Mar 21 | Discovery

Study Questions for Groups

By Michael C. Mack

1. What action steps did you take last week to grow in an area of discipleship?

            • How did you help someone else mature in an area of discipleship?

2. What challenge did you face last week?

Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to read Proverbs 8:1-11; 9:1-6, 13-18 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions.

Ask the third person to summarize the main points of the passages.

3. What are the most conspicuous similarities and differences between Lady Wisdom and Madam Folly?

4. Let’s dig deeper into these passages:

           • Where does Lady Wisdom make her appeal, and what does that signify?

           • To whom does Lady Wisdom call, and what does that imply about wisdom?

           • How does Lady Wisdom characterize the content of her message, and what does that teach us about wisdom?

           • Dig deeper into the comparisons and contrasts between Wisdom and Folly’s invitations. What does each one do and what does each one say?

           • What do Wisdom and Folly offer to the ones they invite?

5. What do you learn about God from these passages?

6. What do you learn about people?

7. These passages call us to make a choice between two extremes. God invites us to listen (8:6), choose (8:10), come (9:4-5), leave our simple ways (9:6), and walk in the way of insight (9:6). Which of these four actions do you most need to take right now, and what will you do to accept God’s invitation?

8. With whom will you share this teaching about the choice between Wisdom and Folly?

9. Based on our study and discussion, complete this sentence: “This week, I will . . .”

10. What challenges will you face this week as you seek to make wise choices?

For Next Week: Read and reflect on Proverbs 2:12-22; 3:13-18; 13:20-25. You can also read next week’s supplemental texts as well as the Study and Application sections as part of your personal study.