If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit. If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer. – Proverbs 9:12 NLT
Proverbs chapter 9 has us contrasting two, very different ladies. Both call out from the heights overlooking the city, and both urge the simple, “Come in with me.”
But one lady in verses 1-9 is Wisdom and the other in verses 13-18 is Folly. One leads to benefit, while the other one leads to suffering. And in the chasm of verses 10-12 between these two “ladies” are verses about correction, and how the presence (or lack) of fear of the LORD will influence a man’s reaction to correction.
Take away fear of the LORD and a man will think himself wise even as He is a mocker dining with the dead. A mocker has no interest in learning more, because for him in his mind it is finished and there is nothing more left to be done in him at all – he is quite satisfied where he is and he has no need for correction, examination, or learning. He is a fool caught in a trap that he doesn’t even have eyes to see.
A fool thinks himself wise, but this says the LORD God Almighty:
“So don’t bother correcting mockers; they will only hate you. But correct the wise, and they will love you. Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn even more.” – Proverbs 9:8-9 NLT
Receive correction. Don’t just hear it, receive it. Learn. Or if you won’t, you will forget that both are crying out to the simple.
Harold J. Ballinger 