Wisdom Comes Calling
Opening Prayer
Holy Spirit, I give my life to You today. Guide me as I meet You in Your Word.
Read Proverbs 1:20–33
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
20 Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,
she raises her voice in the public square;
21 on top of the wall she cries out,
at the city gate she makes her speech:
22 “How long will you who are simple love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate knowledge?
23 Repent at my rebuke!
Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
I will make known to you my teachings.
24 But since you refuse to listen when I call
and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand,
25 since you disregard all my advice
and do not accept my rebuke,
26 I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you;
I will mock when calamity overtakes you—
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
28 “Then they will call to me but I will not answer;
they will look for me but will not find me,
29 since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the Lord.
30 Since they would not accept my advice
and spurned my rebuke,
31 they will eat the fruit of their ways
and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.
32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them;
33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety
and be at ease, without fear of harm.”
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Take some moments to clear your mind of the concerns of today, and as you read Scripture—listen!Proverbs is concerned about life—people’s work, friends and family. What is most important is wise living, rooted in a relationship with the Creator.
Here, the personification of wisdom, Lady Wisdom (we might call her Sophia or Sophie, from the Greek for wisdom), calls out not in some quiet prayer room, or peaceful retreat, but right in the middle of the busiest place in town—the marketplace (20)—and at the heart of politics—the city gate 21). The young being trained by her in wisdom will need her guidance for the way they conduct their business and their civic life. That wisdom, we have seen already, begins with a relationship with God, and I reckon Sophie would give those fools who say religion has nothing to do with politics or
economics a pretty hard time. Her concern is not so much with a little corner of life called “religion,” but with all of the complexity of living in the real world.
Sadly, many pay her no attention while life seems easy, but when disasters come, and they panic as the stock markets collapse or their pension pot shrinks (26, 27), it will be too late to pay Sophie a visit. What we sow in foolishness or waywardness, we reap with tears.
Apply
Have you taken time to seek God’s wisdom in your worries? Today as you make choices, stop and ask God for wisdom.
Closing prayer
God, please guide me wisely with my work and finances today.
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