CONTRAST AND SIMILARITIES OF THE WISE AND THE FOOLISH WOMAN
I have been studying the book of Proverbs for over a month or two. In doing so, I became fascinated by the similarities portrayed by the wise and foolish woman. I have begun to realize that each woman have similar characteristics. Yet, different outcomes occur for the people who follow their instructions. Although both women make promises as they speak the author of Proverbs always tells a cautionary tale of the gains of listening to the wise woman and the consequences of listening to the foolish woman. In this article, I will attempt to show the similarities and contrasts between the wise and foolish woman.
THE CALL
The similarities I found about these two women they are both in the same place. They live in the city and cry out to people who walk by. Psalm 119:9 (Amplified version) states: How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping watch [on himself] according to Your Word[conforming his life to Your precepts]. Similarly, the book of Proverbs also teaches the person to continually bind the words of God around our hearts and minds because the commandments of God are a lamp and a light (Proverbs 6:21,23).
The wise woman invites the inexperienced to gain understanding of godly principles. She calls to the naïve to gain more wisdom by gaining spiritual insight. A person of faith must first get to know God and regard His Word as the absolute truth above all things. The wise woman gives the invite to gain knowledge about who God is and give Him reverence due to this insight. The twenty-eighth chapter of Job emphasizes that God knows the way to wisdom because He is the only true source of wisdom because it can only be found in Him alone (Job 28:23). Adopting this mindset through the renewal of one’s mind through God’s Word will assist a person in gaining a better understanding about the importance of establishing a life based on godly principles. The true search for Godly wisdom takes time and patience on the part of the believer. It’s a journey of knowledge and not a sprint or race toward an existing end goal.
However, the foolish woman, is restless, naïve, easily misled and thoughtless. She knows nothing of eternal value or godly principles. She entices inexperienced people and talks to them about “secret” pleasures with the sole purpose to feed their fleshly desires. The foolish woman characterizes secret pleasures as pleasant. Her only concern is seeking and finding them in the present moment. To the ones, who participate in pleasures, they are enjoyable. Due to these pleasures, the foolish woman is characterized as exciting. The excitement of these pleasures blinds the naïve to the consequences of adopting her ways of thinking. The path of following the foolish woman may seem right, due to the excitement and pleasure it brings. However, the roadblock is always ends in pain, destruction or death (Proverbs 14:12).
THE CHOICE
Paul advises in Ephesians 6 to put on the armor of God. Similarly to the wise woman in Proverbs, Paul emphasizes to be empowered and draw strength from being united with the Lord (Ephesians 6:10) and due to this unification a person can stand against the schemes of the Satan. The wise woman makes a declaration to anyone who seeks wisdom to leave behind foolishness living and walk in the way of understanding (Proverbs 9:6). The wise woman lives a life of self-discipline and encourages others to actively do the same. The foolish woman consistently disobeys the principles in life that were ordained by God, Himself. Thus, she encourages others to do act out in ways that feed their own feelings and emotions. Psalm 1 speaks of the blessing of a person who meditates on God’s Word daily. Renewing of the mind and seeking out the secret revelations found in God’s Word takes time and effort on the part of the believer. Yet by making the choice to do so, requires a surrendering of one’s will to follow assistance of the Holy Spirit to seek His Infinite Wisdom. It is here we hide in the secret place of our Heavenly Father and there we find freedom and pleasures.