Proverbs 1:17-33: a reflection

17For the net is spread in vain in the sight of any bird; 18but these lay in wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives. 19So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain. It takes away the life of its owners. 20Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public squares. 21She calls at the head of noisy places. At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words: 22“How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and fools hate knowledge? 23Turn at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you. 24Because I have called, and you have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention; 25but you have ignored all my counsel, and wanted none of my reproof; 26I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you, 27when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come on you. 28Then they will call on me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me, 29because they hated knowledge, and didn’t choose the fear of the LORD. 30They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof. 31Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own schemes. 32For the backsliding of the simple will kill them. The careless ease of fools will destroy them. 33But whoever listens to me will dwell securely, and will be at ease, without fear of harm.”

In this passage, wisdom is pictured as a woman crying aloud in the street, in the public squares, at the city gates, calling out to all who will hear. She offers her reproof and her counsel to the simple and the scoffers, urging them to turn. But there is a warning: those who persistently refuse her call, who ignore her counsel and reject her reproof, will one day face calamity, and then they will call on her, but she will not answer; they will seek her, but not find her. The call of wisdom is not offered forever.

Notice both the earnest call and the solemn warning. Wisdom calls out freely, urgently, to all who will hear, offering her counsel and pleading with the foolish to turn. But her call is not to be presumed upon endlessly; there comes a time when those who have long refused her find that the opportunity has passed. The invitation is urgent because it is not permanent; the time to respond to wisdom's call is now, while it is offered.

That urgency applies to God's own call to us. God calls, invites, corrects, and pleads with us to turn to him and heed his ways; and it is tempting to presume that there will always be time, to put off responding, to ignore his call and correction for now. But the call is not to be presumed upon forever. Respond to God's call and correction now, while it is offered, rather than assuming there will always be another chance. Do not be among those who refuse wisdom's call until the opportunity has passed. And take heart in the promise with which the passage ends: whoever listens to wisdom will dwell securely, at ease, without fear of harm. Heed the call now, and find that security.

Lord, in this passage wisdom cries aloud in the streets, calling all who will hear to turn and heed her counsel, yet warns that those who persistently refuse her call will one day seek her and not find her. Let that urgency reach me. You call, invite, correct, and plead with me to turn to you and heed your ways; and it is tempting to presume that there will always be time, to put off responding, to ignore your call and correction for now. But your call is not to be presumed upon forever. Help me respond to your call and correction now, while it is offered, rather than assuming there will always be another chance. Keep me from being among those who refuse wisdom's call until the opportunity has passed. And thank you for the promise that whoever listens to wisdom will dwell securely, at ease, without fear of harm. Help me heed your call now, and find that security in you. Give me a heart that answers when you call.