Proverbs 1:20-33 Wisdom’s Call
Wisdom is to be found all around, if one is willing to listen. Wisdom calls out but not all will head its call. And Wisdom will laugh when they fall.
I was thinking about difference between wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Let’s look at their definitions side by side. All definitions are from Google Dictionary.
- facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject.
- awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation.
- (noun) the ability to understand something; comprehension
- (adjective) sympathetically aware of other people’s feelings; tolerant and forgiving
- having insight or good judgment.
- the soundness of an action or decision with regard to the application of experience, knowledge, and good judgment.
- the body of knowledge and principles that develops within a specified society or period
With these three, knowledge has to come first, understanding second, and wisdom third. You cannot understand or even apply an action until you first are given a fact. Until you know, either by experience or instruction, that touching something hot will hurt you won’t have the foresight to plan to avoid it. Hot – hurt – don’t touch.
Simple as that example is, wisdom is still employed there. Wisdom calls to us in the little and big issues. Here we are given a metaphor of Wisdom calling out in the market place. Imagine what Wisdom is saying. “This man cheats his customers.” “There are pick pockets around. So if you are bumped, check your walled/purse.” “This merchant has the freshest goods.” “You get what you pay for.” These bits of wisdom, when heeded protect the buyer. Only a fool would spurn these bits of wisdom. But there are those who won’t listen to even these gems from Wisdom.
One of the BIG ones is belief in a Creator. Our modern science has tried to put forth other explanations for how man came to be and to have dominion over the rest of the planet. The Big Bang and Evolution from a one celled organism theories have more holes in them than Swiss cheese! Knowledge, through experience alone, demands you recognize someone is in control. Understanding points you to God. And wisdom says, “Since there is a God, I better get to know Him because He has power over even me!”
Wisdom calls out in the storms as well as the quiet of the night or even under the noon day sun. God is forever speaking to us, if we will only listen. When we push this wisdom away we have NO ONE but ourselves to blame when we get into trouble. We also have no one to lean on during trouble.
That brings me back to the story of the atheist and the grizzly bear. The atheist runs across a large grizzly and starts asking God to help him. God says, “You deny that I even exist. Why should I help you?” The atheist replies, “If you won’t help me, can you at least make the bear a Christian?” The next thing you hear is the bear praying, “Thank You Father for this meal I’m about to eat.”
If you ignore Wisdom’s call, she laughs at you. I did that the other night. I was preparing for our annual grandkids get together; Camp NaPa. I realized I was out of one size of T-shirt. I quickly texted the one person who I suspected would wear that size. Yup. She took the missing size, but she could also use an alternate size. Wisdom said, let her use the other size. But I didn’t listen. Knowledge was telling me that my husband should sleep through this trip because he had a full day. Knowledge was also saying that he often wakes up around 10:00. Understand told me that there was no way I would make it to the store and back before 10:00. His mother was keeping watch over him for me while I made this speedy trip but knowledge AND understanding told me that if he did wake, she couldn’t be of any help to him. He is twice her size and right now he requires a lot of assistance that she doesn’t grasp.
As I neared the four way stop sign out of town Wisdom called out to me once again. “Turn around, there are other options available.” But I didn’t listen. Instead, I prayed to God that he would stay asleep until I got home and boldly proceeded on my errand. As I was leaving the store parking lot I got a call. He had slid out of bed onto the floor and wet himself. His mother had no idea what to do or how to help him. I RUSHED home and took care of the situation.
Wisdom laughed at me as I boldly stood it down. God protected my husband and his mother from real harm while still teaching me to listen. If I would have turned back at the second call, all would have been fine. My granddaughter could have used the alternate size and I could have picked up ice the next day. And my husband would have been safe AND happy. I can still hear the echoes of Wisdom’s laughter.
While writing this I was preparing a meal for my husband. Moving back and forth between tasks. I was thinking about ‘Wisdom’ speaking to me. As I took a lemon bar treat out of the left over baggie I thought “Wisdom would tell me not to eat this.” I, again, ignored Wisdom for a moment. Long enough to put my teeth into the crust before hearing the call again. “You have had enough of these already.” Remembering my last lesson, I put the treat back in the baggie. As I’m the only one who likes this treat, it having my germs on it is no problem. I’m glad I listened.
Father God, I think it’s time to start listening to Wisdom a bit more often. STOP making excuses; especially the, “But I want it” excuse. HELP me listen Father. I’m pretty sure that Wisdom in my examples went by another name too; the Holy Spirit. You care about every part of my life and You DO speak to me. I just don’t always listen. I want to change that. THAT is my real prayer Father. NOT prayers that get me around Wisdom’s calls.
