Wisdom Can Be Seen - Proverbs 8 & 9

Wisdom Can Be Seen

Proverbs 8:2
On the heights beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;

Proverbs 9:3
She has sent out her young women to call
from the highest places in the town,

Why do corporate executives get the top floors?  Why is the house on the hill, typically, worth more than one in the valley?  Why we lift people up on put them on our shoulders after they have accomplished a great battle, or moment?   In fact, why do we put people “up” on a pedestal?  Why is it putting them “down?”  In the above verses we read that wisdom is on the “heights” and in the “highest places.”  Solomon is concluding the first nine chapters of his book on wisdom.   He wants us to know that this wisdom of his is highly available.   He wants them to know that he is not hiding this wisdom. It is not under a bushel.  It is at the heights for us to see, observe and know.    Wisdom does not hide.    The writer of this song in the Psalms states something similar:

Psalms 19:1-3
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.

But, wisdom is not the only thing that can be seen at the heights.   Notice what Solomon also states about folly:

Proverbs 9:13-14
The woman Folly is loud;
she is seductive and knows nothing.
She sits at the door of her house;
she takes a seat on the highest places of the town,

Both wisdom and folly are at the heights. Both call out.  Both make noise.  But, only one satisfies.   That is the choice of man.  He can see both.  He won’t be able to say, later in life, “I did not see wisdom.”    It is signing and shining at the highest places.