Lady Whore and Lady Wisdom

READ: Proverbs 9  NIV and MESSAGE versions were great to read.

This blog is based on Proverbs chapter 9, which I read during my break at work today and was blown away! Join me in my excitement.

Back one chapter: Earlier on in Proverbs 8:22-31, it says that wisdom was present when God created the foundations of the Earth. So there was a woman present loool and I love the fact that God calls wisdom a woman. Women are creative beings and I guess God was representing wisdom’s creative abilities. He consulted with wisdom when He was doing the layout of the Earth. She must have been there saying ‘yes, lets do the sky blue’,  ‘lets arrange the stars here in this corner’ ‘lets have the sun rise here and the moon set over there’. It is amazing to read about wisdom consulting with God. God counsels with Himself, wisdom is also God. In God’s wisdom is the infinite comprehension of what is and all that might be.

^1-6 Lady Wisdom has built and furnished her home;
    it’s supported by seven hewn timbers.
The banquet meal is ready to be served: lamb roasted,
    wine poured out, table set with silver and flowers.
Having dismissed her serving maids,
    Lady Wisdom goes to town, stands in a prominent place,
    and invites everyone within sound of her voice:
“Are you confused about life, don’t know what’s going on?
    Come with me, oh come, have dinner with me!
I’ve prepared a wonderful spread—fresh-baked bread,
    roast lamb, carefully selected wines.
Leave your impoverished confusion and live!
    Walk up the street to a life with meaning.” (Message)

Build it up: Wisdom has built her house, building a house takes time. The foundation of wisdom HAS to be God, essentially His word (John 1:1). Seven columns, where seven is the number of perfection, they are an establishment of the foundations. Firm, immoveable, everything else is able to lay on top of those things without any instability.

I believe these columns come with our life experiences, seeing wisdom in the things we go through and firmly holding onto the lessons we’ve learned, which become wisdom when we acknowledge the presence of God in those times. The columns also form when we fully immerse ourselves into God’s word which is wisdom, and wisdom which is God, and God who is His word. That triangulation can be accomplished by simply delving into God’s word, the living word, the BREAD of life. So lets eat!

Some of us have half a column that we try and build upon. Too weak, building on foolishness which crumbles easily. Anything done apart from the wisdom of God as the foundation will crumble. It is wisdom that will tell a man to build his house on a rock, it is ignorance and lack of wisdom that manifests the foolishness of man to build his house on sand. Many times we do things without consulting God or His word, without seeking sound wisdom until everything goes wrong like God is our local handy man…no no. God is not obligated to anoint what He did not initiate. We need to change our unduly expectations, wisdom is calling us to EAT and digest what she has to give us, to add to our building project, ourselves. You are building yourself in wisdom, but the only way to get that wisdom is to attend the banquet/dinner party.

Chop well well at the banquet, bring your container! I love food, don’t you? Wisdom wants to feed you, she knows that the things she has to offer are nourishing, become part of who we are. She prepares a banquet, a dinner party.

This dinner party is the Word of God, the bread of life, this banquet is speaking/seeking counsel from God, this party is about surrounding yourself with biblically wise people! It is different from any other banquet, because this one serves healthy food for your spirit man. There are also junk foods of the spirit, that will cause you to harm instead of nourishment when you go above your limit.

• Spiritual junk food will fill you up real quick but cannot sustain you.
• Spiritual junk food can affect the hunger you have for God because you think you’re full up.
• Spiritual junk food can make you feel sick when eaten excessively.

Spiritual junk food is unhealthy for the growth of your spirit, for where there is no longer hunger (because the junk filled that space up), there is no desire to eat, which means that growth is slowed or ceases!

What are we filling ourselves with? Friends who cause you to deviate from God’s word or incite foolish behaviour. Too much facebook, twitter etc and not enough time spent with God? Great Bible studies, but no action to follow what was learned? Media that promotes ungodliness.The list is unending.

Basically check what you’re eating spiritually and give way for the nourishing benefits of eating wisdom.

I can’t tell her where she’s gone wrong because she will take offence. Ever been in that position. Its  tricky one, that ought to be approached with wisdom. Verses 7-12 (message) beautifully depicts the response that we would expect from a ‘fool’ and a wise ‘person’. Let us not just focus on the response of the person we are speaking to, put yourself on the receiving end.

If you reason with an arrogant cynic, you’ll get slapped in the face;
    confront bad behaviour and get a kick in the shins.
So don’t waste your time on a scoffer;
    all you’ll get for your pains is abuse.
But if you correct those who care about life,
    that’s different—they’ll love you for it!
Save your breath for the wise—they’ll be wiser for it;
    tell good people what you know—they’ll profit from it…

 Are you some who readily accepts correction, knowing that its coming from a place of love, seeking any advice/opportunity to better yourself despite being knowledgeable? OR

Do you reject any form of correction, think its coming from a place of hate or think that you don’t need to be corrected on particular things because of your expertise?

Being able to take correction is a sign of wisdom and humility in many cases when you may be corrected in an area that you are an expert in. That should be our response as Christians and as humans in general! We should all be willing to learn and hold onto advice that allows us to better ourselves. But because this isn’t always the case, the passage above gently guides us as to who we should offer advice to, in order to avoid getting ‘slapped in the face’ lool.

Do we even fear (reverence, worship) God any more? Are we so comfortable under God’s grace to the extent that we have forgotten the position of God over us? Do we reverence Him like we ought to? Have we forgotten who we serve, the reason for our being? Do we look to Him as the author and finisher of our faith? Do we worship Him like we should do?

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
    and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
For through wisdom your days will be many,
    and years will be added to your life.
 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you;
    if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer. (Verse 10-12, NIV)

Skilled living gets its start in the Fear-of-God,
    insight into life from knowing a Holy God.
It’s through me, Lady Wisdom, that your life deepens,
    and the years of your life ripen.
Live wisely and wisdom will permeate your life;
    mock life and life will mock you (Verse 10-12, Message)

Until we acknowledge the sovereignty of God, until we reverence Him, until we give Him our time, lest we do all these things and more…there is no room for Wisdom to be established as the foundation. Worshipping, praying, reverencing God, are an embodiment of wisdom.

Wisdom gives us the ability to know who is Lady Wisdom and Lady Whore.

13 Folly is an unruly woman; she is simple and knows nothing. 14 She sits at the door of her house, on a seat at the highest point of the city, 15 calling out to those who pass by, who go straight on their way, 16     “Let all who are simple come to my house!” To those who have no sense she says, 17     “Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious!” 18 But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead. (NIV)

Then there’s this other woman, Madame Whore— brazen, empty-headed, frivolous. She sits on the front porch     of her house on Main Street, And as people walk by minding     their own business, calls out, “Are you confused about life, don’t know what’s going on? Steal off with me, I’ll show you a good time! No one will ever know—I’ll give you the time of your life.” But they don’t know about all the skeletons in her closet,     that all her guests end up in hell. (Message)

Earlier on, we read that Lady Wisdom position’s herself in clear view (verse 3)…well so does Lady Whore (verse 14). They are BOTH calling out to those that need wisdom, those that are simple minded, lack sense and confused, people like YOU and I, the same audience! The difference is in what they are offering. One is junk food, the other is healthy. One is wisdom, the other is foolishness. One is life, the other is death. Lady Whore sounds fun, seductive, persuasive. Some people will present foolishness and cover it up as wisdom to lure you into their trap. BUT IT IS UP TO US TO DISCERN WHO IS WHO!!!! I cannot stress this point enough. And the only way you will be able to discern, is by KNOWING and I mean KNOWING what God calls wise! Knowing His word, accepting His ways! You know money changers and bankers study real Notes so intently that they can spot counterfeits within seconds. We need to study the word so much, so that we can discern any remixed gospel, any foolishness presented as wisdom and anything contrary to what God says. We need the knowledge of the Holy, knowledge of the Holy gives insight (2 Peter 1:3)!

I wish I could write so much more and go in-depth (another time perhaps), but I don’t want to drown you guys with too much text! Please take from this, Lord knows it blessed me the moment I read it during my break at work! I’m so excited for how things will turn out for us when we apply the basic principles for acquiring wisdom to our lives!

Prayer: Lord I just pray that we can live in your wisdom. I pray that you will continue to renew our minds, remind us of your will, so that we may be able to avoid the subtle traps of the world. I pray that you will give us the ability to shy away from the spiritual junk food, that we may come hungry to the banquet of wisdom that you have laid out for us. As your word says in James 1:5, If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. Lord we are coming to you for wisdom and I thank you in advance for all the wisdom you are pouring out upon those that are reading who desire for it! 

God bless you all!

K x