NO EXCUSE FOR IGNORANCE

Proverbs 1:22-23 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the
scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? (23) Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

Webster dictionary: SIMPLE:. Weak in intellect; not wise or sagacious; silly; Ex: The simple believeth every word; but the prudent looketh well to his going. Prov 14.

In the beginning of this proverb, a father instructs his son that if he abides by his wide advice, he will have subtility; he will be wise and not prey to evil men.

To benefit from this advice, the son needs to not only be yielded to the fatherly instructions, but he needs to study it. He needs to learn to apply it with wisdom and maturity. This takes time; it takes time to pray, learn, weigh the future fruits of our actions and even seek advice from appropriate people.

The old adage, “Ignorance of the law is no excuse”, is true. In this statement, ‘Wisdom’ does not excuse our lack of knowledge. Wisdom knows that knowledge is available. Wisdom knows that knowledge of right and wrong is published far and wide; that one only has to accept it in his heart and it will be there. In this segment Wisdom accuses us; yes it accuses us of spiritual lethargy, laziness, apathy and indifference. It accuses us of not desiring the wisdom that has been afforded us. It accuses us of not even caring about it. It accuses us of loving our state of spiritual slumber where we are easily drawn from doctrine to doctrine, not even realizing that eventually, we fall into disobedience leading us to heresy and blasphemy. Is there an excuse available for us when so much is published to help us stay on the right path? I doubt it.

In this segment also Wisdom’ pleads with us. It pleads with us to forsake our state of slumber. It pleads with us to turn at God’s reproofs in our lives. He promised that if we just turn to Him, just turn around and give him even if only a look, as he sees us afar us, he will us to welcome us again into his loving arms. Will you?