June 15, 2025

If You Have Ears to Hear, Then Hear

Pastor Rok Lee

Proverbs 8:1-4

1 Does not wisdom call and understanding raise her voice? 2 On the heights, beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; 3 beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries out: 4 “To you, O people, I call, and my cry is to all who live.

Have you ever followed your GPS and suddenly thought, “This doesn’t feel like the right way,” and then decided to take a different route? Most of us probably don’t even use GPS when coming to church from home because we’re so familiar with the way.

A few months ago, I was heading to church for an evening meeting. Since I know the way very well, I didn’t turn on the GPS. There are a few ways to get to church, but I usually take the Beltline. That day, though, as soon as I got on the Beltline, traffic stopped completely. Time was running out, and cars weren’t moving at all. When I finally got close enough, I saw that there had been an accident. Because of that, I arrived late to the meeting.

Wisdom works in a similar way. It is like a spiritual GPS that God gives us to guide our lives. But the problem is that many of us don’t listen to it—or we don’t trust it. Today’s passage, Proverbs 8, shows us how wisdom calls out to us. And as we listen to that voice, we realize it’s not just any voice—it is the voice of the Holy Spirit. In fact, it is the voice of Jesus Christ Himself.

Wisdom is the voice of the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit is calling us even now. Proverbs 8:1 says, “Does not wisdom call, and does not understanding raise her voice?” In this verse, wisdom is not just an idea or knowledge. It is described like a person—calling out, raising her voice, shouting to people.

In the original Hebrew, the word “calls” is used for official announcements—like when a king makes a proclamation or a prophet declares the word of God. So this means that wisdom is calling to us seriously and urgently.

This voice of wisdom is the voice of the Holy Spirit. In the Gospel of John, Jesus says the Holy Spirit will teach us everything and lead us into all truth (John 14:26, 16:13). The Apostle Paul even calls the Holy Spirit “the Spirit of wisdom and revelation” (Ephesians 1:17). That means the Holy Spirit is the one who shines light of God’s Word and guides our steps.

We often say, “I want to make a wise decision.” But true wisdom is not about logic or experience. It’s about being led by God—by the Holy Spirit.

A church member once struggled with whether to change jobs. The new job had better pay and conditions, but the person wasn’t sure if it was God’s will. They prayed and asked God. One day, while reading the Bible, a verse stood out: “Be faithful where you are.” That word touched their heart, and they decided to stay. Later, they received an even greater opportunity at the same job.

From a human view, it might have looked wise to change jobs. But biblical wisdom is not about appearances—it’s about listening to God’s voice and trusting the Holy Spirit’s leading.

And we can only hear that voice if we’re paying attention. Because, wisdom calls publicly to all people, in everyday places. Verses 2–3 say: “On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries out.”

What do these places mean in ancient times? The high places were visible—like public bulletin boards. The crossroads were where many people passed, places full of different ideas and cultures. The city gates were where legal decisions, trade, and important conversations happened. Wisdom stands right there—in public spaces, in the middle of daily life, calling to everyone.

In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit didn’t come in a secret room. He came in the middle of Jerusalem, where people from many nations gathered. Everyone heard the gospel in their own language. The Holy Spirit still speaks in the middle of our lives—not just in church, but at school, at work, in the café, at home.

One day, after worship, a student told me they wanted to hear God’s voice but couldn’t. They said, “Pastor, you always say we should obey God’s voice. But I can’t hear it. So how can I obey?” I told the student that God’s voice isn’t like thunder from heaven. Often, God speaks through people around us.

Later, while working, this student made a big mistake that caused trouble for a customer. But instead of getting angry, the customer smiled and said, “It’s okay.” In that moment, the student felt something in their heart. “Maybe this is what God’s forgiveness feels like.”

God often speaks in our daily life. But sometimes, we miss it. Where do you hear God’s voice in your day-to-day life? If you haven’t been hearing God, I encourage you to pray, “Lord, give me ears to hear Your voice in my everyday life.”

We must hear the Voice. Because the Word of Wisdom is Jesus Christ Himself. Verse 4 says, “To you, O people, I call, and my cry is to all who live.” As I said before, wisdom is not just “information.” It is a person. And the Bible tells us that person is Jesus Christ.

John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word… and the Word was God.” The Greek word for “Word” is Logos, which means the wisdom and creative power of God. Then John 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh and lived among us.” That Word—Logos—is Jesus.

Jesus is not just a good teacher. Jesus is God’s wisdom in human form. Colossians 2:3 says, “In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” So when we read the Bible, when we pray, when we face decisions, we must always ask: “What would Jesus do?” Jesus must be the guide for every part of our life.

Dear church, God’s wisdom is calling out to us today. Jesus is standing at the crossroads, at the gate, at the center of our lives, calling out to us.

Now we must choose how we will respond. Let us say “Yes” to the voice today. The Holy Spirit is speaking—not just on Sundays, but every day, in every place, in every moment of your life. And the Wisdom is not just giving us knowledge—she is leading us to Jesus.

The truly wise person is the one who hears and follows His voice. Today, let us be like Samuel in the Bible and say, “Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.” This week, even just 5 minutes a day, go to a quiet place, and pray that simple prayer. May you hear the voice of Wisdom and walk in its path.