Two Voices Calling: How to Discern Between Wisdom and Folly

This devotional contrasts Wisdom and Folly, calling believers to embrace God’s Word, pursue sanctification, and build a life rooted in truth.

“Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of insight.”
Proverbs 9:4-6

If your social media feed has been anything like mine lately, it’s filled with resolutions, themes and words for the new year. Sometimes I feel like an anomaly in this because for me, personally, the first day of January isn’t all that drastically different from the last day in December. Even though fireworks blaze through the sky and a giant ball drops when the clock strikes twelve, nothing magical actually happens at midnight on New Year’s Eve. But, there is something to be said for the feeling of a fresh start that a brand new year offers.

While many Christians will forego a resolution and choose a Bible verse instead, I’m always hesitant to ever claim a line or two for myself since I’m not actually the center of the story. It is an error on our part to assume that we can pick out a verse or a section of scripture and that it will always apply directly to our specific situations or circumstances. But, one book of the Bible where we actually can do this is the book of Proverbs. The authorship of this book is attributed to Solomon and it’s written to impart knowledge of not only God’s character and attributes but also to provide wisdom and insights that we can apply to our everyday lives.

Despite my resistance to resolutions, if I HAD to pick something that represents my hope for the new year it would be what we read in Proverbs 9. In this passage we meet Wisdom and Folly, both personified as women.

Wisdom and Folly

Each of them has set up their household and are calling out in the streets, inviting passerbys to come inside. Folly is described as an unruly woman who cries out, “Let all who are simple come to my house! To those who have no sense she says, “Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious! But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.” (vs 16-18)

Now, in this context it’s important to understand that when we read the word simple it means being simple-minded. It’s not meant to be a good thing. And we can see that the simple-minded are vulnerable here. Folly wants them to come on in and revel in stolen goods and secretiveness. Folly will live up to her name by offering foolishness and temporary pleasures that ultimately lead to death and destruction.

Wisdom’s Invitation

Wisdom, on the other hand, offers an alternative. “Let all who are simple come to my house!” To those who have no sense she says, “Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed. Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of insight.” (vs 4-6) Those entering the house of Wisdom will receive food and wine that wasn’t stolen and they will mature and gain insight, leaving behind their simple ways.

There are a lot of things that are bestowed upon us as we age whether we like it or not. Wrinkles, failing eyesight and pulling a muscle by simply sneezing are all indications that we are advancing in years. But, unlike those things, wisdom is not something that is automatically granted to us. It must be sought after, cultivated and it requires a great deal of humility to recognize that we don’t always have the best or even the right answer. Wisdom isn’t usually as shiny as folly though. Folly tends to show up with a bit more sparkle and pizzazz which makes it particularly appealing to those who don’t have a solid foundation, to the ‘simple’. When both Wisdom and Folly are calling out to us, how do we discern between the two? The only way to know what is false is to know what is true which means that we need to be women who are steeped in God’s Word.

Wisdom is life and folly is death.

To discern between wisdom and folly we must first leave our ‘simple’ ways behind. In our current era of bite-sized nuggets of information being proffered to us in a steady stream, the temptation to remain on the surface of our faith can be overwhelming. Pastor Jonny Ardavanis says that it’s like the difference between “skiing and scuba diving”.

My prayer for 2025 is that we would be women who are not satisfied to just stay on skis. I want my life and my home to be like Wisdom’s house which means I must be able to recognize and resist Folly even if it’s packaged as Christian-y. If I’m not in a constant state of sanctification then I can’t mature and if I can’t mature then I’m more susceptible to deception. Folly can only lead us in a downward trajectory. What Wisdom offers will lead us to flee the ways of this world and enjoy communion with Christ in this life and for all eternity.

In His Word

“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:17

What role does sanctification play in your daily life and how can you be more intentional about it?

In Your Life

In what ways do you feel you are vulnerable to the temptations of ‘Folly’? How can you fortify your faith in order to resist those temptations?

We Recommend

Join me as we take a journey through the seasons of the year in my book ‘Life in Season’ with faith-filled stories, encouraging devotions, beautiful photographs, DIY projects, and recipes. ​Everything you need to slow down, embrace the beauty and the struggle, and celebrate the moments that fill your heart and home. You can find it here.

Let’s Connect

You can find Vanessa on her website At The Picket Fence where she passionately shares how to have peace in your heart and peace in your home. Join her also on Facebook and Instagram.