Proverbs 8-11
Decision Time
Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be wiser still; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. Verse 9 NKJV
Solomon's son has arrived at the age of accountability. At this point he will begin to make his own decisions. Some of these decisions will have a long lasting influence on his life.
Again the real choice is which source of wisdom will be chosen. There are two choices contrasted here in Proverbs 9. Each offering is an invitation. Verses 1-10 present to us God's wisdom. God's wisdom is established and stable. Verses 13-18 present to us the wisdom of the world and is personified as a foolish woman. I like how the NIV translated verse 13, The woman Folly is loud; undisciplined and without knowledge.
She has a certain appeal to youth. She offers something that is new, exciting, rebellious, and progressive. She tries to make established and stable look boring, old, and stuffy.
Don't get me wrong. I am for progress and I don't mind excitement. I think we should be moving forward and doing better, but not at any cost. When it comes to our compass for life the compass needs to be stable and the reference points established and unchanging. When it comes to wisdom it has been well said, "If it is true, it is not new. If it is new, it is not true."
God's wisdom offers lasting and life fulfilling blessings, but not without instruction and discipline. Vs 9-12
Folly makes the offer of an easy way but the rewards are temporary or elusive and the consequences are hidden. This well describes the source of dysfunctional thinking and harmful or painful actions. Vs 16-18
Where we are today and what we are faced with presently, for the most part, is a result of choices we have made in the past and the wisdom we have listened to. We don’t have to remain there. God does allow U turns. In reality it takes faith to remain on either path. We really can't say we don't have the faith to follow God. The reality is we do have the faith. We have just put it in something else. I pray it is not the woman Folly.
Make the choice to follow God today. Redirect your faith to Him and let Him direct your ways. You won't regret it.
Pastor Dave