READING FOR JULY 25, 2025: PROVERBS 9, 2 TIMOTHY 2, PSALM 72:12-20 PROVERBS 9 Here we see two women calling out to those in the city. One is the personification of wisdom and the other the personification of foolishness. Wisdom calls from a solid position of seven carved pillars. She offers those who heed her call a great feast. All are invited, even the simplest and most naive. All that’s needed is a willingness to abandon foolishness and pursue the way of knowledge and life.
Before we hear from Ms. Foolish, there are several verses about the process of conveying wisdom. The text says that those who try to correct a scoffer only get dishonor in return. Once more one is reminded of Jesus’s teaching: “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces” (Matt. 7:6). It is the wise person, however, who receives an honest rebuke and thus becomes wiser still. Is that how we respond to constructive criticism? Not always pleasant. Once again, Solomon reminds us of the foundation for all wisdom: the fear of the Lord. The Bible’s wisdom is of no avail unless we accept that these are corrective truths from an all-wise and loving God for our own good. Once again, we learn that such wisdom generally increases and enhances our lives. Those who scoff at such wisdom (including from the Bible) now will suffer later.
We then learn that Lady Foolish is loud. (Isn’t that the truth!) Living in our culture, we cannot possibly avoid her voice. She promises a sweet and pleasant experience. There is some truth to this: “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the temporary pleasures of sin” (Heb. 11:24-25). It is best to be honest about these temporary pleasures or else we losecredibility. Then we can be equally honest about the rest of the story: “But he does not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol” (vs 18).
2 TIMOTHY 2 Paul tells Timothy to be strong in the Lord. Much of this chapter seems to operationally define what that means. First, he is encouraged to teach other faithful people what Paul has taught him. Have we been the recipient of helpful teaching from the Bible during our lives? If so, good. Good so that we can be strong in sharing these lessons with others. Have we ever experienced times when people thought we were wasting our time for believing in God. If so, good. Good because in a small way we can be strong with giants like Paul as a good soldier for Jesus. Have we had to say no to other activities in order to say yes to God or have we been working a long time for God and have yet to see much result. If so, good.
READING FOR JULY 25, 2025 CONTINUED: 2 TIMOTHY 2, PSALM 72:12-20 Good because by our strength in choosing God we are pleasing the One who gave His life for us and who bestows eternal rewards for our persevering commitment to His Kingdom.
What does Paul want Timothy, who leads the church of Ephesus, to keep remembering? Jesus has risen from the dead--the heart of the Gospel. If Timothy, a third-generation Christian and spiritual leader of this major city, needed this reminder, we all must keep this at the forefront. Paul was willing to endure everything so others might place their faith in this Jesus because he was certain that this faith was the difference between death and eternal life. Do we care that much about our family and friends? It’s a sobering question for all—this writer included.
Paul says we should avoid disputes about words and empty chatter. Regarding words, it’s easy to get into endless debates about what a passage might mean in rare cases when it’s unclear. Mark Twain had a good point: “It ain't those parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.” Let’s just obey the Bible rather than force it to mean the opposite of what it says. Regarding empty chatter, consider how much of our conversation could be classified as small talk compared with truth. Paul says there are folks who are just wrong about major beliefs. We should point them out and avoid them. As we too often read today, leaders like Timothy can be brought down by youthful lust. We must flee this, not even get close. Bible teachers need to be skillful, kind, and gentle in correcting others.
PSALM 72:12-20 If we continue the interpretation of this morphing into a messianic prophecy, we see that Jesus did indeed come to save the poor and oppressed: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to bring good news to the poor...to set free those who are oppressed” (Luke 4:8). Notice, Jesus thought what the poor need most is the Gospel. The idea of “praying for” Jesus is foreign to us. Charles Spurgeon has a helpful take on this: We must still pray for him, not personally, but relatively; for his cause, for his kingdom, for his gospel, for his people, for his blood-bought ones who as yet are in the ruins of the fall, for his second coming, and glorious reign. In this sense, I take it, the text is meant that ‘prayer also shall be made for him continually.’” The rest of this Psalm, which ends Book Two, is praise more appropriately directed toward the Lord than a human king.
