An Invitation From 2 Women

[James M. Smith]

AN INVITATION FROM TWO WOMEN
PROVERBS 9
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES FROM OTHER CHAPTERS IN PROVERBS.
BOTH INVITATIONS COME AT THE SAME TIME. (PROVERBS 9) BOTH WOMEN INVITE THE SIMPLE MINDED. ONE WOMAN PERSONALLY INVITES YOU TO HER HOUSE. (PROVERBS 7: 10) HER DRESS IS SO REVEALING AND APPEALING AS SHE WALKS UP AND GRABS YOU AND GIVES YOU A PASSIONATE KISS. SHE CLEARLY REVEALS HER DESIRE TO ENGAGE IN “FELLOWSHIP” WITH YOU WHICH MAKES YOU THINK THAT YOU ARE SPECIAL RATHER THAN FOOLISH. AFTER THE KISS, SHE TELLS YOU TO COME INTO HER HOUSE AND RECEIVE SO MUCH MORE THAN A KISS. SHE TELLS YOU THAT SHE HAS COME LOOKING JUST FOR YOU. AND THE WAY SHE LOOKS AND WHAT SHE SAYS HAS YOU BELIEVING IN YOUR HEART THAT SHE DESIRES YOU JUST LIKE YOU ARE. IN SMOOTH SEDUCTIVE WORDS, SHE OFFERS TO DEEPLY LOVE YOU “ALL NIGHT LONG”.

NOW YOUR ARE ALREADY IN COVENANT RELATIONSHIP THAT YOU MADE IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND SO IS SHE. BUT YOU BOTH IGNORE YOUR COVENANT VOWS THINKING THAT STOLEN WATER IS SWEETER AND FOOD EATEN IN SECRECY WILL BE DELICIOUS, NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW ABOUT IT. FRIENDS AND FAMIL MEMBERS HAVE TRIED TO TELL YOU TO DRINK WATER FROM YOUR OWN CISTERN AND RUNNING WATER FROM YOUR OWN WELL. (PROVERBS 5: 15) BUT HER LIPS DRIP WITH HONEY AND HER SPEECH IS SMOOTHER THAN OIL. YOU ARE CAPTIVATED BY HER EYES AND HER SEDUCTIVE WORDS. SO LIKE AN OX GOING TO SLAUGHTER, LIKE A DEER STEPPING INTO A NOOSE, YOU FOLLOW HER INTO HER HOUSE. HER BED IS COVERED WITH COLORED LINEN FROM EGYPT. HER SHEETS ARE PURFUMED WITH MYRRH, ALOES AND CINAMON. HER HUSBAND’S PICTURE IS ON THE NIGHTSTAND. SHE TELLS YOU HE HAS GONE ON EXTENDED BUISNESS TRIP AND WILL NOT BE RETURNING SOON. HER PERSUASIVE WAYS HAVE LED YOU ASTRAY. YOU ASKED HER WHAT HER NAME IS AND SHE REPLIES “FOLLY”. YOU WILL FIND THAT HER SWEET TASTING DELICACIES WILL TURN INTO GRAVEL IN YOUR MOUTH. HER GYRATING LAP DANCES WILL SET YOUR LAP ON FIRE. YOUR CONTINUED VISITS TO HER HOUSE WILL LEAD YOU TO RUIN, SHAME AND HEARTACHE. FOR SHE IS FOLLY, LOUD, UNDISCIPLINED, AND WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE.

THE OTHER WOMAN SENT OUT THOSE DRESSED IN THE GARMENTS OF SERVANTS WITH INVITATIONS FOR ALL, NOT JUST YOU. THE HOUSE SHE HAS BUILT IS ON A MOUNTAIN-HER INVITATIONS GOES OUT FROM THE HIGHEST POINT OF THE CITY. IT’S A PERFECT HOUSE SUPPORTED WITH SEVEN HEWN PILLARS. THE MEAL SHE HAS PREPARED AND THE WINE SHE HAS MIXED WILL BE A FEAST OF RICH FOOD FOR EVERYONE AND NOT JUST YOU. YOU MAY GO INTO HER HOUSE SIMPLE MINDED AND LACKING IN JUDGEMENT. BUT ONCE IN HER HOUSE, SHE YOU WILL LEAVE YOUR SIMPLE WAYS AND WALK IN THE WAY OF UNDERSTANDING. IF YOU ARE WISE, YOU WILL EMBRACE HER CORRECTION AND REBUKE WITH LOVE. IF YOU ARE WISE, YOU WILL RECEIVE HER INSTRUCTIONS AND BE WISER STILL. IF YOU ARE RIGHTEOUS, YOU WILL ALLOW HER TO TEACH YOU AND THAT WILL ADD TO YOUR LEARNING. FOR SHE WILL TELL YOU THAT HER NAME IS WISDOM. LISTEN AND HEED WHAT SHE SAYS FOR SHE HAS BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME. LIKE FOLLY, SHE CALLS OUT. BUT SHE CALLS OUT FOR WHOSOEVER. YET UNLIKE FOLLY, SHE DOES NOT GO OUT LOOKING FOR YOU BUT EMPLORES YOU TO SEEK FOR HER. AND IF YOU FIND HER, YOU WILL FIND LIFE AND RECEIVE FAVOR FROM THE LORD. IF YOU FIND HER YOU WILL HAVE TO WALK IN THE PATH OF REVERENTIAL FEAR OF THE LORD. IT IS THAT FEAR THAT WILL LEAD YOU TO HER FRONT DOOR, THE BEGINNING OF ALL THAT SHE IS. FOR SHE IS WISDOM AND SHE WILL ALWAYS SEEK TO PLEASE GOD.

WHICH WOMAN WILL YOU VISIT? WHICH HOUSE WILL YOU FREQUENT? IF WE TRULY WANT TO PLEASE GOD, WE WILL WELCOME WISDOM’S REBUKE AND CRITICISM. SHE IS A REAL FRIEND AND EVEN WHEN SHE WOUNDS YOU, YOU CAN STILL TRUST HER. (PROVERBS 27:6)
I BELIEVE THAT ADMONITION AND CORRECTION FROM A TRUSTED FRIEND, FAMILY MEMBER OR PASTOR ARE SOME OF THE WAYS GOD USES TO MOLD OUR CHARACTER ACCORDING TO HIS HOLY WILL. THEY ARE THE VESSELS THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT USES IN HIS CONVICTING AND CONVINCING WORK IN THE WORLD. (JOHN 16: 8) ANY CHURCH OR CHURCH MEMBER THAT RECIEVES WITH HUMILITY AND OBEDIENCE, THE REBUKE OF A LOVING PASTOR WILL BE BLESSED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. THE FEAST AT WISDOM’S HOUSE IS FREE OF CHARGE. KEEP FEASTING AT FOLLY’S HOUSE AND SOON YOU WILL GO FROM HAVING SWEET AND SPECIAL FAVOR WITH HER TO BEING NO MORE THAN A “LOAF OF BREAD” TO HER. (PROVERBS 6: 26)

AS A PASTOR THAT THROUGH THE YEARS, HAS STRUGGLED WITH MY OWN SIMPLE MINDED WAYS, I END ON A PERSONAL NOTE. THE PROPHET NATHAN DECALRED IN 2 SAMUEL 12: 9, THAT DAVID WAS GUILTY OF DESPISING THE WORD OF GOD AND GOD HIMSELF BY COMMTITTING ADULTERY, MURDER AND DECIET. THE WORD DESPISE (BAZAH IN HEBREW) MEANS TO TREAT CONTEMPTUOUSLY, TO SCORN, TO MAKE OF LITTLE ACCOUNT. SO BY HIS ACTIONS, DAVID WAS DECLARING GOD TO BE OF LITTLE ACCOUNT, UNWORTHY OF LOVE AND DEVOTION. IN THE CHURCH TODAY, THERE ARE MINISTERS WHO COMMIT ADULTERY AND LIKE DAVID, WE REFLECT OUR ESTIMATE OF GOD AND HIS HOLY WORD. WE TREAT THE GOSPEL AND THE BLOOD OF CHRIST AS IF THEY ARE PETTY AND UNWORTHY OF FIDELITY. DAVIDS PUNISHMENT WAS THE RESULT OF DIRECT ACTIONS FROM GOD. HIS SIN WAS FORGIVEN BY GOD AND BOTH THE DEATH PENALTY AND ETERNAL PUNISHMENT WERE LAID ASIDE. ALL BECAUSE DAVID REPENTED AND SOUGHT FORGIVENESS. YET HIS REPUTATION WAS FOREVER BLEMISHED AND THE EFFECTS OF HIS SIN CONTINUED THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE AND FAMILY HISTORY.

SO FROM THE PULPIT TO THE PEW, LET US TURN IN THE DIRECTION OF WISDOM’S VOICE. JESUS INVITES ALL WHO ARE THIRSTY TO COME TO HIM AND DRINK. AND WHEN IN FAITH, YOU DRINK THERE WILL BE A STREAM OF LIVING WATER THAT WELLS UP INSIDE OF YOU. AND IF YOU HAVE NO MONEY, THAT’S ALRIGHT, COME ON AND DRINK. IF YOU CAN’T PAY THE PRICE, THAT’S ALRIGHT, WE CAN’T PAY THE PRICE EVEN IF WE TRIED. BUT I’M SO GLAD THAT JESUS PAID THE FULL PRICE FOR ME ON CALVARY. AND I NOW IN HUMILITY, THIS MIDDLE AGE PREACHER HAS SOUGHT THE LORD WHILE I COULD FIND HIM. AND I’VE FOUND HIM FOR MYSELF. AND I’VE HEARD THE VOICE OF JESUS SAY, BEHOLD I FREELY GIVE, THE LIVING WATER, THY THIRSTY ONE, STOOP DOWN AND DRINK AND LIVE. LORD, I HUMBLY BOW IN YOUR PRESENCE, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING DOWN WHEN I GOT TOO HIGH. I DON’T WANT TO BE HIGH AND EXALTED ANY MORE. I ONLY WANT YOU TO BE HIGH AND LIFTED UP. THANK YOU LORD FOR THE NATHANS IN MY LIFE. I KNOW THAT THEY ARE MY REAL FRIENDS. THEIR REBUKE AND CORRECTIONS HAVE CAUSED ME PAIN. BUT I REALIZE THAT WHO YOU LOVE YOU CHASTIZE. THANK YOU LORD FOR LOVING ME TOO MUCH TO LET ME STAY LIKE I WAS. THANK LORD FOR SHOWING ME HOW TO WALK IN FAVOR WITH YOU AND MY FELLOW MAN.

THANK YOU LORD FOR GIVING ME ANOTHER CHANCE TO TREAT MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS AT THE CHURCH HOUSE LIKE THEY SHOULD BE TREATED. AND LORD AS LONG AS I LIVE, HELP ME TO GROW STRONGER IN THEE. KEEP THE FIRE BURNING IN ME. OH LORD GUIDE MY FOOTSTEPS AND KEEP MY FEET FROM GOING WRONG. PUT YOUR BIT IN HEART AND BRIDLE MY TOUNGE. TAKE ME BY MY HAND AND LEAD ME ON. AMEN!

[Minister Cynthia D Steele]

I really enjoyed that story. It was very well put and very visual. Thank you so much for sharing your gift.

[Pastor David Anthony Clarke]

Great stuff, Man of God. I enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing. I pray that we all make more trips to wisdom's house than folly's.