Proverbs 8:17

Lady Wisdom loves those who love her. Her love brings honor, riches, life, and God’s favor. What more could you want? Her love is better than rubies, silver, gold, or anything you can imagine. Do you love her? She measures your love by the priority you give her.

Most of the world hates Lady Wisdom (Ps 14:1-3). They love her greatest enemy – the wicked woman Folly (Pr 2:16-19; 9:13-18). They want the world’s foolish lies and soap bubbles – gaily decorated by Hollywood, public education, the news media, and ignorant peers. They resent and despise God, wisdom, and truth. They love death (Pr 8:36).

But what about you? The value of Solomon’s proverbs in your life depends on what you do with them. Do you love wisdom? How do you show it? What emphasis or priority does wisdom have in your life? Do you seek her early? Do you aggressively seek her?

In much of chapters 8 and 9, Solomon personified wisdom as a lady offering affection and friendship. Contrasting Lady Wisdom with the strange woman Folly, he created a powerful image of two women seeking the souls of men. Compare the two women and their invitations of companionship that lead to very different results (Pr 9:4-5,16-17).

Lady Wisdom promises love to those who love her, and she promises to be easily found by those who seek her early. If you love wisdom, she will love you back and bless your life. If you seek wisdom, you will find her easily, as she is not far from anyone (Pr 1:20-23; 8:1-5). What holds back your affection and desire? Love wisdom and seek her now.

What does Lady Wisdom represent? What is wisdom? It is the power of right judgment, knowing the perfect response to every situation. What is its basis? The fear of the Lord! Where is wisdom most clearly defined and explained? In the Bible! If a man passionately loves and emphasizes God’s word, he will gain knowledge to drastically improve his life.

Lady Wisdom does not owe favor to any man. Men rejected wisdom in the Garden of Eden, so they have no right to truth; the asinine opinions now believed by educated men on all subjects prove their depravity. When a man chooses one lie, God will send him strong delusion to believe many more for his destruction (Ezek 14:7-11; II Thess 2:9-13).

Here is a sincere invitation and offer from God and Solomon, but it is only recognized and obeyed by the children of God. Most men have no faith, so they reject both the living God and His words in the Bible. What will you do with this gracious and kind invitation? The apostle Paul counted all things loss and dung in comparison with divine wisdom, which is most fully expressed in knowing the Lord Jesus Christ (Col 2:3; Eph 3:16-19).

Wisdom expects you to love her. Wise men will separate themselves from foolish goals in life to focus on getting wisdom (Pr 18:1). They will make pleasing God first in their lives (Matt 6:33). Unless you have great passion for wisdom, you will search for it in vain (Pr 2:1-5). David said, “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day” (Ps 119:97). Anything less will not work. Neglecting wisdom is to love death (Pr 8:36).

Wisdom expects you to seek her early in life, before you learn man’s foolishness, or damage your life with folly, and while you have the passion and strength of youth. Solomon wrote, “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not.” (Eccl 12:1). Childhood and youth are vanity, so it is the best time to reject folly and seek wisdom to avoid youthful sins (Eccl 11:10; Ps 25:7; Pr 22:6; II Tim 2:22).

Wisdom expects you to seek her early in the day, before the duties and distractions of life take your heart and mind away from the most important love of your life. Take time first thing in the morning to read God’s word and tell Him how much you love Him and desire His wisdom (Ps 63:1-6; 84:1-2; 119:18). Great men in scripture did this (Gen 19:27; Ps 5:3; 119:147). Or do it three times a day like David and Daniel (Ps 55:17; Dan 6:10).

The precious news of the gospel is that God loved His children long before they loved Him, even when they were His enemies (I Jn 4:19; Rom 5:8). God’s love for His elect is so great He drew each one to Him, caused each one to love Him, will display His love to each one more and more as they love Him, and not a single one of them can be separated from His love in time or eternity (Jer 31:3; Hos 11:3-4; Jn 14:23; Rom 5:5; 8:35-39).