Skeleton key: Wisdom calls out
Imagine this scene with me:
After taking up the challenge to find the Book of Life, you’re on a plane for Tel Aviv. Ever since leaving the old man in the bookstore, you’ve been mulling over the “skeleton key” he gave you:
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Shortly after takeoff, you settle into your seat and drift off to sleep. In your dream, you find yourself in a small ancient city. As you watch the townsfolk ago about their business, you notice a beautiful woman moving amongst the crowds. Somehow, you know her name is Wisdom. Her face conveys a warm confidence; her voice is clear and strong. At various points in the city – the busy streets, the shopping district, the city’s main entrance – she stops to call out:
“How long, inexperienced ones, will you love ignorance?
How long will you mockers enjoy mocking and you fools hate knowledge?
If you respond to my warning, then I will pour out my spirit on you and teach you my words.”
But no one replied. Hardly anyone even acknowledged that she was speaking. After each stop, Wisdom’s countenance darkened, but grew more sad than angry. After making her final plea at the city’s main entrance and having no one respond, she gave one last pronouncement:
“Since I called out and you refused, extended my hand and no one paid attention,
since you neglected all my counsel and did not accept my correction,
I, in turn, will laugh at your calamity.
I will mock when terror strikes you,
when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when trouble and stress overcome you.”
And then she turned to leave. As she started to disappear among the crowd, you decide to give chase. After almost losing her down a busy street, you finally catch up to her. Out of breath, the only words you can get out are “Don’t go”.
She looked at you with a disappointed frustration in her eyes and replied:
“They will call me, but I won’t answer; they will search for me, but won’t find me.
Because they hated knowledge, didn’t choose the fear of the Lord,
were not interested in my counsel, and rejected all my correction,
they will eat the fruit of their way and be glutted with their own schemes.
For the apostasy of the inexperienced will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
But whoever listens to me will live securely
and be undisturbed by the dread of danger.
Dread began to creep into your mind as you realized how much trouble the town was in because danger was coming…and they were willfully ignoring her warnings to prepare. Wisdom stepped back into the flow of people, and then you lost sight of her. You were left standing there, trying to process her warning, but a running child bumps into you – and a sudden jolt of turbulence shakes both you and the rest of the plane awake.
As you shake the cobwebs from your brain, Wisdom’s words are still running through your mind: Calamity was coming because they hated knowledge, didn’t choose the fear of the Lord.
-----------------------------------
How often does that happen for us modern believers? We don’t prepare, grow, or invest during times of plenty – and when a real crisis hits, we’re not ready?
You can’t train for a 100 mile race by going out for a jog the night before. It’s too late to prepare for the earthquake when The Big One hits. You can’t mend fences after the other person has died.
Wisdom’s words listed above are from Proverbs 1:22-33. Solomon’s warning to his son is clear: Dangers in life and hard situations will come, and you need to be prepared for them. In order to be ready then, Solomon’s son needs to use the skeleton key now:
Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Wisdom and discipline are the guides on the path God has set in order for us to skillfully navigate this world. However, both wisdom and discipline are intentional choices – they won’t happen by accident or through wishful thinking.
If we’re going to respond to Wisdom’s warning, if we want to live securely and be undisturbed by the dread of danger – knowing that the lady Wisdom isn’t going to just walk up to us in the grocery store – how are we to intentionally find what she teaches?
James’ letter to other believers gives us the answer:
James 1:5
Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God – who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly – and it will be given to him.
We need to ask the source, because He promises to give it to you – and God always fulfills His promises. Asking God for wisdom is a practical use of the skeleton key, because when you ask, you are going to Him out of respect and honor that characterizes the fear of the Lord. But once you ask…be ready to be taught.
Keep Pressing,
Ken