The Incomparable Value of Wisdom – Proverbs chapter 8
The Mount Everest of Proverbs
The call of wisdom
Does not wisdom call out?
Proverbs 8:1-5
Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 At the highest point along the way,
where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3 beside the gate leading into the city,
at the entrance, she cries aloud:
4 ‘To you, O people, I call out;
I raise my voice to all humanity.
5 You who are simple, gain prudence;
you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.
Lady Wisdom is searching for us. Not just seekers after wisdom, but for the simple: silly, gullible, rejecting. She is an earnest friend wanting to rescue you, speaking truth, not error.
The beauty and value of wisdom
Choose my instruction instead of silver,
Proverbs 8:10-11
knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 for wisdom is more precious than rubies,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.
More precious than any silver, gold, jewels. She offers us all we need to live our lives well. Even Kings and rulers cannot rule well without Wisdom.
The origin of wisdom
‘The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works,
before his deeds of old;
23 I was formed long ages ago,
at the very beginning, when the world came to be ….
30 Then I was constantly at his side.
I was filled with delight day after day,
rejoicing always in his presence,
31 rejoicing in his whole world
and delighting in the human race.
At the peak of Mount Wisdom. From eternity, before the world began. Wisdom has always been with God. Creation reveals an all wise God. Romans 1 repeats this. God created you. God has spoken to you. This sounds a lot like as person! Lady Wisdom points us to a real Person, Jesus Christ the son of God. John 1:1-4 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.”
The invitation of wisdom
‘Now then, my children, listen to me;
blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Listen to my instruction and be wise;
do not disregard it.
34 Blessed are those who listen to me,
watching daily at my doors,
waiting at my doorway.
35 For those who find me find life
and receive favour from the Lord.
36 But those who fail to find me harm themselves;
all who hate me love death.’
Gentle yet firm invitation repeated. But remember Proverbs is not about “try harder”, but about looking from the Mountain to a hill, of Calvary, where the Wisdom of God gave himself for us. 1 John 5:12 “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life”