21 Why Wisdom is Worth Your Commitment (Proverbs 8:1-11)
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Today, we’re diving into Proverbs 8, which follows right after Chapter 7. Shocker hahaha. If you remember, Solomon spent Chapter 7 recounting a vivid story to warn his son against the dangers of the forbidden woman. Now, as we move to Chapter 8, Solomon makes a dramatic shift by introducing us once again to “Woman Wisdom” as a contrasting figure to the forbidden woman—and what a contrast it is.
In Proverbs 7 we see the forbidden woman moves covertly at dusk, with deceptive words, while Woman Wisdom stands in the open, speaking truth clearly and boldly. Where the forbidden woman leads her victims to enslavement, poverty, and death, Wisdom leads her followers to kingship, wealth, and life itself. The forbidden woman is confined to earthly realms, but Wisdom soars above, reaching beyond space and time.
So, why is this distinction important? It’s important because Solomon’s making a powerful case for committing to wisdom.
This has been a theme all throughout Solomon’s teachings to his son in Proverbs, all the way back to chapter one, when Solomon talked about the sinner’s enticement in verses 8-19. From the beginning Solomon has made it clear that there are competing voices vying for his son’s ear, and Solomon wants his son to listen and commit to the voice of wisdom.
So now that we found ourselves near the end of Solomon’s lectures and effectively the end of his class on wisdom, he makes his final appeal for wisdom by answering the question: ‘Why commit to wisdom?’
To unpack this, we’ll break down Proverbs 8 across four episodes the next four weeks. Today, we’ll start with Wisdom’s call which is unlike any other, then next week we’ll explore her value in historical time. In the following week, we’ll look at her value at the beginning of time, and finally, we’ll conclude Proverbs 8 by discussing Solomon’s closing appeal and warning.
So, let’s dive in. Proverbs 8, ‘Why Commit to Wisdom?’ Today’s focus: Wisdom’s unique call to us. Here’s Proverbs 8, verses 1-11:
‘Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice? 2 On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; 3 beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud: 4 “To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man. 5 O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense. 6 Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right, 7 for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 8 All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them. 9 They are all straight to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge. 10 Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold, 11 for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.’
Now, if you didn’t already sense it from these verses, there’s a rich interweaving of themes here—a culmination of everything we’ve encountered so far in Proverbs. Solomon is drawing on threads from Proverbs 1, 2, and 3 to create a beautiful, penultimate chapter, reinforcing the core teachings of wisdom.
This reminds me of an experience I had recently. I stumbled upon some old notes from a course I took last year, and one entry caught my eye. It was from the final class, where the professor gave a lecture titled, “If you remember nothing else about operations, remember these things.” He seemed to know we’d likely forget much of the material, so he wanted to leave us with the essentials.
Solomon is doing something similar here. He’s revisiting and interweaving his earlier lessons to make this final appeal about wisdom’s value unforgettable. If we remember nothing else from Proverbs, Solomon wants us to remember these key principles of wisdom in his closing chapters.
The first insight we gain from Wisdom’s call is its certainty.
Wisdom’s call is certain.
Verse 1,
‘Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice?’
This is like asking if the Pope is Catholic or if God is a Tar Heel fan. The sky is Tar Heel blue for a reason y’all! These questions are rhetorical. We know that because of the Hebrew question indicator attached to the word “not,” which implies that there’s no other answer but “yes.”
Wisdom’s call is certain. Our Lord cares too much to remain silent. As Charles Bridges says, wisdom is “the proclamation of the Gospel ‘to every creature.’ Wherever the word reaches, the offer is made.”
And not only is this call certain—it’s also public.
Wisdom’s call is public.
Let’s keep going, verses 2 and 3:
“On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; 3 beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud.”
Wisdom isn’t hiding. Her voice is as loud and far-reaching as possible, resounding in the most public places. Solomon emphasizes this by describing Wisdom “at the crossroads,” “beside the gates in front of the town,” and “at the entrance of the portals.”
I like this imagery because it places Wisdom where people must pass, at points everyone encounters—particularly, at crossroads. Think about what a crossroads represents: it’s a place where roads meet, and travelers are forced to choose a direction. Metaphorically, it’s a decision point, a moment when a choice must be made that leads down one path or another.
So, wisdom is calling out from a place where we face decisions. There’s no being indifferent to her call. You’re either choosing to heed Wisdom’s call or choosing to ignore it. If you remember back to Proverbs 1, this is very similar to her “turn or burn” style of communication in that chapter.
With Wisdom, there’s no “your truth is your truth” or “I’m glad that works for you but not for me.” No, wisdom represents the way, the truth, the life. Her call is certain to everyone, and our response is equally certain—there’s no putting it off. Delaying is essentially saying no, choosing to ignore her at the gates and to follow your own path at the crossroads.
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Now, not only is wisdom’s call certain and public—it’s also personal.
Wisdom’s call is personal.
Listen to verses 4 and 5:
“To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man. 5 O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense.”
Here, wisdom addresses all of humanity, calling out to “the children of man”—that’s each one of us. This call is personal; it’s directed to you and me, individually and collectively.
I love what one commentator says about wisdom’s call: “The loudness and perseverance of the voice is that of an earnest friend who warns of danger. For would she have cried so loud or continued for so long if she had not loved your soul, if she had not known the wrath that was hanging over you, the hell that was before you?”
Wisdom sees the eternal consequences of rejecting her call and urgently reaches out to spare us from harm. She knows the stark contrast between the death that awaits those who reject her and the life that awaits those who embrace her guidance.
And here’s a crucial question: Can we trust wisdom’s call? Is this a voice we can follow with confidence?
Absolutely! Wisdom is reliable.
Wisdom’s call is trustworthy.
Verses 6-9 show us the trustworthy nature of wisdom’s words.
As one commentator notes, “Wisdom deserves an audience because her words are flawless.”
Let’s read, picking up in verse 6:
“Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right, 7 for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 8 All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them. 9 They are all straight to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge.”
Wisdom utters what is noble, what is right, what is true; she speaks of nothing twisted or crooked, only what is righteous. Everything that comes forth from wisdom aligns with and does not contradict the Word of God. Her speech is flawless! And her words are straight and right to those who understand. Her speech is clear and direct. Wisdom calls it like it is, spelling it out in bold, unmistakable terms. She is not mysterious, and neither is her worth.
In fact, her value is no secret; it’s displayed in terms of the most precious things we can imagine. Wisdom is no hidden gem or diamond in the rough—she’s worth more than silver, gold, or jewels, as we read in verses 10 and 11:
“Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold, 11 for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.”
These words echo what we saw earlier in Chapter 3, reinforcing just how priceless wisdom truly is. Wisdom is of more worth than 'silver', which in Israel's early history was the most precious metal thanks to scarcity. Wisdom is also of more worth than 'choice gold' thoroughly refined, purged of dross, and polished to high luster.
Wisdom is the pearl of great price. She is better than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. That is what Proverbs teaches.
Wisdom is of infinitely more value than any material good.
Moreover, let’s remember that wisdom is not merely an abstract concept; it finds its ultimate expression in Jesus Christ. As Colossians 2:3 affirms, “in Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
Jesus Himself teaches us the importance of our choices in Matthew 6:24, where He states, “No one can serve two masters…” Wisdom will not tolerate competition or rivalry, just as Jesus demands our undivided loyalty. We shall have no gods before him (Exodus 20:3). We are called to choose His instruction over silver and His knowledge over the fleeting gains of this world.
Additionally, we must remember that “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of the Lord remains forever” (1 Peter 1:24-25). Everything on this earth will one day wither, but the eternal truth of Christ and His Word will endure.
This is the profound value of wisdom—it is eternal, transformative, and worth our deepest commitment. In a world filled with distractions and competing desires, choosing wisdom, which culminates in Christ, leads us to a life of true fulfillment.
Christ’s call to us is certain, it’s public, it’s personal, reliable, flawless, and it’s of greater value than anything this world could offer.
Next week we will build on this, looking at her value in historical time.
I love you all. God bless.
