. It is not merely a concept, or sensible thoughts, or a way to look at life. It is a tangible force that aggressively seeks to show people the best way to live, the way that averts what people dread, the way that avoids the consequences that ruins life and makes people victims.
In verses 20-22, note these things. Wisdom is not hidden. First, people do not have to discover where wisdom resides (as in some mysterious, undisclosed place). Second, when people find wisdom, they do not have to convince wisdom to reveal its secrets. Third, people do not have to wonder, “Have we truly understood wisdom’s message?” Nothing is secretive about wisdom’s residence or wisdom’s message. Wisdom is not people-dependent in revealing its message.
Note the ways that wisdom seeks to reveal itself. First, it shouts—it does not whisper to a select few. It is not hidden—it shouts in the streets. Anyone can hear wisdom and benefit from its wisdom. Wisdom revealed itself in the street. In today’s words, its message is “public domain.”
Also note where wisdom shouted. To appreciate wisdom’s shouts in a town, think of an ancient Israelite city, not a modern city of today. First, wisdom shouts in the square. The square was typically an ancient city’s market place. Since there was no canning, or refrigeration, or freezing, everyday life included going to the square to get food for the day. It was a noisy place, but it was the city’s heart. (The marketplace figured prominently in Jesus’ and Paul’s teachings/work—see Matthew 11:16-19; 20:1-7; 23:6, 7; Mark 7:4; 12:38-40; Luke 7:31-35; Acts 16:19; and 17:17.) Numerous public things occurred in the market place.
Second, wisdom shouted at the heads of primary streets. They also were noisy places, but a place where many people passed. Again, wisdom’s message is not concealed.
Third, wisdom took it message to the gates of the city. This was the typical place where the people went to express grievances, receive justice, or transact business, etc. (consider Genesis 23:17, 18; 34:20-24; Exodus 32:26; Deuteronomy 21:18, 19; 22:15; 22:24; 25:7; Joshua 20:4; Ruth 4:1-6; 2 Samuel 15:1-6; etc). In our words, wisdom went “where the action was.” Again, there was nothing secretive about wisdom’s message.
Wisdom sought three types of people. It called to the naïve who over-simplified life. It called to the negative who pursued their fulfillment by being continually negative. It called to people who despised knowledge—nothing could vary from their view or thoughts.
Wisdom’s message was simple. “Do not be afraid of my corrections! I am not a dangerous enemy who threatens your well-being! I wish to give you a gift that will bless your life. I will give you my spirit—your life will be guided by me! You will know (an understanding knowledge) my words. The outcome will not be rote, mindless compliance with a standard you do not understand.”
The result: Wisdom called in highly visible places, but the naïve, the negative, and those who despised knowledge refused to listen. Wisdom went the second mile; it reached for those who needed its help. However, the naïve, the negative, and the “content to remain ignorant” totally rejected wisdom. They wanted nothing to do with wisdom’s guidance.
A rejection of wisdom resulted in consequences. Wisdom’s guidance is not forever available. When the consequences for rejecting wisdom began arriving, it was too late to say, “Now I see what you were talking about—I will change my ways! Please remove the consequences of my evil motives/behavior.”
Wisdom said, “When the disaster of your bad decisions arrive (decisions based on your rejection of me), I will laugh at you. When you become the victim of your distress and anxiety, when your terror is like being trapped in a ruinous storm, I will mock you. Though before I called for you and reached out to you, now I will hide from you.”
“What happened to you was your decision, the results of your acts, and your fault. You rejected knowledge. You refused to respect the Lord—which is the beginning of knowledge. You refused to learn what was wrong in your life so you could accept my guidance. That was your decision/choice, and it was deliberate.”
“Now you must eat the fruit of your own choices. You will have to be satisfied with the results of your own decisions. The naïve’s chosen direction will bring them death. Those who loved ignorance will be destroyed by their dedication to “status quo.”
“Only those who listened will escape the dread of evil results by learning to live securely.”
For Thought and Discussion
1. Discuss wisdom being portrayed as a person.
2. Discuss the fact that wisdom was not hidden.
3. Discuss wisdom’s call to the naive, the negative, and those who hated knowledge.
4. Discuss wisdom’s message.
5. Discuss the results of rejecting wisdom.
6. Give examples that illustrate when it is too late to avoid the consequences of rejecting wisdom.
7. Discuss the results of listening to wisdom.
Link to Teacher's Guide Lesson 4
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David Chadwell & West-Ark Church of Christ