Wisdom Loud and Proud

Scripture:
Wisdom calls out in the street;
she raises her voice in the public squares.
She cries out above the commotion;
she speaks at the entrance of the city gates:
"How long, foolish ones, will you love ignorance?
How long will you mockers enjoy mocking
and you fools hate knowledge?"
Proverbs 1:20-22

Observation: Lady Wisdom enters the book of Proverbs not with any wise words, but with a question ... how long will people love ignorance? Wisdom is actively seeking them out - it is not a passive collection of information hidden away and requiring them to search hard, but rather wisdom is standing in the public square shouting out loud above the crowd. Wisdom is visibly proclaimed. Yet people ignore it and cling to ignorance.

This is the theme of Wisdom's personified introduction ... people hate wisdom and knowledge, and instead love and cling to ignorance. They mock Wisdom, making fun of her. Meanwhile, wisdom has a lesson for everyone ... if they do not listen to the knowledge and the truth, they will face calamity and ruin, and Wisdom will then mock and laugh at them. When the ignorant face destruction and then cry out for wise advice, Wisdom will turn her back on them with contempt and take pleasure in their downfall.

The metaphor is clear, that wisdom does, in fact, make itself obvious and known to everyone. However, if people turn away from it and cling to their ignorant ways, eventually that ignorance will catch up to them, and when that happens it will be too late to learn the true wisdom and knowledge of the world.

Application: We know what true 'wisdom' looks like ... it is trust and faith in the Lord. All other wise sayings come from that root of knowledge - that the ways of the Lord to sure and right and true. This is the wisdom others ignore while it is shouted out in the world.

My lesson is to understand that there are those who absolutely will ignore this wisdom. The writer of Proverbs knew it. Many instead truly love their ignorance. They love their lives and ways that are outside of God's love and instruction. They will someday come to ruin, and when they do they will then try to figure out the wisdom of God, but it will be too late ... though some will change and come to faith in Jesus, many will be too fixed in their minds to fully grasp the truth.

I cannot take this personally in talking to people. God is in control of the minds and hearts of others, and in their free will many will hate knowledge and love ignorance. My task is simply to love all with patience and truth.

Prayer: Lord, may I have a chance to represent you this day and every day. Regardless of the attitudes of others, may I love your wisdom and truth, pass that along as possible, and let others work with you in determining their acceptance of your wise ways. Amen.