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Choose Your Partner Wisely: Why Wisdom is a Better Catch Than Folly

We've been spending our summer learning from King Solomon, who had a simple goal: teach young people how to live a life that honors God and isn't foolish or lazy. He didn’t want to give them a checklist of what to think, but rather teach them how to think. His hope was that they would become a nation set apart—a people of God.

Last week, we saw the danger of the "adulterous woman" in Proverbs 7. She is temptation personified, and she makes her offerings so incredibly appealing. Her promises of pleasure, her carefully made bed, her sweet-smelling perfumes—they all lead to one place: certain death.

But Solomon, ever the wise father, doesn't leave his son without an alternative. In Proverbs 8, he introduces us to a different kind of woman: Wisdom.

Solomon frames the choice as a marriage proposal. To whom will you give your life? Folly or Wisdom?

Just like any good parent talking to their child about who they should marry, Solomon lays out the incredible qualities of Wisdom, the perfect partner.

Wisdom is Public

Unlike the adulterous woman who whispers in dark alleys, Wisdom stands in the open, at the crossroads and city gates, crying out for your attention. This tells us a crucial truth: a decision to follow wisdom must be a public one. It will require you to say "no" to certain things, and it will bring things with it that can't be hidden.

Wisdom Brings Truth

Wisdom speaks the truth, no matter how we feel about it. She says, "My mouth tells the truth, and wickedness is detestable to my lips" (v. 7). Folly, on the other hand, twists and distorts things. Taking a shortcut seems like a good idea. Indulging in a fleeting pleasure seems like it will bring happiness. But Wisdom helps us see the difference between what's right and what only looks right.

Wisdom Brings Right Living

When you pursue a relationship with Wisdom, you gain invaluable companions: "shrewdness, knowledge, and discretion" (v. 12). Wisdom teaches us how to navigate life with good judgment and careful consideration. And just like any good partner, she won't tolerate certain behaviors. She hates "arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech" (v. 13).

Think of the people in your life who hold you accountable—the spouse who won’t tolerate a lie, the friends who call you out on laziness. Wisdom is that kind of companion, guiding you toward right living and celebrating the good things, while rejecting the nonsense.

Wisdom Brings Rewards

Solomon promises that with Wisdom comes "riches and honor, lasting wealth and righteousness" (v. 18). This isn't a promise of a get-rich-quick scheme. It’s an assurance of an eternal inheritance and blessings that are better than gold or silver. The rewards of wisdom may include a good reputation, a community that cares for you, and an abundance of love.

Wisdom Brings Life

Ultimately, the choice between Folly and Wisdom is a choice between death and life. Proverbs 8:35-36 says, "For the one who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord, but the one who misses me harms himself; all who hate me love death."

Following Wisdom leads to a good life, full of true happiness and peace. It's a life where your desires begin to change, where you find joy in righteousness and fulfillment in loving others.

So, how do we pursue Wisdom? We pursue Jesus.

1 Corinthians 1:30 tells us that Jesus "became wisdom from God for us—our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption." Jesus was there at the very beginning of creation (John 1:1), and He is the personification of Wisdom.

Pursuing Wisdom means pursuing a relationship with Jesus. It means spending time in His Word, letting His truth guide us, and allowing Him to change us. Just like any good relationship, we do the things He loves and avoid the things He hates.

The beautiful promise of Matthew 6:33 is this: "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you."

Choose wisely. Choose Wisdom. Choose Jesus.