Protective Application
By Anthony Casperson
6-13-26

Whether it’s because of the recent debates—that I’m not going to into—about the upcoming Odyssey film by Christopher Nolan, or if the classic Homer tale just struck me as having similarities, I’m not sure. Either way, there’s an aspect of applied wisdom that meshes well with the week’s passage in our summer series through Proverbs 1-9.

Throughout the story of Odysseus’s journey back home after the Trojan War, the protagonist is continually shown to utilize intelligence, wisdom, and a little bit of cunning to thwart the antagonism of the Greco-Roman pantheon. Event after event attempts to halt, divert, and prevent Odysseus’s main goal: get home.

The event that captures our passage’s general idea the best is the episode with the sirens. The protagonist had been warned by Circe—whose attempt to halt the Odysseus’s progress in a previous event had been overcome by using his applied understanding as well—that an island of tempting sirens lay ahead for him.

Unlike our modern perceptions of sirens, the temptation wasn’t sexual, but rather a promise of untold wisdom and knowledge. A perfect trap for one such as the story’s main character. However, the trap that the sirens used was causing those who heard their song to refuse to leave their presence, proven by the piles of dead men’s bones that littered their territory.

With the advanced warning, Odysseus took the knowledge to heart and devised a plan to prevent his crew from suffering the same fate. He had the crew stuff their ears with wax, so they couldn’t hear. And then had the crew tie him to the mast, so that he could hear the sirens’ words but be unable to leave his station. The crew was told to prevent his escape at all costs.

Odysseus could gain insight while being totally protected by the wisdom he already had.

The sirens proved their honeyed words as the man heard their cries. Their promises of foreknowledge, if only he should stay with them. And words of praise for one of such noble warfare as he.

But ultimately, it was his applied use of wisdom that protected him from their tempting call.

Oftentimes, when we consider wisdom, it’s thought of in the context of the theoretical. The images in our heads are of a wise person speaking in weird riddles that might make sense to someone, but not us. The mystical insights are too far for “normal” people to grasp.

However, biblically speaking, wisdom is applied knowledge. The practical, day-to-day use of understanding. And with our series’ main point from Proverbs 1:7, it’s the practical aspect of using Yahweh’s principles and ways guide our lives. When we live in line with the truth God created, that applied knowledge protects us from the sirens’ calls that the world around us sings. Those calls that ultimately seek our destruction.

This aspect of wisdom’s protection to keep us from becoming decorative bones in enemy territory takes the stage in our passage for this blog—Proverbs 2. Especially when we use it for sound judgement that leads to practical success.

Proverbs 2:1-5 reminds us to treasure the words of wisdom. We’re to actively grab onto the offered words of truth, and store them like the greatest of treasures. That storing doesn’t mean to lock it away somewhere that no one can get to it, but rather to hold it close to our hearts, ready to use it when needed.

And its use in practical circumstances is the whole point. Verse 2’s “wisdom” and “understanding” are both words with applied skill or practice in mind. They’re the furthest thing from the theoretical. The expectation is that our lives are changed for the better when we reach for them.

God’s commands, his words and wisdom, should be of such importance to us that we purposefully turn our ears and hearts toward it. We should seek for God’s insight as if it’s the most valuable thing in the world—because it kinda is.

Then, when we do seek God’s wisdom with our whole heart, we will realize and understand the fear of Yahweh in the fullest extent.

Moving into verses 6-8, we see that the Lord is willing to provide more and more wisdom to those who fear him. And this insight is protective. God uses it as a shield for those who take it to heart and use it in their daily lives.

And when we do so, he stores up his “sound wisdom” for the righteous. The word used there speaks, once again, about discernment of what will lead to practical success.

It’s like Odysseus’s wax earplugs for his crew. Understanding the situation we’re getting into, and using every mental faculty available to us, will lead to a pragmatic approach that works. And keeps us safe.

Only, for those of us who follow Jesus, this protection goes beyond our own abilities to keep ourselves safe. God himself will keep watch over our righteous path.

But it is important to note that this protection is offered to those who are his “saints.” Literally, the word is connected to God’s own covenant faithfulness. Those of us who fear Yahweh are those who remain as faithful to his covenant as he does. It’s literally God’s faithful love that acts as our shield.

Verses 9-15 begin the juxtaposition between those who live their lives in the applied practice of wisdom and those who don’t. The protected and the fools who run away from God’s righteous path.

Solomon continues with the side of wisdom for verses 9-11. The wise will understand what God views as right, just, and levelly ordered for his creation. The wagon trails of godliness will be clear to them. And the knowledge that comes from God will taste sweet, even while cunning purpose stands as their guard.

It will deliver such people from the evil of those who refuse it. And here, in verses 12-15, is where the other side of this juxtaposition arrives. Solomon describes this other side as those who twist the straight and righteous paths of God. Those who turn aside from the prepared wagon trails, to venture on their own path. They rejoice in the acts that go against God’s ways. And delight in the circuitous route that leads to nowhere, except death.

Those without the wisdom of God are kept from their true route. Like Odysseus would’ve been, if he hadn’t shown prudence, such individuals are distracted from the task they set out to do.

And worse yet, they come across temptations to approach supposed wisdom, only too late to escape the death of the tempter’s home.

Verses 16-19 speak of how wisdom will protect us from the smooth, honeyed words of the one who promises us something “better” than our covenant with God. Solomon uses the image of a temptress or seductress because he’s talking to his son about not breaking the covenant with God. And since similar covenants existed in their world while dealing with marriages, the idea fits.

This is why idolatry and adultery are often viewed similarly. Both are breaking of a covenant that should be maintained into eternity. And for what purpose? Momentary pleasures that will lead to little more than destruction of a relationship? It’s not worth it.

And even more, that well-trodden path to that seductive siren is littered with the bones of those who proved their lack of wisdom. Lives that are consumed, rather than protected.

So, as Solomon reaches verses 20-22, he encapsulates this chapter by speaking forth his own call to heed wisdom. Walk in the way of good. Keep to that righteous track prepared to lead us to life. Because there is a protective reward for those who follow wisdom. But those who fail to understand that will only discover treachery and death. Unfulfilled promises that leave them as bones upon the rocks.

Wisdom is so much more than mystical sayings and half-understood musings. It is practical to our daily lives. And will protect us from all sorts of harm, if we let the words of warning wash over us and put them into practice.

Up until now, the words of Solomon’s Summer School have reiterated the importance of heeding wise counsel. But we’re going to soon get into the words of wisdom that many won’t like and would prefer to not follow. Their own paths seeming to be far more desirable.

As we continue on in the following weeks, just remember the warning. Sirens are coming. And if we aren’t prepared to plug our ears to those tempting calls away from God’s wisdom, our fate is to be bones decorating Folly’s home.

Heed the words. They’ll protect better than wax in our ears.