Day 970: Proverbs 7- Priority Of Wisdom

My son, keep my words
    and treasure up my commandments with you;
2 keep my commandments and live;
    keep my teaching as the apple of your eye;
3 bind them on your fingers;
    write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
    and call insight your intimate friend,
5 to keep you from the forbidden woman,
    from the adulteress with her smooth words.
 
6 For at the window of my house
    I have looked out through my lattice,
7 and I have seen among the simple,
    I have perceived among the youths,
    a young man lacking sense,
8 passing along the street near her corner,
    taking the road to her house
9 in the twilight, in the evening,
    at the time of night and darkness.
 
10 And behold, the woman meets him,
    dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart.
11 She is loud and wayward;
    her feet do not stay at home;
12 now in the street, now in the market,
    and at every corner she lies in wait.
13 She seizes him and kisses him,
    and with bold face she says to him,
14 “I had to offer sacrifices,
    and today I have paid my vows;
15 so now I have come out to meet you,
    to seek you eagerly, and I have found you.
16 I have spread my couch with coverings,
    colored linens from Egyptian linen;
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh,
    aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love till morning;
    let us delight ourselves with love.
19 For my husband is not at home;
    he has gone on a long journey;
20 he took a bag of money with him;
    at full moon he will come home.”
 
21 With much seductive speech she persuades him;
    with her smooth talk she compels him.
22 All at once he follows her,
    as an ox goes to the slaughter,
or as a stag is caught fast
23     till an arrow pierces its liver;
as a bird rushes into a snare;
    he does not know that it will cost him his life.
24 And now, O sons, listen to me,
    and be attentive to the words of my mouth.
25 Let not your heart turn aside to her ways;
    do not stray into her paths,
26 for many a victim has she laid low,
    and all her slain are a mighty throng.
27 Her house is the way to Sheol,
    going down to the chambers of death.
 
Meditation
God’s amazing love has given us everything we need to live a godly life, partaking in Divine nature (2 Peter 1:3-4). The path of wisdom will promote a godly life. Rejecting wisdom will lead to death. We must be careful, then, to prioritize wisdom on the path we walk.
 
To prioritize wisdom is to treasure the words of our Father in our heart, bind them on our hands, and keep them with our life. Wisdom is to be a close companion and focus our hearts on God and His ways (1-4), knowing seduction is just around the corner (5).
 
The problem is that simple people do not practice self-awareness, believing they can live life in their own strength (6-9). When living unaware we are not prepared for the persuasion of adultery and sin catches our eye and seeks to grab our heart (10-12). The plan of seductive foolishness is to ambush (13-21), a surprise attack to pierce our heart to steal any chance to participate in the Divine life wisdom offers (22-23).  The invitation of prioritizing wisdom is to practice self-awareness and guard our hearts (24-27). Prioritizing wisdom will protect your life and promote abundant life.
 
Jesus teaches that wisdom is proved by actions (Matthew 11:19). People who prioritize wisdom will walk in self-awareness.  Those who reject God’s word will not walk in God’s ways and fall prey to the ambush of foolish sin. God has given us everything we need to prioritize wisdom. May we respond to His grace by prioritizing His words.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you about the casualties of not prioritizing wisdom? Is verse 23 too extreme?
 
-When have you fallen prey to the surprise attack of foolishness and sin?
 
-Where do you need to guard your heart by treasuring and prioritizing wisdom, being self-aware and intentional, to walk in the ways of the Lord and participate in the Divine life He invites us to?
 
Key Verse
My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; 2 keep my commandments and live…