I’m studying the wisdom literature books for the first few months of this year, and I’ve just come across a simple, but profound thought. Listen to Solomon…
How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
(Proverbs 1:22)
The text here features the words spoken by “Wisdom,” which Solomon treats as a metaphorical lady standing in the town square, crying out for everyone to hear. Her words are meant to scold and shame the unwise. How long will the simple continue to love their simplicity, she asks. In other words, how long will the unwise revel in their ignorance? How long will they plug their ears and refuse to learn and better themselves? How long will scorners delight in scorning? How long will ignorant people attack learned people? How long will fools hate knowledge? Wisdom’s cry is full of angst as much as it is rebuke. God wants people to be wise.
Think about that.
Let it not be said, as atheists like to claim, that God’s people hate truth, science, learning, knowledge, etc. Christianity is not a religion for ignorant people. I say again: Despite the common attack, Christianity is not a religion for ignorant people. On the contrary, it is for wise people. Granted, the kind of wisdom we have is called foolishness by the world (1 Corinthians 1:20-21), but that should not be surprising, either.
The world is full of fools; why wouldn’t a fool confuse something wise for something foolish?! If they knew it was wise they’d be on the path to wisdom of their own. If a stubborn lost person knew how great it was to be saved, they’d never dismiss it as a waste of time. If a fool knew how wise it was to obey the Gospel, they’d never call it foolishness. Instead, they refuse wisdom. They scorn it. They hate it. They would rather continue to love their ignorance of God and His timeless truth.
I, on the other hand, seek to be wise, not in my own eyes, but in God’s. I seek wisdom, not of myself, but of God and His Word.
How about you?
~Matthew