Saturday, July 1, 2006
Proverbs 9:3-6 She has sent out her maids, and she calls from the highest point of the city. "Let all who are simple come in here!", She says to those who lack judgment. "Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed. Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of understanding."
THE "FREE"-WAY OF UNDERSTANDING
In this house of seven pillars, Lady Wisdom has prepared a feast. There is meat and wine and the table is set. But this feast is not for her, and the seats sit empty in this banquet hall. The guests must now be invited. And so she sends out her maids to bring them in. And not only this, Wisdom herself calls out from the highest point of the city.
To who does she call out? To the simple. In the original language, this word "simple" means "the open", the "easily led." The simple are called because they have not yet heard and rejected Wisdom's call.
In this section of Proverbs these "simple" or "open" people are contrasted with the mockers who have rejected the call of Wisdom already. The mockers refuse to hear, so they have excluded themselves. They are not open, but have closed their ears to Wisdom's call.
And so Lady Wisdom calls to the simple, "Come in to my house! Eat what I have prepared for YOU. Do this, go away from your simple ways, come to me and LIVE. Then you will Walk in the way of understanding."
It isn't a t-bone steak and a glass of merlot that are offered by Lady Wisdom, but something far more valuable. Life and understanding for life, from God.
