Two houses

In today’s devotionals one passage that I read was Proverbs 9.  It talks about the house of wisdom and the house of folly.  Seems that there are those in this world that constantly seek knowledge.  Which can be a good thing, but where do you seek it and why?  The wisdom talked about in this passage talks of the wisdom of God.  Getting to know God and building a relationship with Him.  We are to have the wisdom of His Word etched upon our hearts.

        It goes on to talk about using this wisdom as well.  Sharing the Word of God with others.  In doing so it tells us in Proverbs 9:7 and part of 8, 

7 Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults;
whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.

8 Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you;…

          

              There are so many times when we really believe in something that we just want to tell everyone with a passion so that they too will see what it is that we believe in.  Problem is that there are those that have open minds and those that do not.  If you start arguing with someone that has a closed mind you are just spinning your wheels and getting nowhere with that person.  God will open their mind when the time is right then they will come to you.  Then the rest of verse 8 – 9

           

         8…rebuke the wise and they will love you.

9 Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still;
teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.

           

               Those that are open minded will listen to what you have to say.  I really think we should apply this to our own lives as well.  How many times have you been closed-minded just because you believe your way is the right way?  Now when it comes to scripture that is the baseline by which you follow and if someone comes to us and tells us something and it matches up to scripture in the full context of scripture we should be open to listen, but if it does not then we should gently guide them provided they are open minded.  This is why it is important for us to be in the Word daily and place it upon our hearts.

          I said there were two houses, one is wisdom, and the other is folly or foolishness.  This house also calls out to the simple minded, but this is a house of death for this is not the wisdom of God.  This again is the house of foolishness where one goes to enjoy the pleasures of their sinful natures and knows nothing of God or even refuses to know anything of God because they are happy where they are.  This is the house that the mockers and the wicked ones come from.

          So we need to be careful which house we choose.  Do we strive to gain wisdom for our own glory so everyone will look at you and say “they are really intelligent” or do we gain it for the glory of God and so that we may instruct others in the ways of our Lord and Savior?  I hope the latter, because we either choose to be of this world or of God, there is no middle ground here.  When Christ comes back will you be ready, will you have shown Him that He was the most important thing in your life or were there other things that took His place?  How will you want to give this testimony at that time?