A Tale of Two Ladies--"Tailor Made"--Proverbs 1:8-9

 

If you've ever watched the red carpet portion of an awards show, you might have heard the reporters ask the celebrities "Who are you wearing?" (If you aren't sure what I mean, watch the first 20 seconds of this video.. Who Are You Wearing? )

It's a chance for the stars to give a shout out to their designers and tailors.  According to my extremely limited research, the "look" of an A-list actress costs around 10 million dollars.  Cate Blanchett holds the record (as of 2020) for the most expensive look--$18.1 million at the Oscars in 2014. Often the designer will absorb the cost, offering the dress for free so the wearer can reflect his/her work.   

In Proverbs 1:8-9, we see Solomon tell his son that he will never wear anything more elegant than the teachings of his mother and the instruction of his father.  A garland, or wreath, was traditionally placed on the head of the winner of a race. (Solomon reigned about 200 years before the first known summer Olympics.)  We see this same idea in 1 Corinthians 9:25 "Every athlete exercises self-control in all things.  They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable."  Paul is echoing the sentiments of Solomon.  A chain around the neck was given as a reward, as we see in Genesis 41:42--"Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck." And again in Daniel 5:29--"Then Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom." 

The crown on our head is our knowledge.  I think I quote this in every single Bible study--"The heart cannot love what the mind does not know." (Jen Wilkin) The importance of the knowing cannot be overemphasized.  We learn and know.  The pendants for our neck hit us at our pulse.  It's our wisdom.  It's the loving of our Great Wise King.  Paul again repeats this idea when he teaches the Ephesians (and us) about the armor of God.  The helmet on our heads is salvation.  It's starting at square one, learning and knowing Jesus.  And the breastplate is the pendant for our neck, touching our pulse, protecting the heart that loves Him enough to walk wisely in obedience and righteousness.  (Ephesians 6:10-20)

In Proverbs 3:3; Proverbs 3:22; Proverbs 4:9 the father will repeat the importance of what the son is putting on.   As the son heads out to the streets, two women will call for him and he will need discernment.  He will need to know what he's learned, what he Knows, and Who he loves.  And so do we.  We wake up in the morning and decide on our outfit according to our plans.  "The night is far gone; the day is at hand.  So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light....Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires." Romans 13:12,14  As we learn to recognize and respond rightly to our two ladies, Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly, let's first shout out, to ourselves and to the world, Who we are wearing.  He absorbed the cost, offering the dress for free, so we can reflect Him.  👑👗🩰