Proverbs 8:17
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I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
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Lady Wisdom promises love to those who will love her, and she promises to be easily found by those who will seek her early. If you love wisdom, she will love you in return and bless your life. If you seek wisdom, you will find her easily, as she is not far from any man (1:20-23; 8:1-5). What is your problem? Love wisdom and seek her now!
As in much of chapters 8 and 9, Solomon personifies wisdom as a lady offering affection and friendship to men. Contrasting Lady Wisdom with the strange woman, Solomon creates a powerful image of the two women seeking the souls of men. Compare 9:4 and 9:16 to see similar invitations of companionship, but leading to very different results.
Lady Wisdom in this text makes herself available to all who will love and seek her. What is wisdom? The power of right judgment! What is its basis? The fear of the Lord! Where is wisdom most clearly defined and explained? In the word of God! If a man loves Scripture and seeks it early, he will most certainly find knowledge and understanding.
Lady Wisdom does not owe her affection or blessing to any man. Since men rejected wisdom in the Garden of Eden, they have no ability or right to wisdom, and the asinine opinions now reigning among educated men on all subjects prove their depravity. Here is an offer, a sincere offer; but it is only recognized and obeyed by regenerated saints.
Reader, what do you love? Does it always and faithfully love you back? How rewarding is its return love? And will it preserve you both in life and eternity? Mutual love with Lady Wisdom is your secret to success here and hereafter! Why would you love or seek anything else? Our brother Paul counted all things as loss and dung in comparison with divine wisdom, which is most fully expressed in the knowledge of Christ Jesus the Lord.
Wisdom demands that you love her. Wise men will separate themselves from the foolish pursuits of life to focus on acquiring wisdom (18:1). Unless you have a great passion for wisdom, you will search for it in vain (2:1-5). David said, "O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day" (Ps 119:97). Anything less than this will not work. If you neglect and despise wisdom, then you must love death, for that is the sure consequence (8:36).
Wisdom demands that you seek her early. This means early in life, before you learn too much of man's foolishness or mess up your life with your own foolishness. Solomon wrote, "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth" (Eccl 12:1). Childhood and youth are vanity, so it is the best time to reject folly and seek wisdom (Eccl 11:10).
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