Jan 21 2018 Three Ways to Direct our Hearts toward Wisdom

When we have put our faith in Christ, we have been made right with God and can approach His throne – and nothing can separate us from that.

If you’re like me, you read Proverbs and pull out the great verses and memorize them… but it is not meant to be a dry self-help book. There is a literary quality to the Book of Proverbs. These dynamic statements and powerful verses that are woven into a narrative.

There are many contributors to the book of Proverbs. A majority were written by Solomon. It is believed that the collection was put together by the king’s court leaders for the benefit of the sons of the king – to lead and guide them into the lives they will fulfill.

That is why you will see it addressed to ‘my son’ – and it is very male oriented. I say this because sometimes in our day, as people read this – it is presumed to be sexist or chauvinistic. But the reality is, at that time in Israel, there was no formal education for girls. This was written not only to sons, but the sons of the leaders for training – but once it was collected, it became a ‘family curriculum’ for training. We, in Christ, live in a day where there is no male or female distinctions (Gal. 1:28?). Even if you have daughters – these proverbs are for them too!

Proverbs is not just a dry book of sayings or maxims – we can tend to view it as a self-help book – or a business book – how to get rich by buying and turning over houses! They never really tell you how to do that – but they might get you to buy their book! Rather, Proverbs are woven throughout the book in what might be considered a subtle and covert narrative. There is a story being told throughout the book – and the primary parts come out in chapters 1-9. In 10, we get into specific sayings – but those sayings are set up in Chapters 1-9.

In this story are various characters – the Righteous, the Wicked, the Prudent, the Fool, the Naïve, the Adulteress.

Proverbs 8:1 – the main character – is a woman – named Wisdom. She is the hero of this story!

Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? 2 At the highest point (remember this phrase) along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; 3 beside the gate leading into the city, at the entrance, she cries aloud: 4 "To you, O people, I call out; I raise my voice to all humankind. 5 You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.

Then there is an alternate character – Folly. It is almost like there is a battle that takes place between these two women.

The word, hokmah– wisdom – is feminine in Hebrew.

Do you know the Greek word for wisdom? Sophia! Some recognize that Wisdom is a female character and believe that it indicates a female deity. That is not so – but rather – it is a personification of Wisdom– kind of like, ‘The sun smiled down on me’ – the sun does not have a mouth nor actually smile, but it comes out and makes your day better. Maybe it is feminine because young boys would learn lessons from their moms.

3 main words – the highest point – paths – simple (Naïve – immature)

What we have here – this Woman represents God’s Wisdom – the ways of God. Folly represents the ways of evil and the world. There is a contrast between the characters. The path – a metaphor for life’s journey – and it is saying that Wisdom engages us while we engage that journey – where the paths meet at the crossroads of our lives – when we come to a crossroad – we are presented with an opportunity for wisdom – and we come to the crossroads often. Young men come to the crossroads even more often – which way should I go. Boys in their teens have decisions to make – but this is speaking to all of us. Wisdom wants to speak into us if we would just listen. The people – especially – are the simple. Another translation might say – the Naïve – or the immature. Those who are immature – wisdom’s voice goes out to them.

In ancient literature, there was always another who stood at the crossroads – prostitutes, trying to entice their customers. All of a sudden – someone else is calling out – and it is wisdom –

We will jump to 9:1 – as that is the climax of the story – where the contest between wisdom and folly comes to a head. Both Wisdom and Folly send out invitations to a banquet they have prepared, the Wisdom Banquet and the Folly Banquet – and they go to the simple, and ask the question: Which banquet will you go to? Which path will you take? Which voice will you listen to? It is not really Jiminy Cricket up there – but the voice of Wisdom and Folly wherever we go – not that we are hearing voices – I won’t go there, but we are being enticed by evil – sin – wickedness – but at the same time, Wisdom is calling to us. We must choose who we will follow.

Proverbs 9:1 Wisdom has built her house; she has carved out its seven pillars. 2 She has prepared her meat, she has mixed her wine; she also has arranged her table. 3 She has sent out her female servants; she calls out on the highest places (there is that phrase again) of the city. 4 "Whoever is naive, let him turn in here," she says to those who lack understanding. 5 "Come, eat some of my food, and drink some of the wine I have mixed. 6 Abandon your foolish ways so that you may live, and proceed in the way of understanding."

The first thing Wisdom does is builds the house – a banquet hall with seven (completeness/perfection) pillars. It is a solid, sturdy, well-constructed home – it is perfect and complete – the dream home of the parade of homes. It is a great thing. She has prepared a feast – meat/wine – fine dining. You get an elaborate seven course meal if you go to the banquet of the wisdom. She has mixed her wine – they would mix it with honey and different spices – the original sangria, if you’re familiar with that – or ‘wine coolers’ we might say today. If you choose that banquet, you have success, prosperity and life – peace.

Proverbs 9:13 The woman called Folly is brash, she is naive and does not know anything. 14 So she sits at the door of her house, on a seat at the highest point of the city, 15 calling out to those who are passing by her in the way, who go straight on their way. 16 "Whoever is simple (naïve/immature), let him turn in here," she says to those who lack understanding. 17 "Stolen waters are sweet, and food obtained in secret is pleasant!" 18 But they do not realize that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of the grave.

Folly’s banquet targets the same people – but it is a vastly different banquet – Folly’s banquet is secret food in the dark, where Wisdom’s is fine food. Folly’s banquet ends miserably. Folly’s method of drawing in is trickery and deceit and it leads to failure and death. In Proverbs, there are two paths – no middle ground. We will come to crossroads in our lives – it is not about buying one car over another, it is about our journey in life – which path will I follow? But the end results are vastly different.

Wisdom is not something you are born with. You might be born with a high IQ – the potential to be intelligent, but we all know people who are intelligent, but are fools.

Both houses – are occupied on the highest point of the city.

If we go back 4 weeks – I showed pictures of high places – worship altars – but this is much more than just making good decisions or choices. This is not just about practical or ethical living, but a relationship with God. The path we choose is theological – who will we follow? Which will we worship? Wisdom or Folly? The way of God or the way of the world?

People say – you are what you eat – and in some ways that is true, isn’t it? You go on, and they say – “you are what you think” – and that is true too. But then we move on from that – “you are what you worship.” And then there is one more step where the Bible goes beyond that: “you are what you love!” We become what we love. What the path of wisdom does is to reorient and recalibrate our loves. It does not just give us good advice or knowledge, but this path is reorienting what we love. It is changing our hearts on what we love and focus our attention on. Love is more than an emotion – some say it is a choice. And we would agree with that. But it is even more than that – Love is more than an emotion and choice, it is formed in us by habits and practices. “Our fundamental orientation to the world”

I am going to give a silly example of myself. One of my loves – beyond my wife and children and God and all the important things - you know that I love OSU football. It was formed in me and I formed it in all my kids! And I see how it has developed in their lives. It often starts in the family and the family practices. We have ‘worship services’ on Saturday, where our ‘life groups’ gather, and it causes us to wear certain clothing that match our team. Communities gather – the entire city goes ‘scarlet’ and we hear liturgies of it – and then one day, if you get lucky - you have the opportunity to go to the house of worship – called Ohio Stadium – the HorseShoe – and everyone knows what is going to happen. You knew when to stand, when to sit – and you didn’t really kneel – but if you did, you would know when to do it! And the band comes out – and the drum major high-steps out – and we all know the songs. Yes, that is a little silly, but our loves are formed by the things we do.

We don’t just ‘love God’ – it is formed in our lives – it is through practices and habits and services – liturgies – what is important here – if loves are formed, they must be reformed. Our whole lives, our loves are being formed – and then we come to Christ and there is re-forming that must take place – redirecting of what we love.

Matthew 7:13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Think road and path here. Jesus does not directly quote Proverbs here – but I think it is possible he had these stories in mind. There are parallels – gates/roads/life/death. Path of life is the path of wisdom is the path of Christ – so it is not just about making right decisions – it is following Christ.

Jesus is the path. Wisdom is a woman personified. Jesus is Wisdom personified.

24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

The rock is Christ. The sand is foolishness. The comparison is obvious.

Practically, there are ways to direct our hearts:

Prov. 4:Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

24 Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you.

25 Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.

26 Keep straight the path of your feet, and all your ways will be sure.

Three things to help us direct our hearts to Wisdom.

First – make a commitment to guard our hearts - our hearts are the place deep inside that determines who we are – keep your heart with all diligence – some say – watch over your heart with all diligence – keep/guard your heart – guard the direction of our hearts – guard what we love. To know that other things will try to come in and move our hearts.

Step 2 - Put away false loves - crooked speech – we need to put away false loves that have developed over the years. These are things that give us bad direction. They can be bad things, or neutral things that we have allowed to take God’s place. Oftentimes it is the neutral stuff, not bad stuff, that we allow to take God’s place in our hearts. If family has become more important than God, you don’t leave your family, rather, you put each in its proper place.

If food has become a god – you don’t stop eating, otherwise, you won’t last long! Rather, you just put it in its proper place, and God in His proper place.

It is okay to love the Browns. It is not wise, but it is okay! But not in the sense that it in any way takes the place of God – and the reality is, sports take the place of God in many peoples’ lives.

25 Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.

26 Keep straight the path of your feet, and all your ways will be sure.

Third - Finally – we need to start habits and practices that direct our hearts to God. It needs to be personal practices, family practices, and communal practices – that become part of our lives on a regular basis.

You know the practices – we did one today – communion is to direct our hearts to God – not just something we do – but there specifically to reorient our hearts to Jesus. These are not just things that we have to do because we are Christians and God will get mad if we don’t do them – but all of those things are to move our hearts in the direction of loving God.