God is Good, God is Justice

Proverbs 1:26-31

26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you,

27 when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.
28 Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me.
29 Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD,
30 would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof,
31 therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices.

God gives mercy, but he also gives justice. It is a personality trait that cannot be ignored. No matter how uncomfortable these verses make me, they exist. If they sound judgmental, it's because they are. God is the judge. The call to repentance is public, but not accepted by all. When you life ends, it will be too late to repent. We will be judged for opposition to God's council.

But stay tuned, the chapter isn't over yet, and the most important verses come next.

Offered to All, Accepted by Few

Proverbs 1:22-25

22 "How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?
23 If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.
24 Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,
25 because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof,

There is a clear choice that must be made, simplicity or knowledge. Luckily wisdom calls out for us, and if we except will receive what she has to offer. However, our general response is to disregard the wisdom offered us. Rarely is the situation as clear as it is described here, a women preaching wisdom in the streets. Often I miss out on real knowledge, because I am seeking facts. The difference is that facts give us information, knowledge changes our actions.

From Others, To God

Proverbs 1:20-21

20 Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice;

21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:

If we are to be weary of the influence of others, then conversely we should be ready to accept wisdom from God. Wisdom, personified here as a female evangelical in a town square, is ours for the taking if we pursue it. But the streets in which she speaks are noisy, so it is in our life as well. Hard to tell truth from deception. Alone, the Bible stands as the source of real understanding and guidance.

Recognize Influence

Proverbs 1:10-19

10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.
11 If they say, "Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us ambush the innocent without reason;
12 like Sheol let us swallow them alive, and whole, like those who go down to the pit;
13 we shall find all precious goods, we shall fill our houses with plunder;
14 throw in your lot among us; we will all have one purse"—
15 my son, do not walk in the way with them; hold back your foot from their paths,
16 for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.
17 For in vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird,
18 but these men lie in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives.
19 Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors.

This warning is clear, those who seek to gain unjustly will meet retribution. We shouldn't be angry with those described in this passage, we should pity them. But we should also be cautious of them. Even a bird is smart enough to avoid a trap when it sees it, we should do the same by avoiding people who try to entice us into this lifestyle. At first glance I find this in direct contrast to the commands and actions of Jesus in his interactions with "sinners". Jesus regularly met with thieves and prostitutes, in his earthly ministry, shouldn't he have avoided them as this passage suggests? The difference is influence. Jesus was influencing them for the best, instead them influencing him for the worst. As believers we are called to love the unlovable, but also beware of their influence on us.

Biblical Role of Parents

Proverbs 1:8-9

8 Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching,
9 for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.

Yesterday I talked about general submission to things outside yourself. As challenging as that was, today takes it a step farther. Submission to the Bible is easy, especially when personal interpretation blocks what is hard for us to hear. The message in verse 8 & 9 is all too clear, your parents are meant to rule over you. However, I'm married, so this relationship is surely different than it was when I was 16 (Genesis 2:24). Even though I realized long ago that they were hugely flawed, I should still show them the respect their God ordained position deserves. Happily, a consequence of this honor, is that it will be visible in our own life, like a "garland" or "pendant".

Submit When Asked

Proverbs 1:7

7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Sometimes Biblical language does a good job revealing our societal presuppositions. America was built on the idea that no man should have to submit to an authority outside himself. This individualism has only grown more as technology has made us more self-sufficient. Yet we are instructed that without fear, there is no wisdom. Fear in this passage is not a suspicious anxiety, but instead an idea of submission to the an awesome (as in full of awe) God. As someone who rebels against social restraints, I find this personally very convicting. I still think it is healthy to question man-made rules and regulations, but we should also investigate and submit to, God-made rules and regulations. And so we read on.

In Search of Wisdom

Proverbs 1:1-6

1 The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
2 To know wisdom and instruction,
to understand words of insight,
3 to receive instruction in wise dealing,
in righteousness, justice, and equity;
4 to give prudence to the simple,
knowledge and discretion to the youth—
5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning,
and the one who understands obtain guidance,
6 to understand a proverb and a saying,
the words of the wise and their riddles.

In search for Godly wisdom there is no better place to start than in the book written specifically to teach wisdom. In this introduction it is clear that wisdom is something to be attained, not something we are born with or get with age. "Instruction" is needed and this book is the teacher. Immediately the application of this wisdom is clear. In dealing with the world around us, "righteousness, justice, equity" cannot be fully understood without God and that this understanding is not just head knowledge, but also "discretion" or decision making. It also makes clear who this book is for, the young and the wise. Either way, everyone can benefit from the journey we've begun with this first post.