Proverbs
8:1-3 Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? At the
top of the elevated places along the way, at the intersection of
the paths she takes her stand; beside the gates opening into the city, at the
entrance of the doorways she cries out
Wisdom does not hide, nor is it hard
to find. Notice, like sin, Wisdom still uses the avenue of our senses to get
our attention. Whether we like to admit it or not we are much easier external
beings, than internal ones. True, the inner life is the one we need and will
gain the most from, but that requires discipline. We respond to external things
much quicker and easier, which can be a problem if we are not careful. As we
saw in Proverbs 7, sin enticed through the senses. However, we must remember
that our sense are neither holy nor evil, they are only one of the conduits we
have to receive communication. Since they are so easily connected to, Wisdom
will take advantage of the easy entrance. The two senses that Wisdom connects
to in this passage are hearing and visual. Consider the meaning of “top”
Heb “head.” The word רֹאשׁ
(ro’sh, “head”) refers to the highest area or most
important place in the elevated area. The contrast with chapter 7 is striking.
There the wayward woman lurked at the corners in the street at night; here
wisdom is at the highest point in the open places in view of all. [1]
Interesting that wisdom places
itself in plain view of all. Unlike sin, which is calculating and picks
specific ones to pursue, wisdom desires all to come and take part. Sin entraps,
Wisdom invites! Anyone that is looking will see Wisdom. The other sense is
hearing. The term used here is one that makes the point that Wisdom is not shy
in its desire to communicate.
The
cry is a very loud ringing cry that could not be missed. The term רָנַן
(ranan)
means “to give a ringing cry.” It is often only a shrill sound that might come
with a victory in battle, but its use in the psalms for praise shows that it
also can have clear verbal content, as it does here. For wisdom to stand in the
street and give such a ringing cry would mean that it could be heard by all. It
was a proclamation.[1]
Wisdom proclaims Truth, sin perverts
it! So it is important that we allow our senses to be used, the problem is what
we do with it next. The disconnect comes with the next “train
station”
on our track of communication. When our senses are communicated to, we have to
make a choice which track do we send that communication to. If we send it to
our emotions only, we will react, that is what happened to the foolish young
man in the previous chapter. If instead we send that information down the track
that leads to our mind first and then our emotions, we will be proactive. Our
mind will ascertain what values this data is to our inner man first and then
our outer man.
External living is temporal and in the end very unfulfilling.
The inner life weighs the real issues of this world and will take direction
from Wisdom that leads to joy, faith and peace. To love Wisdom is to love God,
life and yourself!
[1]
Biblical Studies Press. (2006; 2006). The
NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible.
Biblical Studies Press.
