We must understand that wisdom is readily available, and we have only to listen. Wisdom already took initiative with us and came to us, not in a set of ideas, but in a person. Our duty is not to get everything just right and be perfect, but rather to set our hope in the one who got everything just right and was perfect for us. 

For the simple are killed by their turning away,
And the complacency of fools destroys them;
But whoever listens to me will dwell secure
And will be at ease, without dread of disaster.
(Proverbs 1:32-33)

The road forks before you. Either you’ll turn at Wisdom’s reproof (Prov 1:23) or you’ll turn away from it (Prov 1:32). The simple lean into that second turn. In other words, to do nothing is to make the wrong turn. Just do nothing, and you’ll ruin everything. Keep doing what you’re doing, and you may get exactly what you want. But you’ll be like a partially delirious farm hand who politely declines their water break. If you’re complacent about your walk with Christ, you will severely harm yourself (Prov 1:32).

But if you listen to wisdom’s rebuke, consider what awaits you. Whoever listens to wisdom (Prov 1:33) will “dwell secure,” “be at ease”, and be “without dread of disaster.” It doesn’t mean that you get whatever you want, but that you always get what you most need.

One woman struggled with her husband’s failure to lead. He would delay decisions and hold his own opinions too highly. When she registered concern, he would ignore her perspective and stop listening to her. This young wife would resort to nagging and manipulation to get her way.

This woman was advised from Scripture to stop doing what she was doing and consider an alternate path. She could support her husband’s decisions even when she disagreed, as long as they didn’t involve sinning. She could pray that God would change her husband, and then she could trust that God was at work despite how she felt. She could get help from church leaders when he belittled or mistreated her.

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