Proverbs 8:32-9:11 - Wisdom gives us a feast!

“Now therefore, listen to me, my children, For blessed are those who keep my ways.Hear instruction and be wise, And do not disdain it.Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors.For whoever finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the Lord;But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; All those who hate me love death.”Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars;She has slaughtered her meat, She has mixed her wine, She has also furnished her table.She has sent out her maidens, She cries out from the highest places of the city,“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,“Come, eat of my bread And drink of the wine I have mixed.Forsake foolishness and live, And go in the way of understanding.“He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself, And he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself.Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you;Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For by me your days will be multiplied, And years of life will be added to you.

The Wise will feast!
photo by Roger Lynn, used under the creative commons license
check out more photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rogerlynn/

If Wisdom was a person, than Wisdom would make the pleas she does as is read in today's passage from Sacred Scripture.  Wisdom wants us to forsake foolishness for foolishness leads to the death of the soul.  It is the fool who ignores Wisdom but the Wise will find her and thus obtain favor from the Lord. Wisdom prepares for us a great banquet, a meal fit for a king! This sumptuous feast will fill us and thus we will be satisfied.

Why must we forsake foolishness and eat from the table of Wisdom? For God has made us in His Image and He calls us to higher things than our animal instincts may want of us.  The fools who live only fro pleasure do not understand why we would not join them in their carousing yet the fool does not know what he is missing.  Or if he does, than he has opted for the easier path.

Lord, this day help me to feast upon Wisdom's fare. Wisdom says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." Help me to forsake any foolish ways and to seek that which is higher. Amen.