Proverbs - Wisdom for LifeSample

Advice is what people may give others to help them do the right thing, but what is good advice for one person might be bad advice for another. Let’s take a look at these well-known pieces of advice and see if they are good or bad.

• “Whatever you do, always give 100%.” This is good advice if you want to work hard, but it's bad advice if you’re donating blood.
• “Break the ice.” Good advice if you’re meeting new people. Bad advice if you’re ice skating.
• “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” - Good advice to not judge people based on appearance. Bad advice if you’re the judge of a book cover contest.

There’s all sorts of advice out there. Sometimes, it’s good advice, and sometimes, it’s bad advice. God’s Word gives us more than advice; God’s Word gives us wisdom for life. The book of Proverbs tells the tale of two women: Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly. Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly are not real people; they’re a representation of the two paths we can choose for our lives. We can choose to follow the path of wisdom or follow the path of foolishness.

Read about Lady Folly in Proverbs 9:13-18. She seems like she’d be full of bad advice, taking you on a road that leads to trouble and away from the purposes of God for your life. Lady Wisdom, on the other hand, has good advice, God’s advice. Read Proverbs 8:1-11 and see that Lady Wisdom takes us on a road that leads to life and towards the purposes of God for our lives.

We have the choice to make friends with “Lady Folly” or “Lady Wisdom” and choose the path of the wise or the foolish. When we trust God and ask Him for help, He will show us which path to take—the path of wisdom.