Proverbs 9 reiterates the distinction between the invitations of Wisdom and Folly, pictured as two women beckoning to Solomon's sons and inviting them to walk with them on the path of life. In verses 13-17 (borrowing one verse from tomorrow's reading) we see the invitation of the woman Folly, brazen and seductive, and see the key difference between her and Lady Wisdom.
Wisdom always looks to the future. As we saw a few days ago, she warns us to choose carefully the seed we sow knowing that we will reap a harvest from that seed, when the time is right. Look at your choices carefully and ask yourself what harvest will come from such a seed if you sow it.
Folly could not care less about the future. She cares only for the present moment, for fun and frolic. Her only concern is what feels good now without regard to the consequences at all. The future? Bah! Seek pleasure now and let whatever comes come. This is the key difference between wisdom and folly. Wisdom always looks to the future, to the consequences of choices. It looks carefully at the seed and asks, what crop will grow from this seed? Folly could not care less about the future. All she cares about is what feels good now, what gives pleasure.
Read the description of her appeal in Proverbs 9:13-17. Verse 17 is key.
The woman Folly is loud;
she is seductive and knows nothing.
She sits at the door of her house;
she takes a seat on the highest places of the town,
calling to those who pass by,
who are going straight on their way,
“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
And to him who lacks sense she says,
“Stolen water is sweet,
and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
Verse 13 describes Folly as loud, undisciplined and without knowledge. She is boisterous and rebellious, refusing to submit to God’s will and ways. Undisciplined, she lacks the inner guidance and judgment to see right from wrong and operates by her feelings and for pleasure, instead of by will and principle. Lacking knowledge, she gives no thought to the ways of God, and has no knowledge of him. She wanders her own way in disregard of the ways of God and reaps that bitter fruit.
Look at the appeal of Folly in verses 14 through 17. She calls, as wisdom does, from the highest point in the city. Her call, though, is very different. She does not invite us to a public feast; she invites us to drink “stolen water" and to do so in secret. It's about the thrill. Sin always gives that jolt of pleasure, that immediate thrill. And the consequences are usually far off - days, usually months, sometimes years in the future. So, Folly, says, who cares? Enjoy the stolen water and its sweetness. Enjoy the present pleasures of sin.
When you have a decision to make, do you take a piece of paper and write down the pros and cons on columns on a sheet of paper? If you did so with a decision between Wisdom and Folly, it would tend to be pretty simple. The points in favor of Folly would be "right now" things - fun, pleasure, thrills, instant gratification. The points in favor of Wisdom would be "future" and would often require sacrifice, even suffering in the present. Wisdom puts the focus on the day of harvest that is to come.
The fool chooses the easy road today and the wise man chooses the blessed road in the future, even if that road may be a little harder today.
Father, even if it is harder today, may I choose wisdom over folly, your way over sin, the future blessing of righteousness over the instant gratification of wickedness.
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