January 3, 2015-Wisdom

January 3, 2015 Devotions

Proverbs 1:20-33

²⁰Wisdom cries out in the street;
in the squares she raises her voice.
²¹At the busiest corner she cries out;
at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
²²“How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing
and fools hate knowledge?
²³Give heed to my reproof;
I will pour out my thoughts to you;
I will make my words known to you.
²⁴Because I have called and you refused,
have stretched out my hand and no one heeded,
²⁵and because you have ignored all my counsel
and would have none of my reproof,
²⁶I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when panic strikes you,
²⁷when panic strikes you like a storm,
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when distress and anguish come upon you.
²⁸Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
they will seek me diligently, but will not find me.
²⁹Because they hated knowledge
and did not choose the fear of the Lord,
³⁰would have none of my counsel,
and despised all my reproof,
³¹therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way
and be sated with their own devices.
³²For waywardness kills the simple,
and the complacency of fools destroys them;
³³but those who listen to me will be secure
and will live at ease, without dread of disaster.”

The book of Proverbs is considered one of the Wisdom books of the Bible, where wisdom is characterized as a woman.  

At the beginning of this proverb, Wisdom is crying out in the street, proclaiming.  “How long…?” she cries.

We know bad things happen to good people. We need to admit though that many of the hard times we go through in life is because of our choices, our decisions to ignore the wisdom of God.  Maybe we think we have chosen better, or that there will be time or forgiveness for choosing what is selfish, that will make us happy for the moment or serves ourselves at the sake of others.  

It isn’t just what we do.  Wisdom also says that complacency will also destroy us.  In confession we often confess what we have done and what we have failed to do?  Why is it that we find ourselves complacent?  We are too busy caught up in our own world and our own life that we are not aware or ignore the lives of others?  Do we not listen to the cries of those in need?  Maybe we think we have done enough in our younger lives and now it is time for the next generation to step up?  Maybe we are too busy with our lives now and when we retire or get our nest egg or the kids are out of college, then we will step up? 
Where is the wisdom of God active in your life?  Are you listening?  

Let us pray:  O God of all wisdom, we generally know what you would ask us to do.  Give us the wisdom to obey, the courage to take a chance, the strength to step forward.  Make us aware of where your proclamation in word and deed needs to be experienced.  Open my eyes and ears.  Amen