Proverbs 9 – if you haven’t read my thoughts on the book of Proverbs yet, you’ll want to do so here. This isn’t a comprehensive look at each verse, but it is how God spoke to me through particular chapter of His Word at this particular chapter in my life. I hope it can speak to you as well, and I hope you are encouraged to seek Him in His Word. And if you missed Proverbs 8, you should also check that out here.  Otherwise, on to Proverbs 9!

9:1-6 – Wisdom has prepared her house for people to come, making sumptuous dishes and the best spiced wine. She labors hard to prepare for people to come and dine with her. She invites everyone to come and take part in what she has labored for – no one is excluded, but we have to accept the invitation. She calls out from the heights of the city to get anyone’s attention that she can. Prayer – God, help me to hear Wisdom’s call. Help me know how to respond to the invitation. Help me see the banquet that she has prepared and take part without holding back. Show me when I am holding back. Help me leave my simple ways behind so I can learn how to live in the way you intended.

9:7 – Anyone who rebukes a mocker will get an insult in return. Anyone who corrects the wicked will get hurt. Prayer – God, help me to learn how to love correction and love discipline. Help me to discern good and just discipline and use it to adjust my way of living. I don’t want to be a mocker or part of the wicked who do not accept discipline and instead insult whoever gives them correction.

9:8 – So don’t bother correcting mockers, they will only hate you. But correct the wise, and they will love you. Prayer – God, help me to know my audience – who to correct and when. Help me to know how to pick my battles when it comes to correcting others, and when I do correct others, teach me how to lead with love, and gentleness, and kindness.

9:9 – Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn even more. Prayer – God, help me to accept instruction and teaching so that I can become wiser, and learn even more.

9:10 – Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results only in good judgement. Prayer – God, thank You! Thank You that just by knowing You, You have laid a foundation of wisdom in my heart. Thank You that any time I pursue You, You add good judgement to my thoughts.

9:13-18 – This section is very interesting to me, because instead of Wisdom calling out, it is Folly calling out to people. Folly calls out in the same way that Wisdom does – at the highest places of the city and at the city gates. However, the difference is that she has not prepared any good gifts or food or drink for those who listen. And her folly is given away in her words – she does not offer a gift to you but tells us to take what we want from others, as long as we keep it secret. Wisdom is open with every part of her house and gives out of her abundance for us to enjoy. There are no empty promises. There are no secrets. There is a depth to wisdom. No one is excluded or left in the dark, so long as they accept the invitation. And to accept the invitation, as in verses 8-10, we only have to fear and know the Lord, and He will begin to build on our foundation of wisdom when we take even the tiniest steps in pursuing Him. And by pursuing Him, we accept Wisdom’s invitation to come in and dine with her.

Friend, I have prayed these same prayers over you today. May you have a renewed love for God’s Word today so you can start seeking and finding wisdom and understanding more and more in your life.

Until tomorrow,

– Just a girl pursuing her reflection in the mirror of God’s Word, and praying you will do the same

All scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.