Proverbs 8: Choosing Life Over Death
If there were ever a secular song that echoed the message of Lady Wisdom in the Proverbs, I’d say it was I Want You to Want Me by Cheap Trick (1977). The lyrics talk about the singer’s desire to be wanted, needed, and loved. They go on to describe the desperate situation of the object of their desire and how that person was lonely and crying but the singer wants to make all that better for them.
Listen to a similar cry from Lady Wisdom in Proverbs Chapter 8…
Proverbs 8:1-2, 4, 10, 14, 17-19, 21, 32-35 WEBUS
[1] Doesn’t wisdom cry out? Doesn’t understanding raise her voice?
[2] On the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she stands.
[4] “I call to you men! I send my voice to the sons of mankind.
[10] Receive my instruction rather than silver, knowledge rather than choice gold.
[14] Counsel and sound knowledge are mine. I have understanding and power.
[17] I love those who love me. Those who seek me diligently will find me.
[18] With me are riches, honor, enduring wealth, and prosperity.
[19] My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, my yield than choice silver.
[21] that I may give wealth to those who love me. I fill their treasuries.
[32] “Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.
[33] Hear instruction, and be wise. Don’t refuse it! (Emphasis mine.)
[34] Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my door posts.
[35] For whoever finds me finds life, and will obtain favor from Yahweh.
https://bible.com/bible/206/pro.8.1-35.WEBUS
Today, our seeker is standing at another crossroads like yesterday. The darkness isn’t hiding its final end, and with the door to the house of light open, the man can clearly see his two choices. I’m thinking he’s walked away from the temptress of chapter 7 and is now at least willing to listen to the possibilities of another way. Maybe he’s where some of us have been in our lives, standing at the end of a church service while the music team plays and sings the invitation song, Just As I Am. Our heart squeezes in our chest while stress turns our hands cold and clammy. We want so desperately to take that first step toward the altar, but fear and pride seem to paralyze us. We might be thinking: “What if God won’t accept me as I am? What if these people condemn me? What if all that happiness I’m seeing on these people’s faces isn’t real?”
Yes, most Christians began their walk with moments just like that. Even the song of invitation, written back in 1835, includes a lyric line that says, “Many a conflict, many a doubt. Fightings and fears within — without.” (The story behind the hymn is fascinating and has similar testimonies.) But we overcame those conflicts, doubts, and fears because something (or, more accurately, Someone) was calling us to trust God and give Him a chance to prove Himself. And when we finally took that first step out from our seat, the rest of the steps became almost a running pace to a place of sorrow and repentance. Then the fruit of that moment took us face to face with a flood of love and peace greater than we ever thought possible. Now, on the other side of that decision, most will tell you they are still glad they made it to the altar.
Proverbs 8 ends with the promise from Lady Wisdom in verse 35 followed by her strong warning in verse 36. Together, they read…
Proverbs 8:35-36 CSB
[35] “For the one who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord,
[36] but the one who misses me harms himself; all who hate me love death.”
https://bible.com/bible/1713/pro.8.35-36.CSB
And here is a beautiful rendition of Just As I Am by “Sounds Like Reign” and recorded in a farm silo…
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Proverbs 7: Signs At the Crossroads of Temptation
You’d think it would be an easy decision to choose the correct door, right? I mean, dark and stormy versus light and sunny seems like a clear choice even without the warning signs. Read the warnings and story of caution from Solomon to his children in Proverbs 7, then ask yourself whether you would be wiser than the young man lacking judgment in the story. I hope we all would be stronger, but as I read about the way the woman works to deceive him, I can see the abundance of those deceits and lies in our present world. Sadly, the signs are usually more like what the AI had on them before I edited, a bunch of gibberish that’s almost impossible to comprehend. (The guy in the picture has it really easy now that I used my Photo Studio Pro app to give him the right signs. 😁) But we have The Holy Spirit to give us signs now. We’re promised that we will all find Him and know Him if we seek Him with our whole heart.
Jeremiah 31:34 BSB
[34] No longer will each man teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquities and will remember their sins no more.”
https://bible.com/bible/3034/jer.31.34.BSB
Hebrews 8:11 BSB
[11] No longer will each one teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest.
https://bible.com/bible/3034/heb.8.11.BSB
Solomon knows the decision is not easy no matter who you are or how much wisdom you have access to. It’s the wisdom you commit to and hide in your heart that will help the most. So Solomon begs his children to grab the wisdom he’s making available to them and hold on for dear life. He tells them a cautionary tale of a young man who refused to listen to wisdom and walked into a death trap.
It’s an old story, you know. As old as the garden in creation. Temptation snags the one who’s not prepared or paying attention. And usually those things are lacking because of one of three things: The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, or the pride of life. Those 3 are the foundational traps that caught Eve at the tree of “the knowledge of good and evil” not paying attention (to the right things) and unprepared. (See Genesis 3:1-6.) Examining the tree for what it might bring her made her forget the warnings from her husband and her God. She saw its beauty, she desired to taste it, and she wanted it to make her wise. And we know how all those desires ended.
But here’s the good thing: the enemy (ha satan) tried the same three temptations on YahShua (Jesus). But even after 40 days of fasting, The Lord was fully aware of the deceit and lies, and He did not give in. Instead, He had an answer for each of the temptations thrown at Him. He kept the victory by using Scripture, and so can we. He was tempted in EVERY WAY we can be tempted and walked away victorious, so we could face the same things and find the strength we need in Him.
For the lust of the flesh, use...
Deuteronomy 8:3 BSB (or Matthew 4:4 or Luke 4:4)
[3] He humbled you, and in your hunger He gave you manna to eat, which neither you nor your fathers had known, so that you might understand that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
https://bible.com/bible/3034/deu.8.3.BSB
For the lust of the eyes, use...
Deuteronomy 6:13 CSB (or Luke 4:8)
[13] Fear the Lord your God, worship him, and take your oaths in his name.
https://bible.com/bible/1713/deu.6.13.CSB
And, for the pride of life, use...
Luke 4:12 BSB (or Deut 6:16)
[12] But Jesus answered, “It also says, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
https://bible.com/bible/3034/luk.4.12.BSB
Finally, the Apostle Paul gives us great advice when he tells us the right things on which to focus our minds…
Philippians 4:8 WEBUS
[8] Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report: if there is any virtue and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
https://bible.com/bible/206/php.4.8.WEBUS
And that’s a good place to end with a video I found with the help of Google’s Gemini AI. I’ve never heard it before, but the a capella harmonies, the lyrics, and the visuals are all beautiful. It’s called The Wayside Cross by C. L. St. John…
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