"Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord.
But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death."
Proverbs 8:33-36
The speaker here is the personification of wisdom, so whenever it says "me" we can substitute the word "wisdom" instead.
Wisdom is interesting, because it isn't always a highly valued attribute. We tend to value intelligence or strength more, and those are good attributes, to be sure. D&C 130:18 and D&C 93:36 talk about intelligence, and Psalms 18:1 and Psalms 46:1 talk about the importance of making God our strength. Good things both, as well as other attributes of our lives. Wisdom though is something we often overlook, because it is less showy perhaps, a little slower to gain, and it requires patience and faith.
What I thought was interesting here is the line about wronging our own souls. As with all sin, making foolish choices and failing to heed wisdom (and God who is the source of it), though it might seem awesome at the time, is eventually going to land directly on our own heads. It's a funny thing the way we think about it... thinking that we can hide our poor choices or find happiness in them when, if we actually stop and think about it, letting wisdom peer through the cracks, we know it can't last, and that we're destroying ourselves.
God can save us from our own foolishness, but first we have to stop believing in it, and turn to him, wanting to change, and learn some wisdom. Today it is my prayer that we can find the strength to do that. :) Let's work on it.
Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord.
But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death."
Proverbs 8:33-36
The speaker here is the personification of wisdom, so whenever it says "me" we can substitute the word "wisdom" instead.
Wisdom is interesting, because it isn't always a highly valued attribute. We tend to value intelligence or strength more, and those are good attributes, to be sure. D&C 130:18 and D&C 93:36 talk about intelligence, and Psalms 18:1 and Psalms 46:1 talk about the importance of making God our strength. Good things both, as well as other attributes of our lives. Wisdom though is something we often overlook, because it is less showy perhaps, a little slower to gain, and it requires patience and faith.
What I thought was interesting here is the line about wronging our own souls. As with all sin, making foolish choices and failing to heed wisdom (and God who is the source of it), though it might seem awesome at the time, is eventually going to land directly on our own heads. It's a funny thing the way we think about it... thinking that we can hide our poor choices or find happiness in them when, if we actually stop and think about it, letting wisdom peer through the cracks, we know it can't last, and that we're destroying ourselves.
God can save us from our own foolishness, but first we have to stop believing in it, and turn to him, wanting to change, and learn some wisdom. Today it is my prayer that we can find the strength to do that. :) Let's work on it.
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