Proverbs 1:20–23
Wisdom cries without; she utters her voice in the streets:
She cries in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she utters her words, saying,
How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
Wisdom is treated as a Person in the Proverbs. Wisdom is something more than just a wise statement, such as, “if you fall off a tall building, you will hurt yourself.” Life is made up of more than one decision or a single event. Wisdom sets us into the right way, but this cannot happen without associating with this Person. Without discipleship or mentorship, and without this one to walk with us, there will be no obtaining true wisdom.
To distinguish between knowledge and wisdom, consider the example of Joseph. Knowledge is to know the sinfulness of committing adultery with somebody else’s wife. Wisdom for Joseph was to leave his coat in the hands of Potiphar’s wife (Gen. 39:15).
Wisdom cries out in the streets. She is accessible to those who take an interest in her. The Apostle Paul affirms this in Romans 10:8, where he writes, “The Word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.”
Among other things, God was greatly concerned that we keep Wisdom with us. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to earth; and He is revealed to be the very Word of God. The Word “became flesh and dwelt among us” ( John 1:14). Jesus Christ is Wisdom personified, and “of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30). The very essence of all wisdom has been made like us, so as to be our Wisdom, our Shepherd, our Counselor, our Prophet, and our Teacher. All those who will be wise then, must be in relationship with this One who is Wisdom.
The human problem is not that wisdom is inaccessible. “She cries in the chief place of concourse.” Too many still ignore her cries. They fail to seek after her. How many young people sit through Bible studies or the Sunday worship service and get nothing out of it? As the Jews of a previous era, still today many “resist the Holy Spirit” (Acts 7:51). They respond with an active resistance—an aggressive shoving off of the Holy Spirit and an angry opposition to the preacher when turning away from the voice of Wisdom.
Fools hate knowledge, and they despise wisdom. They are repelled by the deeper considerations and calls to repentance or a change of mind. Foolish people see no need for wisdom and they are content with their own state of foolishness.
“Turn you at my reproof.” Wisdom calls the “simple ones” to accept the corrective word, to change perspectives, to be sorry for sin, to admit wrong thinking, and to repent. Upon this change of mind, the pouring out of the Spirit comes upon the penitent. Humility and repentance are essential for the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, and for further fellowship with the personification of Wisdom who is Christ.
1. How do these verses describe the fool?
2. What is scorning? How do we respond to correction? Do we instinctively react in pride?
3. What happens to the person with the right kind of attitude, who responds rightly to reproof?