Proverbs 8
Proverbs 8
“Sir, I perceive by the Book in my hand, that I am condemned to die, and after that to come to Judgment; and I find that I am not willing to do the first, nor able to do the second”…Then said Evangelist, pointing with his finger over a very wide field, “Do you see yonder Wicket Gate? The man said, No. Then said the other, Do you see yonder Shining Light? He said, I think I do. Then said Evangelist, Keep that Light in your eye, and go directly thereto, so shalt thou see the Gate; at which thou knockest, it shall be told thee what thou shalt do.” (Pilgrims Progress, Bunyan)
Bunyan’s Pilgrims Progress stands as one of Christianity’s greatest written works. It is the story of a man named Christian who goes on a quest to relieve himself of the great Burden on his back. In the passage above he meets a man named Evangelist who is able to tell him where to go to remove his Burden. Along his way, Christian meets a whole cast of characters identified by their attributes: Obstinate, Pliant, Mr. Worldly Wisdom, Good-will, Faithful, etc. Each character that Christian meets offers help—in the case of Faithful, the help is good; in the case of Mr. Worldly Wisdom, the help is bad. As I read Proverbs 8, I cannot help but think of Pilgrims Progress as we consider the attribute of wisdom as a real person.
Proverbs 8 personifies Wisdom as a woman who invites people to come and learn (1–5)—“To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man. O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense.” She is a companion by whose virtues (6–11) we should all hope to live. To follow Wisdom brings reward (12–21). Wisdom existed before creation and has been with God since the beginning (22–31). In finding Wisdom, life is found; hating Wisdom is a love of death (32–36).
While all of Proverbs encourages the reader to pursue wisdom, Proverbs 8 encourages us to consider Wisdom as a life-companion. As we encounter the daily events and struggles, she is there to whisper in our ear how we should respond, how to think and feel, and to give us God’s perspective.
Proverbs 8 ends, “For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord, but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death.” Wisdom is worth the pursuit, because wisdom is from the Lord and points us to the Lord. Wisdom leads us into a relationship with God through Jesus, faithful obedience, and spiritual discipline. Folly leads to destruction.
As we consider this passage today, think about these two questions:
1. What resources has God provided for us to find wisdom?
2. How are you doing utilizing those resources?
By: Tyler Short
“Sir, I perceive by the Book in my hand, that I am condemned to die, and after that to come to Judgment; and I find that I am not willing to do the first, nor able to do the second”…Then said Evangelist, pointing with his finger over a very wide field, “Do you see yonder Wicket Gate? The man said, No. Then said the other, Do you see yonder Shining Light? He said, I think I do. Then said Evangelist, Keep that Light in your eye, and go directly thereto, so shalt thou see the Gate; at which thou knockest, it shall be told thee what thou shalt do.” (Pilgrims Progress, Bunyan)
Bunyan’s Pilgrims Progress stands as one of Christianity’s greatest written works. It is the story of a man named Christian who goes on a quest to relieve himself of the great Burden on his back. In the passage above he meets a man named Evangelist who is able to tell him where to go to remove his Burden. Along his way, Christian meets a whole cast of characters identified by their attributes: Obstinate, Pliant, Mr. Worldly Wisdom, Good-will, Faithful, etc. Each character that Christian meets offers help—in the case of Faithful, the help is good; in the case of Mr. Worldly Wisdom, the help is bad. As I read Proverbs 8, I cannot help but think of Pilgrims Progress as we consider the attribute of wisdom as a real person.
Proverbs 8 personifies Wisdom as a woman who invites people to come and learn (1–5)—“To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man. O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense.” She is a companion by whose virtues (6–11) we should all hope to live. To follow Wisdom brings reward (12–21). Wisdom existed before creation and has been with God since the beginning (22–31). In finding Wisdom, life is found; hating Wisdom is a love of death (32–36).
While all of Proverbs encourages the reader to pursue wisdom, Proverbs 8 encourages us to consider Wisdom as a life-companion. As we encounter the daily events and struggles, she is there to whisper in our ear how we should respond, how to think and feel, and to give us God’s perspective.
Proverbs 8 ends, “For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord, but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death.” Wisdom is worth the pursuit, because wisdom is from the Lord and points us to the Lord. Wisdom leads us into a relationship with God through Jesus, faithful obedience, and spiritual discipline. Folly leads to destruction.
As we consider this passage today, think about these two questions:
1. What resources has God provided for us to find wisdom?
2. How are you doing utilizing those resources?
By: Tyler Short
4 Comments
Great blog about Proverbs 8! I enjoyed reading the book Pilgrim's Progress. (There is also an animated film) It does indeed make me think also of Proverbs 8!
Such a great book. Thanks Ms. Norma.
God has provided us with his Word, good counsel and leaders to draw from. Honestly I need to be a better steward of the resources God has provided me with.
Amen Joseph. It's a process. Thankful for you and your heart to grow.