Proverbs 9 Two Ladies – Two Calls

As I read Proverbs 9 yesterday I noticed that Lady Wisdom and Madame Whore both call out to those who pass by with the same words. Scripture is from The Message unless otherwise noted.

Lady Wisdom: Are you confused about life, don’t know what’s going on? Come with me, oh come, have dinner with me! v4

Madame Whore:  Are you confused about life, don’t know what’s going on? Steal off with me and I will show you a good time! v16-17

So they both call out and offer a plan. Here is what Wisdom says in verse 6: Leave your simple ways and live, and walk in the ways of insight. (ESV) The Whore in verse 17 says: Stolen waters (pleasures) are sweet [because they are forbidden]; and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. (The Amplified Bible)

The result of who we follow couldn’t be more different. It is through me, Lady Wisdom, that your life deepens, and the years of your life ripen. Madame Whore: They don’t know about all the skeletons in her closet, that all her guests end up in hell.

Sometimes the voice that calls sounds like God but isn’t. The words sound similar but are not quite right. I think of the temptation of Jesus in the desert. The devil quoted Scripture but it was actually misquoted. If Jesus hadn’t known the truth, the words may have sounded credible. Jesus wisely responded by quoting Scripture properly that refuted the devil’s deceptions. We need to be equipped so we can do the same and recognize when Madame Whore is calling out. The solution is to read the Bible regularly; nothing else will do.

Philip