Proverbs is a book that encourages listening.

Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance. (Proverbs 1:5, emphasis added)

Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching. (Proverbs 1:8, emphasis added)

The author encourages more than just listening, he encourages listening to the right voice. Too many “church people” listen to the wrong voices. The author’s approach in Proverbs is to call young men to listen to the right voice by talking about what they are interested in. Young men are interested in young women. He takes that interest and personifies women as either wise (the moral woman [1:20, 32 – 2:2]) or unwise (the immoral woman [5:1-8]). He is not saying that women are this; he is simply using women as a figure of speech to get his point across.

It would be nice if the only one speaking were the sensible woman of wisdom; if that were the only voice we heard life would be much easier to live; unfortunately the sensual woman of immorality is speaking, seeking to gain our ear. And the problem with the immoral woman is that she tastes really delicious and sounds really good (5:3). The author of Proverbs devotes all of chapter 5 to the description of the dangers of following this sensual woman.

Following leads to destination, and following begins by listening. We will end up in the wrong place because we’ve followed the wrong voice. To whom are we listening?

Grace & Peace,