You Have A Choice: Walking Through Proverbs 8

In Proverbs 7, we meet the forbidden woman. She is clearly written as a representation of the temptation to sexually sin, but many Christians also see her as the personification of the temptation to sin at all. The takeaway is fairly straightforward: Steer clear of temptation lest you fail to overcome it. What a challenge believers face! If only there were another way. Hmm. What about Proverbs 8? As we’ll soon see, Proverbs 8 explains that you have a choice.

Wisdom Isn’t Hiding From You

I have a lot of pet peeves. Rather than pets, my peeves are so numerous that they could fill a zoo. Nonetheless, one of my biggest is when someone identifies a problem, knows change is needed, and then plays the victim. I assume you know someone like this. Honestly, you probably know a bunch of people who act like this.

Years before my mom died, a pastor’s wife we knew gently confronted her about her secret drinking. My mother finally admitted that she regularly secretly drank to drunkenness, but her response was along the lines of, “I can’t stop.” Yes, alcoholism is not as simple as just stopping, but trying and accepting the help others offer is a good first step. A step she outright refused.

I have met a lot of people over the years who claim to hate their situation and want their circumstances to improve, but they also harbor a defeatist attitude and refuse to take any steps toward change. This is often the case with people who are consistently pulled into temptation. They can’t seem to figure a way out, but in reality, they’re not really looking for one.

Look And Listen

There is no reason for any of us to be stuck in a state of perpetual temptation and sin. Wisdom isn’t hiding herself from anyone.

“Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand;beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:”

Proverbs 8:1-3

Wisdom calls out loud from where anyone can hear her. She seeks to be known. She offers prudence (i.e., to govern oneself through reason) and sense (v. 5) to the children of man (v. 4). Her words are good and trustworthy.

“Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right, for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.”

Proverbs 8:6-8

Unmeasured Value

Wisdom is free to anyone willing to receive her, yet her value is beyond measure.

“Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.”

Proverbs 8:10-11

Unlike most anything of value, wisdom is good for you and readily available. Wisdom is a treasure, but it isn’t buried. You need only ask for her. Friend, you have a choice when it comes to following after temptation or wisdom. Both make themselves available, but only one leads you down a righteous path. The other destroys.

You Have A Choice To Reap Blessings…Or Not

Seeking wisdom and following after God isn’t some small thing one does for bragging rights, and you don’t gain wisdom and walk away with little to nothing to show for it, either. Rather, you glorify God, the Creator of all things (including you), when you serve and honor Him with your life. When you choose His ways over the flesh, you display His righteousness for the world to see. You have a choice to be a walking testimony of God’s righteousness, goodness, and blessing or of His judgment and discipline. In addition, wisdom offers blessings. Below are just a few.

Blessings Of Wisdom

Discretion (v. 12)

Hatred of evil (v. 13)

Sound judgment (v. 14)

Strength (v. 14)

 Enduring riches and righteousness (v. 18)

Overall, wisdom blesses those who seek her with the ability to lead and make sound decisions. Moreover, she builds godly character in someone growing in wisdom.

You Decide

Proverbs 8 ends in such a way that anyone should easily choose to live a life seeking wisdom.

“And now, O sons, listen to me: blessed are those who keep my ways. Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it. Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors. For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord, but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death.”

Proverbs 8:32-36

You Have A Choice To Seek Wisdom

Choosing lady wisdom leads to a life of blessing. Remember, that’s not the same as a painless and “easy” life. Don’t get that twisted. It will, however, have blessings only God can offer us. Walking through difficulties with the Lord is infinitely better than going through it in one’s own strength.

Not only are those who seek wisdom blessed, but the Lord also favors them and they have life! Those are blessings, too, if you ask me, of the eternal kind.

You Have A Choice To Reject Wisdom

Verse 36 mentions those who fail to find wisdom, but we can understand that as rejection. Why? Because wisdom states that she is available to anyone and loudly makes herself known. The only way to “fail to find” something so obvious is to choose to fail. That’s rejection. So, what happens when you reject wisdom? You harm yourself and choose death.

Final Thought

When we clearly lay out our options, the choice seems obvious. Wisdom. Always wisdom. Yet, so many choose to reject wisdom and follow after fleshly desires. It doesn’t make sense on paper but think back to Proverbs 7. The forbidden woman works hard to entice you, trap you, and destroy you. She endeavors to be as desirable as possible. Temptation is set against you and actively seeks you out. Wisdom, on the other hand, makes herself known, but she doesn’t lie about herself to be more desirable to you. You must find her desirable on your own. So, you’re at a fork in the road, and you have a choice. The forbidden woman or lady wisdom?

Why do you think so many people, even Christians, reject wisdom?

Image courtesy of Jens Lelie via Unsplash.