They Know Not of What They Speak

(Proverbs 9:17 KJV)  Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.

Every time I read this chapter I am struck by the fact that both the foolish woman and Wisdom start off saying the same thing.  Both invite the naive to sit and partake of what they have to offer.  One offering leads to life and the other to death.  I am wondering if they are even offering the same words of advice.  Here the foolish woman admits that she has stolen her offerings from someone else.

We see a lot of this in our world.  The secular world tries to piggyback on Biblical principles.  They talk about compassion and justice.  They speak of love and the importance of family.  They know a lot of the lines but they don’t understand the implications.  It reflects back to the middle of the chapter, an idea that is expressed several ways in Proverbs,

(Proverbs 9:10 KJV)  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Without the fear of the Lord there is no way to apply any kind of wisdom.  One reason I always buy tapioca ready made is that I would have no idea what to do with the raw root it comes from.  The world is like that with wisdom.

So?  Be careful what you believe in the world.  They may know all the right words and phrases.  They do not know the context or application because they do not fear the Lord.