Tag: How to Avoid Folly - Proverbs 7

Proverbs 7:1-5 (ESV Strong's)

My son, keep my words

and treasure up my commandments with you;

keep my commandments and live;

keep my teaching as the apple of your eye;

bind them on your fingers;

write them on the tablet of your heart.

Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”

and call insight your intimate friend,

to keep you from the forbidden woman,

from the adulteress with her smooth words.

Tag: Protected from Folly!!!

In the above text, the “forbidden woman” is a word picture for “folly.”  Then entire book of Proverbs is written to warn us how to avoid folly and choose wisdom, instead.  

Proverbs 1:1-4 (ESV Strong's)

The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:

To know wisdom and instruction,

to understand words of insight,

to receive instruction in wise dealing,

in righteousness, justice, and equity;

to give prudence to the simple,

knowledge and discretion to the youth—

Solomon is trying to tell us, in chapter seven, how to avoid the temptation of folly.  Folly can come dressed in any gender and many different gestures.   In chapter seven she is dressed as a harlot and seduces a young man who lacks any sense. He repeatedly goes after her.   What Solomon tells us in the beginning of chapter seven is that we should seek wisdom the same way this young boy is seeking folly.  We are to embrace her (wisdom) and become close to her ... as though she were your sister (assuming you have a good relationship with a sister).   The word picture really means, we are to pursue wisdom and make her our best friend.   When we reject wisdom we will continue to make the same mistakes as the young boy in the rest of chapter seven does: He pursues the hot woman (folly) right into her trap (wicked behavior) and directly to his end (his death).   The way we avoid that is to read God’s Word (wisdom) and believe God’s Word (wisdom) and to what God’s Word says (wisdom), whether we feel like it or not.