Wisdom and Folly

The Book of Proverbs speaks to us about two houses and two women. The first is the woman of ‘folly’. This woman is boisterous and lacking heart. She does not ponder the way of life, and she is the harlot. The other woman is ‘wisdom’ and she is in the house of the wise, where the ‘paths meet’. Prov 8:2. Both women are calling to the youth or ‘the naïve’. The youth is seen to be making his way along the road of life and coming to the place where ‘the paths meet’. Both women are calling him, and he will become either the wise man or the fool, displaying wisdom or folly. Elsewhere in the book of Proverbs, we read, ‘Fools display folly’ Prov 13:16.

There are a series of characteristics that typify the youth who is naïve. While being naïve he is not yet considered a fool, however naivety inevitably produces foolishness. The fool is described as slothful, negligent, lazy, and lacking sense. He pursues vain things because his eyes are in the ends of the earth, and he is constantly given to change. The fool is said to ‘rejoice in folly’, and can easily become a cynical scoffer. In complete contrast to this, the youth who is making his path straight is described as being diligent, disciplined, prudent, obedient. He is one who seeks after knowledge and is willing to overlook the transgression of another.

The application of discipline by a father and mother and a commensurate response from a son, determine the kind of person the youth becomes. The youth is encouraged to receive instruction, reproof and rebuke, for the removal of ‘foolishness….bound up in his heart’. Prov 22:15. The youth must proceed down the pathway of wisdom or he will inevitably end up at the door of the harlot’s house.

What is the primary difference between the foolish and wise youth? A man of understanding will ‘acquire wise counsel’. Prov 1:5. Sons and daughters must seek out wisdom and instruction from their fathers and mothers. There is no shortage of wisdom for one living in the house of God, because ‘wisdom shouts in the streets’. Prov 1:20. Wisdom does cry in the streets and calls to the youth to ‘turn to my reproof…I will pour out my Spirit upon you…I will make my words known to you’. Prov 1:23. However, there is equally no shortage of folly for one living in the world. Fools display folly because they despise wisdom and instruction. The response to wisdom by the fool is revealed as scoffing and mocking.

As parents, we need to know whether we have a house of wisdom or folly. The nature of our house will be calling to our children. It will be teaching them to be wise or devoid of understanding. From the youngest years, our children can be trained to be wise. They can be trained to be obedient and seek wise counsel. This will teach them to make wise decisions when they are confronted with difficult choices ‘where the paths meet’.

Helen Smith

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Feature Articles
May 2008

Marvellous Faith

The Living Song

Present Truth

The Faith of Abraham

Wisdom and Folly

The Valley of Baca

The Nature of Business

Willing Obedience

Light to the Nations