WHEN WISDOM SPEAKS

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice?

At the highest point along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; beside the gate leading into the city, at the entrance, she cries aloud:

“To you, O people, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind. You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.

Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right. My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness. All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse. To the discerning all of them are right; they are upright to those who have found knowledge.

Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.

Proverbs 8:1-11

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

I remember my childhood days pretty well despite the fact that I am ever more getting up in years. I loved to be outside and would take every opportunity to get there, no matter the season and in western Pennsylvania, we would have some interesting winters. Snow was no deterrent, just a chance to get the sled out and slide down the steep hill where a local school was located.

Yes, I loved to play outside and when it was time for me to come in, I remember my mother would always step out and call out my name. When I heard this, I knew it was an indicator that my outdoor playing was coming to a close, even if I wasn’t ready for it to be over and that was most of the time. More often or not, I would decide to simply ignore my mother’s calls. I heard her but was not willing to respond in obedience to what she was calling me to do. Most of the time, I would simply use the excuse that I hadn’t heard her, even though I did. Funny how quickly we learn in our youth to shun authority in exchange for meeting our own needs. Sin becomes more attractive than doing right when it means we get what we want.

As we look at the opening verses of Proverbs Chapter 8, we find wisdom being personified by Solomon, taking on a personality of its own as it speaks to the reader. This is not wisdom from a self reliant, worldly perspective but rather divine wisdom so that when we hear it speaking we can treat it as if the Lord Himself were speaking. After all He created all things, to include wisdom and only He administers it perfectly.

This wisdom, the divine wisdom of the Lord, is constantly crying out for us. It was true back in the Old Testament days we’re studying from and it remains true today. Like a mother beckoning for her son or daughter to come to her, so too does wisdom seek to draw us near. When we respond to this cry with compliance, when we listen to divine wisdom as it speaks, scripture tells us we will hear the following:

1. We will hear trustworthy words.

“Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say.”

Don’t we yearn to discover guidance on life that is reliable and dependable? Every time, divine wisdom speaks, it speaks in a way that is perfectly trustworthy. Nothing else in our lives will speak this way, in a way we can always count on as being valid and honest above reproach.

2. We will hear words of righteousness.

“I open my lips to speak what is right.

Want to know how to live righteously? Listen, receive, and adhere to the perfectly right words of divine wisdom and you can be assured you will always be trending toward doing what is decent and pleasing to the Lord.

3. We will hear words of truth.

“My mouth speaks what is true.”

The Contemporary Christian group, Casting Crowns, wrote a song called “The Voice of Truth” which contained the following lyric:

“Out of all the voices calling out to me I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth.”

The point is that there are many voices crying out for us, competing with divine wisdom. It would be easy if wisdom was the only thing we would hear but the airwaves leading to our heart, mind, and soul are cluttered these days. Many voices are calling out to us but only one of them is the voice of truth and that is the voice of divine wisdom, AKA the voice of the Lord. We are to listen to this voice and this voice alone.

4. We will hear words that are just.

“All the words of my mouth are just.”

The voice of divine wisdom will speak always honestly and honorably. There is never any question whether it is fair because it is ever perfectly fair. No other medium we listen to will speak justice like the voice of divine wisdom and through it, we will never be misled, betrayed, or deceived.

Indeed, we have a lot to gain by listening to the voice of divine wisdom when it calls. The discerning will never turn a deaf ear and as a result, will always find themselves living upright and with a knowledge not of the world, a knowledge and prudence that only comes from the Lord. And they will have something of great value to their credit, something more valuable than and precious metal or gem. For divine wisdom is invaluable and the one who invests in it consistently and persistently, will reap immeasurable riches.

My prayer is that you will be counted in this number. You will be if you listen when divine wisdom speaks.

If you listen closely now, it’s doing that right now through these words. Can you hear it?

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

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