Friends of the Bible, imagine being invited by a dignitary to a grand and impressive banquet. Many people would want to be involved in the banquet, but only a few people are invited by the host/hostess. This is how Proverbs describes wisdom as a hostess who invites people to her feast. The best meat is served, as is the premium wine. Who is the invitation for? To the inexperienced come, and to the unwise, cried the servant-woman of wisdom. She continued her invitation. Joining the celebration, eating bread and drinking wine, signalled a willingness to leave ignorance behind. In the wisdom's invitation, there is a process to wisdom. Becoming righteous means gaining knowledge of what is good/right and bad/wrong. Wisdom leads us to the fear of the Lord which leads to wisdom.

This invitation from wisdom seems to face a "counterpoint". Foolishness personified as the foolish woman also holds her own celebration. She lacked knowledge and experience. With a completely artificial exclamation and in a very conspicuous place, foolishness called out and invited people. The invitation had the same formula as the wisdom, except that the party was something completely unprepared. It is full of lies, cunning, but on the one hand it is a display of pleasure and momentary indulgence. The problem is that within the attractive packaging is a path to death. Ignorance that leads to destruction.

Proverbs 9 is interesting because this contradiction is not closed with a definitive conclusion offered in the narrative. It is as if we as readers are invited to choose whose invitation we will welcome, wisdom or foolishness. The way of wisdom will lead to life and peace. While the path of foolishness will lead us to the abyss of destruction. The boundary between wise and foolish actions is conformity to His word and will. Something may appear to be a "smart" decision according to the world, but it is contrary to His will. For example, in an environment that normalises corruption, participating in a corrupt system may be "smart", but according to the way of wisdom it is foolishness. Now which will Bible friends choose? The invitation of Wisdom or the invitation of foolishness. Remember that sometimes foolishness can indeed be more dangerous than evil itself.