The Voice of Wisdom

 

Scripture

 Proverbs 1:20-33

The Call of Wisdom

²⁰ Wisdom cries out in the street;
    in the squares she raises her voice.
²¹ At the busiest corner she cries out;
    at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
²² “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing
    and fools hate knowledge?
²³ Give heed to my reproof;
I will pour out my thoughts to you;
    I will make my words known to you.
²⁴ Because I have called and you refused,
    have stretched out my hand and no one heeded,
²⁵ and because you have ignored all my counsel
    and would have none of my reproof,
²⁶ I also will laugh at your calamity;
    I will mock when panic strikes you,
²⁷ when panic strikes you like a storm,
    and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
    when distress and anguish come upon you.
²⁸ Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
    they will seek me diligently, but will not find me.
²⁹ Because they hated knowledge
    and did not choose the fear of the Lord,
³⁰ would have none of my counsel,
    and despised all my reproof,
³¹ therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way
    and be sated with their own devices.
³² For waywardness kills the simple,
    and the complacency of fools destroys them;
³³ but those who listen to me will be secure
    and will live at ease, without dread of disaster.”

 

Devotion

 Today's reading from Proverbs can feel pretty harsh at first.  It personifies Wisdom (often interpreted by Christians as the Holy Spirit) as a woman walking through Israel's busy streets.  As she walks, she calls out to those around her in order teach them God's ways.  God's children, though, are too foolish and set in their ways to listen to her.  They mock Wisdom's words, ignore her teachings, and angrily defy her warnings that things need to change.  No matter how plaintively she calls to them or how lovingly she reaches her hand out to them, the people will not go with her.   Wisdom warns the people that there will be consequences if they continue to ignore her and defy God's ways.  When those consequences finally arrive and the people are ready to turn to Wisdom for help, chances are that they won't be able to find her.

How often are we like the people who ignore Wisdom's call?  Scripture and the Holy Spirit try to give us advice on what to do and where to go, but we are sure that we are more than capable of making our own path through life.  We are so sure of ourselves that we disobey God's teachings and  do our best to silence that voice within us that says we are making a mistake.  Then, when the inevitable happens and we find ourselves in trouble, we wonder how God could let this happen to us... as if we are not the ones who brought ourselves to that point by refusing to listen to God's voice.  It's only when things are bad that we seem interested in turning to God for help and advice.

The Good News is that even when we find ourselves facing the consequences of ignoring the Holy Spirit's call, God does not abandon us.  The Wisdom of the Holy Spirit still reaches out her hands and calls out to us.  And that Wisdom will save us...if only we are willing to listen.

In acknowledgement of the times we haven't listened in hopes that we can all become better at listening to the Holy Spirit once we've confessed our past mistakes, I'd like us to take part in an exercise:

1.  Think back to a time when you felt the Holy Spirit tugging you in a certain direction but you decided to ignore God's Wisdom.  What did God want you to do (or not do)?  Why did you want disagree?  What made you think you knew better?
2. Now, flash forward a bit to the consequences of your decision to ignore God's voice.  Who or what was hurt?  How badly?  When and how did you realize the error of your ways?
3. Ask yourself what it would take for you to listen better to God's voice.  What voices or impulses do you need to pay less attention to?  What would help you keep your focus on God's word or encourage you to accept the hand that the Holy Spirit offers you?
   
4. Holding that moment in mind, use the format below to life up a prayer of confession.  Admit that you have done wrong and ask the Holy Spirit to cleanse you of the impulse to ignore God's voice in your life.  Ask for help in listening to God's Wisdom and following God's ways.
5. When you are finished praying, listen to the Kyrie posted below.
   

Prayer

 Spirit of All Wisdom, I confess that I have ignored your call.  You have reached to me, but I have turned away.   Please forgive me for the ways I have blocked out your voice...especially by ___________________.  Help me ____________________ so that I may truly listen to you and follow your ways.  In Jesus name I pray, Amen.