Proverbs chapter 1

vs 23

Wisdom calls for the simple and the fool to repent! That's quite amazing - the move from being unwise to becoming wise requires an acknowledgement of your lack of wisdom and a decision to follow the path of wisdom and not of foolishness. This just further solidifies the idea that wisdom is an absolute - although this is problematic. If wisdom is absolute, then we must conclude that there is a 'wisest action' that could take place for any given situation, and that therefore there is a 'right' way to do things. I don't think it's quite so simplistic though. I think while wisdom comes to us as an absolute, it also comes to us in principles, and I think those principles are what is expounded here in books like Proverbs - albeit in the form of specific sayings sometimes. That means that there are principles that are wise and should therefore be followed, but the exact nature of the following could be different. So wisdom creats a closed matrix of possible outcomes, to use gaming talk.

vs 24

That sounds a little threatening. But that's the thing about fools and simple people - they by definition don't listen to wisdom.

vs 25

Wisdom speaks using very God-like language here. And God is wisdom, so the words spoken by Wisdom (a girl!) are God's words.

vs 26

And I think it is fair to say that God will laugh and mock. Perhaps this is why we find foolishness so funny. Some people might say, "Yes, but God's allowed to laugh at people, we should mourn with them" or something. Whatever. Sometimes people are going to do something stupid, and it's going to be funny. I don't think we're talking about people burning in hell here anyway. We're talking about decisions that come out bad, but that are followed by more decisions. It's not like God gives people one shot at becoming a Christian and then after that they're doomed. And no doubt God is sad when people actually come to the end of their rope and find they've hung themselves with it. But I bet he laughs when someone hits someone else with a cream pie. The difference being, of course, that God's goal isn''t self-satisfaction, it is glory.

vs 27

These are the consequences of being unwise. Calamity, disaster, distress and trouble.

vs 28

This is the thing about wisdom - that it takes a little of it to get more, in a way. Wisdom isn't something that you can turn to in the middle of trouble and say "Get me out of here!" It's something that, once you are out of trouble, says, "Well, I won't do that again." You can't crack open a flask of emergency wisdom and get yourself out of a dilemma. Although that's a cool idea for a magic item.

vs 29

Knowledge and fear of the Lord - two things without which wisdom will not be found. I think sometimes we dichotomise wisdom and knowledge (thanks D&D), but of course you can't make wise decisions about things you don't know. Fear of the Lord encompasses knowledge (you can't fear God without knowing he's there) but also has an active element, a decisive part.

vs 30

No doubt something bad is going to happen with a setup like this.

vs 31

So unwise people will do unwise things and reap unwise consequences. I think we take cause and effect far too much for granted in the role of human activity. We know full well (from Ecclesiastes, as well as life) that the complexity of human living goes far beyond simple cause anf effect. Bad person does bad thing... nothing bad happens to them. Well, Wisdom (God) here says that she will ensure that unwise people who do unwise things, they will suffer the fruits of their schemes. Which, if we actually see it in this world, is a direct response from God. Interesting idea.

vs 32

Snap. Hard to believe, but read some of the workplace health & safety examples they give of the deaths on workplaces. Apparently 97% of deaths on a workplace can be easily avoided. Simple stupidities can lead to death and destruction.

vs 33

This is both a general promise from following wisdom (as in you will generally be on average safer and more relaxed if you are wiser), but also a specific promise from God, who can create cause and effect to work for those who love him, as well as against those who decide to turn their backs on him. Following wisdom might not always mean comfort and plenty (although when you keep reading Proverbs, you get the idea that it's at least a lot more likely). But God will ensure that destruction and death will be kept from you, at the very least eternally.