Proverbs 8 – 9

This reading focuses on Lady Wisdom with a brief touch on Lady Folly. We need to focus of ensuring we learn wisdom.  Verse 8:5 shows wisdom is for all:

You gullible people, acquire insight.
        You naive ones, cultivate a heart that truly understands.

We really all have to think of ourselves as gullible every day and strive to “acquire insight.” Unfortunately if we think of living with wisdom of Solomon most if not all would be fooling themselves. Also remember, with all Solomon’s wisdom he fell into following lesser gods and demonic incantations. That is why we must be vigilant in our daily quest for knowledge in our Lord!

Verse 8:19 tells us of the reward:

My reward is better than gold, even the purest gold;
        and my profit is greater than the highest quality silver.

Wisdom is more valuable than any earthly item, yet we tend to throw it away for riches. As you read and remember lust is the other thing that tends to shut ones brain off from wisdom. We tend to follow the next flashy thing be it a car, a job, a movie star or a cute secretary and not wisdom. Again based on the number of wives and “concubines” Solomon had before his kingdom fell apart, I really wonder how wise he really was!!

Verse 9:17 takes us down the other path in life:

 Lady Folly: Stolen water tastes so much sweeter!
        Bread secreted away is much more satisfying to eat!

Folly will tell us that leisure is more important than work. Folly will tell us to take the easy path and not pass through the “narrow gate” of Jesus. After 50+ years of living I can say without a doubt that “bread” earned from the sweat of ones brow is much sweeter than “bread secreted away.”  I am on food stamps right now and the only thing I can say is thank you to all who fund the government. This is a first in my life and am humbled to have to take charity.  I can say it’s not “sweeter” than getting a pay check and using my own money. Although I have to admit we tend to buy more organics, not sure if that’s because they are “free” or because the need for pure foods from my cardiac arrest, but technically the food has been a tad better.