Background
In yesterday's passage, Wisdom sought out anaudience on street corners. Today, the reader is urged to be theone doing the seeking. In the first five verses, there are eightexhortations: to accept; to treasure up; to make the ear attentive;to incline the heart; to cry out; to raise the voice; to seek; tosearch! So the search for Wisdom is to involve the heart, the mind,the pocket, the voice, the ear and the whole body. The image ofsearching for Wisdom "as for hidden treasures" (v. 4) brings tomind several parables of Jesus in which the disciple is seen as onewho will energetically search for the kingdom of God and, havingdiscovered it, do anything and sell everything in order to possessit (Matthew 13:44-46). Readers are challenged toconsider how highly they value wisdom. Such a determined quest willwin the prize, given by God, which is to understand "the fear ofthe Lord", to discover "the knowledge of God". Wisdom is the goal,but Wisdom is also the guide, the shield and the guard, making theprize attainable.
Along with Wisdom, comes an understanding of righteousness,justice and equity (verse 9) as Wisdom "will come into your heart".So Wisdom is to be an internal characteristic; part of what thedisciple is, rather than a description of what the disciple does,yet inevitably forming and shaping action. In this One WorldWeek, righteousness, justice and equity are highlighted on theChristian agenda; those who are wise will not merely have anopinion about such matters, but will be actively engaged inbringing them about. If the book of Proverbs is to be seen as ahandbook for wise living, the response of Wisdom is practical.
Traps still abound; Wisdom will be needed to resist the "loosewoman" of verses 16-19 and the "way of evil" (vv. 12-15), offeredby those who tell lies and are devious, who prefer crooked paths tostraight ones and who choose darkness over light. Such warnings areechoed in Psalm 37:12-15 where the sword and arrows ofthe wicked are seen as constant dangers to those who are travellingon Wisdom's path, but the Lord can protect and make firm the stepsof those who trust in him.
To Ponder
- How much energy do you put into seeking and obtainingWisdom?
- Where in your own church or community do you see Wisdom shapingaction?
- The book of Proverbs constantly offers opposing ways throughlife - Wisdom or folly. Have there been times in your life when youhave felt you had a foot on both paths - how does thatfeel?