Reflections From The Proverbs: Wisdom Heard

Wisdom Heard

Proverbs Chapter 1
32. For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them;
33. but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear or harm.God desires for us to listen to the voice of wisdom. He wants us to understand that the choice to listen is vitally important. This choice is not a do I want chocolate or vanilla decision, this is a do I want life or death decision.
"Simple" people are not the uneducated, in fact highly educated people can be "simple". The word refers to the morally foolish and easily seduced. All of us can be sidetracked by something that is off the path of wisdom. When this happens, wisdom will call you back. Those who are simple will not hear this call.
The word translated "complacency" is the word "shalvah" . It is a word that means "security".
The dictionary defines complacence as the secure satisfaction with one’s self. A place of complacency is a scary place indeed.
We need a wisdom beyond our own. We need a wisdom that can see into tomorrow. We need a wisdom guided by love.
Sweet are the promises that say, "If you listen to my wisdom you will live in safety and be at ease, without fear or harm."
There is quite a contrast here, death and destruction vs. safety and ease of mind. Who in their right mind would pick a path of death and destruction over a path of safety? The answer is many would and many do. Many who are guided by trust in self. God says over and over, "trust in me."
Proverbs 3: 5-6 says: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
I love that word "whoever" in verse 33 above. It means that there are no requirements to qualify for the opportunity to listen to this heavenly wisdom. It doesn’t matter if you are male or female. It doesn’t matter if you are a child or an adult. It doesn’t matter what color your skin is, and it doesn’t matter what your station in life is. You could be the CEO of a large company, or you could be the one who irons his shirts. God makes his wisdom available to all who are willing to listen. If you are willing to "listen" you will find that place of safety. Your mind will be at ease and your heart will ask the question that David asked. The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life of whom shall I be afraid?
The King James Version uses the word "hearkeneth" instead of the word "listen". I like it better because this kind of listening requires hearing and obedience. It requires paying attention to what is heard. I can listen to words of wisdom like I listen to a song on the radio, or I can hearkeneth to the words of wisdom and apply them to my life.
Because God loves us so deeply we can trust him completely. We can trust him enough to listen to his words of wisdom for our lives.