The Wisdom of Proverbs 29:1 & 3: Insights for Reflection and Growth

“Stubborn people who repeatedly refuse to accept correction will suddenly be broken and never recover.”

— Proverbs 29:1

The children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were known throughout Scripture as a stiff-necked, stubborn people. In Deuteronomy 10:16, God spoke of this stubbornness as a heart

issue. He told Israel to “circumcise your hearts”—in other words, remove the sin that has hardened you. Repent.

How are our hearts exposed? Hebrews 3:15 gives us a clue: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” God’s correction can feel like the cutting of a surgeon’s knife—gentle and precise when we yield, but painful and even crushing when we resist. A stubborn heart is a defiant heart. It partners with pride and resists the Holy Spirit.

But God, in His kindness and love, waits patiently for us to surrender—our will, our pride, and our excuses—so that His Spirit can do the purifying work. His Word is like fire. In this season, He is inviting us into His holy flame. His fire consumes everything built of wood, hay, and stubble, but it purifies what is built with gold, silver, and precious stones. His fire is preparing our hearts to know Him more intimately and follow Him more closely.

Verse 3 tells us: “The man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father. But if he hangs around with prostitutes, his wealth is wasted.” At first glance, we may say, That doesn’t apply to me—I don’t buy prostitutes. But if we let the Holy Spirit open the eyes of our heart, we may see that we often spend the wealth of our time, attention, and energy chasing spiritual “prostitutes”—substitutes for true intimacy with God. We run after quick fixes, false peace, and counterfeit wisdom instead of sitting at His feet. Isn’t that also a form of trading our wealth for disgrace?

This is a holy season on God’s calendar when the portals of repentance are wide open. Just as Esther prepared herself with oil and fragrance before entering the presence of the King, we as the Bride are called to prepare our hearts. For us, that preparation looks like surrender—surrendering our will, our pride, our time, and our distractions to dwell in His presence. It is a season of freedom: freedom from striving, and freedom to simply be His beloved.

But not everyone will choose this invitation. Some will remain stubborn, unwilling to receive correction. Others will keep clinging to their self-made altars of approval or to false gods and substitutes that can never satisfy.

So I ask you—what about you? Will you be a wise son or daughter? Will you be like the wise virgins, trimming your wick, keeping your oil ready, choosing true intimacy with the Bridegroom? Will you step into His refining fire willingly, instead of waiting to be thrown into the furnace?

Prayer:

Father, in this season of preparation, I pray we will be wise virgins and wise sons. Help us walk into Your holy flame and not wait until we are forced into the furnace. Circumcise our hearts fresh and new. Open the eyes of our hearts to see You as never before. We all need this—greater intimacy with You—whether young or old, rich or poor, no matter our role or responsibility. We confess we have all sinned and fallen short, but in Yeshua we all have access to You and to the grace of surrender. In Jesus’ name, Amen.