Proverbs 1:20-27

The text today is rather extensive, yet if the reader goes through and processes all that is being said, there is great reward.

In Proverbs 1:20-21, we find Wisdom calling. She is on the outside and crying out in public. She is crying out in the main thoroughfares and in the entrances of the city. Before we go through what she is crying out, it is important to understand the imagery being pictured here.

First she is outside. This is a picture of being public. Not private. There is a sense that wisdom is not wanting to be trapped in the inner rooms of a home but instead wants all to hear her. She wants everyone to understand her words, and to receive her as what Proverbs 7:4 calls for us to do. Indeed, this wisdom is vital and one that should be heeded.

But how many try to keep wisdom under wraps? They ignore wisdom, they trap her, they leave her “at home” when they go out. This kind of action is seen throughout our society. The foolishness that abounds in the lives and hearts is astounding but not surprising. Time would fail of the ignorant stunts and activities that are often done. Time would fail of the ignorant statements that come out of people’s mind so they can appear woke. And even our leaders show their complete and utter ignorance with their own dribble of the mouth.

Weep for them, O Christian. Weep that their minds are quickened and they see the truth of their blindness and foolishness. Ask God to show them mercy so they can receive salvation and turn from their wicked ways.

But even with all of their foolishness, wisdom stands and calls. She is not quiet. She is not passive. She is not private. Notice she is also in the chief intersections. Where we are located, there are three major roadways that intersect nearby: I81, Route 50, and 522. Wisdom would be on that corner calling to all who drive past to listen to what she is saying and what she is about to say.

Notice she is also in the gates of the city. In the Biblical times, the city gates was where you would have the business and operation of the city be done. This was where the leaders of the city would go for counsel, and discussion. Judges would sit here and it was open to all to listen. The call is to our leaders of our nation, states, and even cities. Wisdom is calling for you.

Simple is not good in this regard. There is, in a side note, something to be said about living a quiet, simple life and we have talked a little about that already in our Proverbs study. As a Brethren, our History has intentionally been steeped in the practice of living peaceably and quietly with all as much as we can. This does not mean we do not have our opinions on things but our desire is to live the life that God calls for us to live. This is why, in the Brethren History, we have traditionally been called the “Quiet of the Land”. I will leave that here as a starting point for further research for any who wish to do so. The simple life that is referenced here, and what Proverbs 1:22 is talking about are two different kinds of simplicity.

Proverbs 1:22 begins by questioning the simple. The people mentioned above, and many more are simple. Simple minded, simple motives, simple passions. These simple people, making themselves out to be great orators and philosophers, are just that, simple. They have no wisdom for their wisdom is bound up in themselves. They ignore God and they ignore all He has done. The Bible tells us in Romans 1:18-32 the ending result of this. These people love simplicity.

The word for simple ones means inexperienced people. Experience is not just having gone through something or been trained for something. Experience is deeper than that. It is a fundamental understanding of whatever it is our mind is set upon. These inexperienced people are the ones who act as though they understand. You see this with politicians and political ads. Usually they present themselves as being there for you, standing with you, fighting for you. They know the solutions and they have the answers. Then, when they get into office, that often changes. It is about them, their party, their ideologues. Often, and this is an analogy I read and thought it was so appropriate, they are like a turtle on a fence post. We do not know how the turtle got up there. We do not know what it is going to do up there. It does not know what it is doing up there. It does not know what to do now that it is there. It cannot figure out how to get down, and everyone wonders what is it’s purpose is in being there.

Those who are simple do not muse on things. Instead they seek amusement rather than actual thoughts and understanding. They are simple in that they rush forward with a solution or answer without hearing or understanding the situation. Again, politics is big on this. Something happens, the mantra is, “WE GOTTA DO SOMETHING!!!!!!” or “WE NEED TO ACT NOW OR IT WILL BE WORSE!!!!!” Wisdom would say something different.

Wisdom would say, “Wait. Hold on just one second. Let’s think and look at this from several different angles and let us hold off on rushing to do something till we know more details.” That is wisdom. The Bible tells us this in Proverbs 18:13. There are a lot of foolish people based on this standard are there not? But that is exactly what wisdom is saying here.

Notice in this verse, the scorner loves scorning and fools hate knowledge. A scorner is one who mocks and makes fun of. Usually against Christians. It is easier to mock than face the truth and evidence that is put forth by Christians. All truth, whether this is accepted or not, goes back to God. There is no escaping that reality.

Then fools hate knowledge. Knowledge comes, not because of knee jerk reactions but with patience, thought, and processing. “But we must do something NOW!” Wisdom says, “We will do something. But let us make sure we understand the situation.” Things would be handled differently in both public and private realms if only a little patience and thought were put forth.

But that is why Wisdom is calling. Look at Proverbs 1:23. Wisdom wants these people to turn away from their mocking, their foolishness, their simpleton way of life. If those who hear do turn, they will receive wisdom. Wisdom. A commodity that is in very short, and very limited supply in our day and age. If a scorner, simpleton, fool turns from these ways, they will find wisdom available to them.

At this point, we, the readers, are given an option. Do we turn or do we push forward? Wisdom answers one side of this. Those who hear refuse to turn. Proverbs 1:24 shows us this. The foolish still are foolish and the scorner still mocks. And then we wonder why things continue to break, fall apart, slide downhill, continue to get worse? The quintessential definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. That is what we see society and leaders doing.

Wisdom holds out the hand and none are willing to take it. The reason is found in Proverbs 1:25. They hate the counsel and would take no rebuke. How true in our society. We have people, both government and private, who hate to be told they are wrong. When they are, they scream, cry, seek their safe spaces, fall to the floor kicking and screaming, and act like children.

It is embarrassing.

But notice, in Proverbs 1:25-27, what happens. When these individuals now get into trouble, either legally, financially, or socially, wisdom says it will laugh at them. It takes great amusement in their downfall. When these individuals, who have been given every warning, every opportunity to do the right thing, every chance to change their ways, when they have their destruction and terror, wisdom will laugh.

When those who are in power realize their power will not save them from calamity, wisdom laughs. When those who are high and mighty, realize that they are no longer needed or wanted, wisdom laughs. When those who have and trust in their riches, and the markets and economy turn down and they lose everything, their fear of being destitute will be a source of laughter for the wisdom.

But wisdom will do more than laugh. When these individuals, whether financially, socially, economically, will face loss, destruction, distress, and anguish, Wisdom says it will laugh and mock them. They will have no mercy, no pity, no peace. They abandoned that for their selfish, simple, foolish ways. And do we not see this? The rich and powerful are showing their own fear by trying to shore up their own wealth and hedging it in. They will protect and defend their own finances using any physical means possible including fighting wars to protect themselves.

But in the end, it will do nothing. They will fail, fall, and become destitute. Wisdom will laugh and mock them. That leads us to ask the Christian what we should do and how we should act. And this challenge is two parts.

First, for those who are in the world, understand, if your hope is in politics, economics, society, I would warn you to be very, very careful about mocking, and being simple. I would encourage you to seek wisdom which can ONLY be found in God’s Word. Give your heart to Jesus. Come to Him and seek forgiveness. As we read in Proverbs 1:7, this is the BEGINNING of true wisdom. Anything else is false, no matter how good it looks. The world’s wisdom is foolishness to God 1 Corinthians 3:19 and you do not want to be found holding only the world’s wisdom. Come to true wisdom. I beg and plead with you.

Second challenge, as Christians, while those who fall and have destruction, probably are evil, vile, wicked people, we should pray for them. Let wisdom mock and laugh. Let us cry and weep for them. Yes, they have done wrong, and they do wrong. Yes they are contradictory in their statements and beliefs. Yes, they laugh and mock us for actually believing in truth. But when they are broken, then they really will need the truth. They will be broken. In God’s time, and in His way. He can use anything to bring this about. We trust Him to do it. And He does. I see the whole Robin Hood investment app affect play a small part in this. But how do we, as Christians respond. The Bible tells us in Matthew 5:44 exactly how we are to act. It is not our first impulse for sure. But these people are going to need truth, they are going to need a firm foundation, they are going to need something to grab hold of when their entire life comes crashing down around them. That is when we will be there. The very ones they mock and attack, will be the very ones they reach out to.

A little longer today, and next week we are going to see the result of this falling. But for today, this should give us a good start to go deeper. After all, wisdom is calling. Are we going to answer correctly?