Multiplied Days – Proverbs 9

My mom always told us to learn proper table etiquette, because, who knew, we might be invited to the White House one day and boy would we be embarrassed if we didn’t know how to act.  I don’t think any of us kids really believed we were going to be invited to the White House, but we took the instruction.  We have, however, been invited to sup with Wisdom.

Wisdom has built her house;

she has hewn her seven pillars.

She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine;

she has also set her table.

She has sent out her young women to call

from the highest places in the town,

“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”

To him who lacks sense she says,

“Come, eat of my bread

and drink of the wine I have mixed.

Leave your simple ways, and live,

and walk in the way of insight.”

Lady Wisdom makes an invitation to all who are simple and lacking sense.  The first wise decision a person could make is to come to her and enjoy her table.  According to grapestompers.com, There are several reasons why a winemaker might want to blend wines:

• To enhance aroma
• To improve the color
• To add or minimize flavors and tastes
• To adjust the pH of a wine
• To lower or raise acidity
• To raise or lower alcohol levels
• To adjust the sweetness of a wine
• To correct a wine with too much oak flavor
• To raise or lower levels of tannin

Wisdom knows how to mix wines for the best results to provide the best experience for the learner.  Grapestompers.com says “never blend a bad wine with a good wine in an attempt to make ‘acceptable’ wine.”  Wisdom will never mix the bad with the good.  Her direction will always lead to a “walk in the way of insight.”

Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,

and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.

Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;

reprove a wise man, and he will love you.

Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;

teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,

and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

For by me your days will be multiplied,

and years will be added to your life.

If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;

if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

Lady Wisdom offers correction and fools hate to be corrected.  Don’t expect to come to her table and leave the same way you came in.  But if you let her correct you the result will be multiplied days.  Or you can listen to the other, brash voice.

The woman Folly is loud;

she is seductive and knows nothing.

She sits at the door of her house;

she takes a seat on the highest places of the town,

calling to those who pass by,

who are going straight on their way,

“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”

And to him who lacks sense she says,

“Stolen water is sweet,

and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”

But he does not know that the dead are there,

that her guests are in the depths of Sheol. (Proverbs 9, ESV)

Nuff said!