“Whoever is naive, let him turn in here.” (Proverbs 9:13-18, NASB)

I have heard many people say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” It means we should not judge people based on their outer appearance. While this is generally true, we cannot ignore that the opposite holds as well. We can judge a book by its cover, that is, by its fruits. In Proverbs chapter 9, Solomon introduces two women who invite people to enter their homes. One woman is called wisdom, and the other is folly. Depending on which woman’s word you listen to, you will either experience life or death, peace or turmoil, and happiness or despair. In today’s reading, he introduces us to one of those women. See if you can guess which one she is based on her “cover.” He writes,

“The woman of __________ is boisterous, she is naive, and knows nothing. And she sits at the doorway of her house, on a seat by the high places of the city, calling to those who pass by, who are making their paths straight: ‘Whoever is naive, let him turn in here,’ and to him who lacks understanding she says, ‘Stolen water is sweet; and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.’ But he does not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.”

If you guessed the woman as folly, then you are correct. Solomon says that she sits at various locations and invites people to come to her. It is interesting to note that both wisdom and folly use the same invitation: “Whoever is naïve, let him turn in here (Prov.9:4 and Prov.9:16).

Since the invitations are similar, how can we tell them apart and choose between them? We must judge them by their fruits. We must determine whether they will give us life or death based on the road that they’re on. Jesus said, “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit; but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits” (Mt.7:15-20). Actions are the fruit of the soul. We know what people are like based on the fruit they produce. This is how Jesus judged the scribes and Pharisees of his day. Although they walked around with religious robes and appeared saintly, they were nothing more than a beautiful-looking tomb. He said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness” (Mt.23:27). How do we know a book is worthwhile before reading it? We can determine what kind of book it is by reading its cover, summary, table of contents, or even its introduction. We do not buy a book because it has a nice hardbound cover with nice pictures on it.

I don’t think it’s an accident that Solomon introduced contrasting women in the same chapter who sent the same invitations. It means we cannot tell what kind of wisdom they are offering unless we look at the fruits of their words and actions. The woman of folly is “boisterous,” “naïve,” and “knows nothing,” and she offers “stolen water” and “bread eaten in secret.” By knowing what she is like on the outside, we can know that she is the pathway to “death” and “Sheol” on the inside. On the other hand, the woman of wisdom’s house is built with “seven pillars,” that is, strong truths or principles that are timeless and enduring. She offers her “food” and “wine” on an open table rather than in secret or stolen.

Because the invitation targets the naïve, it suggests that a person’s decisions are influenced by their inner character or qualities. Even though we may be simple and uneducated, if we fear God, we will choose to accept wisdom’s invitation. On the flip side, even though we may be smart, educated, and intelligent, if we do not fear God, we will choose to accept folly’s invitation. The invitations of these women do not reveal what we will be, but what we are already. It reveals that one has a fear of the Lord and the other does not. For this reason, Solomon repeatedly tells us, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Prov.9:10). Just as the outward fruits on these women reveal who they are, how we accept their invitation will also reveal who we are on the inside.

• Why do these women, wisdom and folly, invite the “naïve” to come?
• In what way can we properly judge a person, based on their “cover” (their words, actions, and choices)?