Proverbs 9, Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
“Don’t rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you;
rebuke the wise, and he will love you.”
Wisdom versus Foolishness
1 Wisdom has built her house;
she has carved out her seven pillars.
2 She has prepared her meat; she has mixed her wine;
she has also set her table.
3 She has sent out her female servants;
she calls out from the highest points of the city:
4 “Whoever is inexperienced, enter here!”
To the one who lacks sense, she says,
5 “Come, eat my bread,
and drink the wine I have mixed.
6 Leave inexperience behind, and you will live;
pursue the way of understanding.
7 The one who corrects a mocker
will bring abuse on himself;
the one who rebukes the wicked will get hurt.
8 Don’t rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you;
rebuke the wise, and he will love you.
9 Instruct the wise, and he will be wiser still;
teach the righteous, and he will learn more.
10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 For by me your days will be many,
and years will be added to your life.
12 If you are wise, you are wise for your own benefit;
if you mock, you alone will bear the consequences.”
13 Folly is a rowdy woman;
she is gullible and knows nothing.
14 She sits by the doorway of her house,
on a seat at the highest point of the city,
15 calling to those who pass by,
who go straight ahead on their paths:
16 “Whoever is inexperienced, enter here!”
To the one who lacks sense, she says,
17 “Stolen water is sweet,
and bread eaten secretly is tasty!”
18 But he doesn’t know that the departed spirits are there,
that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.
Read verse 10 again. What does fear mean to you? Terror, fright, dread? If you type in “fear” at Thesaurus.com, a variety of synonyms come up including the ones just mentioned. However, the very last similar word is “respect,” which is what fear means in this verse.
In the context of this verse, the Fear of the Lord is a reverent respect, and not a terrorizing, paralyzing fear. Jesus revealed God to us as a Father, and even more intimate than that, Jesus told us to call God “Daddy” or “Da-da.” Before Jesus taught us this, people would never call God anything so familiar. Can you believe that? What a shift in perspective to call the Ultimate Creator of the Universe Daddy! So, if our dad is so powerful, and he loves us and cares for us so much, then how should we see ourselves and our life right now? Well, look at it this way. What if your earthly dad was a king or one of the most powerful men on earth? As for me, I would definitely have a shift in perspective. Honestly, I would have less fear and more confidence. I would feel more confident to take risks, because if I fell, I knew it wouldn’t be the end of me and it wouldn’t be a struggle too great to overcome because I would know I have help. And where does our help come from? It comes from the Lord.
The amazing reality is that our God is greater than a king. He created the kings and rulers, and Jesus himself has authority over all. So my fellow, dear child of God, let us walk in confidence daily knowing that our Father loves us more than we can imagine. I know that this may be easy to forget when something or someone trips us up and emotions run high. Hang in there! Every experience will be used for good. Keep the faith.
In Christ,
Diana
Grace Yoga 