Wisdom's Plea to be heard

What do you do to be heard?

I think everyone wants to be heard out, to be understood, right?

What do you do to be heard?

If someone is not willing to listen to you, what do you do?

Do you think we need to be careful to discern what we hear for the truth, the validity of it?

Last week we looked at

The immoral woman who seduces with her beauty and her flattery (6:24-25)

The one who lurks in the open square, around every corner looking who can be lured in (7:12)

I know we went through a lot of verses last week. Most of it was illustration, description of the immoral woman,

Tonight we go back to what we have previously looked at, wisdom being personified as a woman, this time good. Here is a quick reminder

Pro1:20-23 “20 Wisdom shouts in the street, She lifts her voice in the square; 21 At the head of the noisy streets she cries out; At the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings: 22 “How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing And fools hate knowledge? 23 “Turn to my reproof, Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.”

As you just heard, shouts, lifted voice, cries out, utters, wisdom desires to be heard.

You can also see this in our passage this afternoon when we get to (8:3-4)

So, Lord willing this afternoon we will look at:

The plea of wisdom (8:1-11)

The value of wisdom (8:12-21)

The possession of wisdom (8:22-31)

The blessedness of wisdom (8:32-36)

Alright, enough of this intro stuff lets get into the passage and some points along the way. Are you ready to get involved. I would love that today.

The Plea of Wisdom (8:1-11)

Ask someone to read the verses

Pro8:1-3 “1 Does not wisdom call, And understanding lift up her voice? 2 On top of the heights beside the way, Where the paths meet, she takes her stand; 3 Beside the gates, at the opening to the city, At the entrance of the doors, she cries out:”

Pro8:4-7 “4 “To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men. 5 “O naive ones, understand prudence; And, O fools, understand wisdom. 6 “Listen, for I will speak noble things; And the opening of my lips will reveal right things. 7 “For my mouth will utter truth; And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.”

Pro8:8-11 “8 “All the utterances of my mouth are in righteousness; There is nothing crooked or perverted in them. 9 “They are all straightforward to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge. 10 “Take my instruction and not silver, And knowledge rather than choicest gold. 11 “For wisdom is better than jewels; And all desirable things cannot compare with her.”

Anything in particular stick out to you in this section?

Well lets look closer now, together

She desires to be heard, and how does she do it? (v.1) and where (vv.2-3)

Crying out, lifting up her voice; She does not hide, does not lurk around a corner like the immoral woman we looked at last week.

From the top of the hill, from beside the way, where the paths meet.

What do you think this would look like in today’s world, society?

Who does wisdom desire to be heard by (vv.4-5)?

By the sons of man (v.4)

By the simple ones, the fools (v.5)

What kind of things does she desire to impart (v.6-11)?

Excellent things, right things (v.6)

Words of truth and righteousness (v.7-8)

Things that are plain and right (v.9)

These are things tah are more precious than silver, gold, and all that can be desired (vv.10-11)

Wisdom cries out, lifts up her voice to be heard by everyone. To share things of great value, more than any material thing we can desire or obtain. Are we willing to lean in and listen? Maybe to help us on the say lets move on.

The Value of Wisdom (8:12-21)

Value seen in what she possess

Prudence, knowledge and discretion (v.12)

She possessess what is needed to fear the Lord and hate pride, evil and a perverse mouth. (v.13)

She gives counsel and sound wisdom, understanding and strength (v.14)

Value seen in what she gives

Ability to kings, princes, nobles and justices to rule with justice (v.15-16)

Ability for all who love her, riches, honor, righteousness, justice and wealth (v.17-21)

So, do you want to hear her, hear wisdom.

The possession of wisdom (8:32-36)

What if our possessions are more than our physical ones that can rust, or be stolen? Everyone wants possessions but the possessions that Solomon is offering is from above. Godly wisdom that is eternal and not temporal. So, I think maybe we better read the verses again, then pick from it.

Proverbs 8:34 NKJV

34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors.

Proverbs 8:35 NKJV

35 For whoever finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the Lord;

Proverbs 8:36 NKJV

36 But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; All those who hate me love death.”

Blessed is the one who is willing to keep her (wisdom’s) ways

Blessed (v.34)

So, be blessed by hearing her instructions, be wise, do not disdain it (v.34).

Disdain (in verb forum) consider to be unworthy of one's consideration

Blessed are those who are willing to listen intently, purposefully

Again for they are blessed (v.34)

They watch daily and wait (v.34)

They when they do this (watch, wait) find life and obtain favor from the Lord (v.35)

Those who listen intently/purposefully are unlike the one who sings against her (wisdom) for he wrongs his own soul (v.36)

Those who late her (again, wisdom) for they love death (v.36)

Before wrapping this up today, what did you pick up? What do you get as the take-away from this Proverb?

Let me give you a conclusion

Wisdom cries out to be heard. Cries out to all who are willing to listen, intently/purposefully.

By doing that the Lord wants to bless our lives with riches and honor, especially those things offered by the Lord. Remember all things are given for our pleasure. All good things come from above, so be sure to keep the right view of this.

So, to whom shall we listen, hearken?

To the immoral woman lurking in the corners, whose house is the way to hell (7:27)

Or the woman standing on the top of the high hill, and by the open gates (8:1-3)

The answer should be obvious.

Proverbs 8:34–35 NLT

34 Joyful are those who listen to me, watching for me daily at my gates, waiting for me outside my home! 35 For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord.

Let wisdom take its place in our lives because we listen for it!