Screaming in the Streets_Proverbs

[vc_row height=”small” el_class=”dailyBody” css=”.vc_custom_1465516518912{margin-top: -25px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/4″][us_separator height=”10px” size=”custom”][us_image image=”31717″ size=”tnail-1×1″][us_separator height=”20px” size=”custom”][us_sharing providers=”email,facebook,twitter,gplus”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text 0=””]Imagine it’s 1941.  Germany has been bombing England in what became known as “The Blitz” – leaving the English people shaken.  If you walk through London’s neighborhoods you’ll find thousands of homes left as piles of rubble.  Next to them are homes still standing.  The folks living in those whole homes have no idea when a bomb might hit them next.  They have no idea when the wail of a warning siren will interrupt their day, telling them a wave of bombers is on its way.

Those were grave and uncertain times for the people of England, and it took its toll on their emotional and physical stamina.  France had fallen.  England seemed to be the last resistance to Hitler’s intentions.  No one knew when the next bombs would fall, if they would fall in their neighborhood, or worse, if the German armies would invade their island.  They had no guarantees for the future.

That’s history.  Thankfully, we know how it ended – but, imagine it’s 1941 and you’re sitting with some friends in a London flat waiting for any words of encouragement.  It’s a surprising fact to us today, but the vast majority of Englanders would be huddled around their radios trying to tune in the BBC to listen to a young academic.  His weekly talks were only 15 minutes long but they gave hope and inspired a nation to keep on living.  His talks weren’t mindless propaganda or cheer-leading patriotism.  They were religious talks.  The series of talks had the title: “Right and Wrong: A Clue to the Meaning of the Universe.”

Doesn’t sound like the stuff of hopeful encouragement, does it.  But, history shows that hundreds of thousands of British citizens listed the wise words from these 15 minute talks as the reason for their hope to continue in those long months.  Records even show that thousands of English turned to Jesus as a result of that BBC program.  The words of Proverbs 3:5-8 ring true:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; don’t depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones.” (NLT)

Oh, by the way, the young academic was C.S. Lewis.  His 15 minute talks were so popular that he ended up giving four series of them –  25 talks in all.  There’s one of those 15 talks that has survived – his final one – entitled “Beyond Personality – the New Men”.  Click here if you’d like to listen to it: C.S. Lewis Talk … and imagine it’s 1941.[/vc_column_text][us_separator height=”25px” size=”custom”][vc_column_text 0=””]

By Dan Elliot  

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My son, do not lose sight of these—
    keep sound wisdom and discretion,
 and they will be life for your soul
    and adornment for your neck.
Then you will walk on your way securely,
    and your foot will not stumble.
 If you lie down, you will not be afraid;
    when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
-Proverbs 3:21-24

More than once in Proverbs, Solomon states how wisdom and a healthy fear of the Lord affect our bones. We can define “affection” as a warm liking and caring for someone or something, including endearment, tenderness and devotion.  The old French meaning of afficere means to influence.  This means we all have a mental state, emotions, and inner conditions influencing our affections and the way our bones feel.   Our affections affect our bones. Solomon admonishes the fear of the Lord even leads to satisfied sleep, untouched by evil (Proverbs 19:23,NASB).

How well do you sleep?  We would all want to sleep better, and longer.  The Scriptures give us simple advice for more restful, peaceful sleep.  First, we must seek to be in right relationship with God  (Romans 5:1, Psalm 34:14). A heart entrusted to his mercy and grace will find forgiveness and release from guilt.  Also, having that healthy understanding of who God is and who we are as his creation gives satisfaction.  Tell yourself, he has set you apart for himself.  You belong to him. Jesus is peace, and if he abides in your heart, you will have peace.  Second, we must have right relationships with others (Romans 12:8, 14:19). Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, exhorts us to not let the sun go down on our anger.  Even if it is a righteous anger, we must let our God of justice take vengeance.   If you go to bed brimming  with anger, your brain and your bones will be agitated. God is bigger, stronger, and better than anything you’re facing (Job 38).  Finally, trust him.  Commit yourself to Him and nothing else.

Picture a child kneeling by the bedside, with hands folded, eyes closed, and head reverently bowed.  What we tell ourselves as we go to sleep has a profound affect on our sleep according to Solomon.  Saying a prayer, or singing a praise song will help, but so can a body reflecting the posture of the worshipful heart (Psalm 62:5-7).  Do your own sleep study this week.  Every night make a sincere choice to clear your conscience.   Ask for peace with God and others before you go to sleep.  Posture your heart and body (if you are able) in reverence and awe and see how your affections influence your bones. If you fall asleep worshiping the God of the universe he will be with you.  And since he neither slumber or sleeps, he will be awake watching over you through the night granting you rest (Psalm 16:7).

 

Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills.
    From where does my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved;
    he who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, he who keeps Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper;
    the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all evil;
    he will keep your life.
The Lord will keep
    your going out and your coming in
    from this time forth and forevermore

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By Donna Burns  

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[27] So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.

[31] And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. (Genesis 1:27, 31)

 

We have a complicated relationship with our bodies. The physical design of our body and our five senses shape the way we experience the world. On the other hand, there are many issues related to our bodies – eating disorders, disease and sickness, and pain. Having a body doesn’t make us human, but we cannot be human without one. Throughout the book of Proverbs, the author used the phrase “bones” to reference our physical bodies. He claimed that wisdom “heals and refreshes our bones” (Proverbs 3:8). His point was that when we align our lives with the way of wisdom, it influences not just our spirit, but also our physical body.

Contrary to much teaching about the body over the centuries, Christianity is the most materialistic religion on the face of the planet. It’s not materialistic in the sense that it encourages people to gather material objects, but rather in that it is concerned with matter. It does not ignore, nor try to escape, the reality that we are physical beings living in a physical world. In fact, there are three movements within the scriptures that reinforce the goodness and transcendence of this physical world. First is the creation story. After creating human beings with physical bodies that need to eat and be tended to, God claimed that it was “very good.” (Genesis 1:27-31). God liked the work he created in the physical realm, and he came to redeem it. Second, we see God clothe himself in a physical body – Jesus is God incarnate. Finally, scripture clearly teaches that the destiny of human beings is not as disembodied spirits, but rather resurrected bodies. (Romans 6:5) The physical world is not a temporary holding tank where we wait for the better ethereal version in heaven. Actually, heaven is a holding place where we await a physical resurrection. Our destiny is material in nature!

Bodies are a gift. Although they too are subject to the brokenness of the fall, they’re not inherently evil. Our body is not something we must subdue and overcome, but rather something we must care for. We care for our bodies through exercise, diet, and good patterns of rest. But, we also care for our bodies as we believe and align our lives with the truth of the way God’s wired the universe. Solomon’s emphasizes throughout the book of Proverbs is that we’re holistic beings. We can’t just care for one part of our humanity, we must care for body, soul, and mind as they’re all connected. Take a moment today and listen to the song Body, by Sleeping at Last. Remind yourself that you have a body – and that’s a good thing![/vc_column_text][us_separator height=”25px” size=”custom”][vc_column_text 0=””]

By Ryan Paulson  

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“And now, O sons, listen to me:
blessed are those who keep my ways.
³³ Hear instruction and be wise,
and do not neglect it.
³⁴ Blessed is the one who listens to me,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting beside my doors.
³⁵ For whoever finds me finds life
and obtains favor from the Lord,
³⁶ but he who fails to find me injures himself;
all who hate me love death.”
-Proverbs 8:32-36

Everyone loves to be invited, included and treated as a special guest.  There are a lot of societal influences opting to fill the need for this connection such as social media.  Posts and tweets often include location and invitations.   In fact, the fear of not being invited and the fear of being invited to too many people’s meet ups and being able to respond creates a contemporary anxiety.  After the meet up is decided, the next question is where shall we eat? Dining experiences and cuisines abound making the choice challenging.  The food culture has exploded and even named its dedicated followers foodies.   The good news is God has given the ultimate invitation to the ultimate dining table experience to everyone.

A foodie seeks new food experiences intensely rather than simply eating out of convenience or hunger.  They are passionate about food freshness, tastes, wine pairings, sources, cooking styles, techniques, and sustainability especially in a local area or cuisine. They know their chefs. A heavenly foodie seeks God as a matter of life and death, not a hobby or convenience or social to-do. They’re passionate about knowing the mind of Christ, the work of the Holy Spirit and the Father’s plan. They desire to hear the Shepherd’s voice above the world’s noise, taste the fruit of the Spirit, and walk the talk. They’re a dedicated student of the Scriptures.  They know their Creator, Savior and Sustainer personally and intimately.

Proverbs 1-9 make the options clear to the wisdom seeker along the city streets lined with table settings.  There are only two choices to the ultimate invitation.  One path chosen leads to regret, sorrow, emptiness, dissatisfaction and death.  The other path leads to life, honor, favor, peace and joy.  The choice must be your own and it is offered to everyone – to linger with the wrong crowd, in the wrong places at the wrong times or leave them, to seek satisfaction in the pleasure filled whims of the moment or hunger for the increase from diligent pursuit of the honorable and eternal, to be seduced by earthly desires demanding instant gratification or intentionally posture your life in the prudent way of wisdom. The appeals of Woman Folly and Lady Wisdom seem similar but the consequences are as different as light and dark, life and death, heaven and hell.  A real disciple of Christ can tell the difference between stolen food eaten in secret and fresh, carefully prepared nourishment. Listen to this song “Carried to the Table” by Leeland and imagine what the heavenly banquet tastes like now for you, God’s specially invited guest.

“Leave your simple ways, and live,
    and walk in the way of insight.”  
-Proverbs 9:6

“But he does not know that the dead are there,
    that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.”
-Proverbs 9:18

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By Donna Burns  

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In Proverbs 9, wisdom and folly are both personified as enticing women. With this literary comparison, Solomon poses a question to his audience: Will you be wooed by wisdom or folly? Does Lady Folly sitting on her lazy bum holding out stolen bread appeal to you or would you prefer the hard-working Lady Wisdom at her table filled with deliciously prepared food and drink? I think most of us would say we want to sit with Lady Wisdom at her feast created from the benefits of a healthy work ethic. But, when it comes down do it, we’re easily seduced by Lady Folly with her quick, cheap, and easy bread to feed our present cravings. 

Solomon’s illustration is quite poetic here, but let’s imagine some every day decisions where we’re influenced by these two women. Lady Wisdom says, “Wake, my child, and get to work. By the end of the day, you’ll feel the satisfaction of a full days wages.” Lady Folly says, “Hey kid, do what you want. You’ll feel better when you roll over and catch a few more z’s.” Lady Wisdom says, “Take the time to prepare some healthy food. Your belly will thank me later.” Lady Folly says, “I think someone’s getting hangry. Just stop and pick up something to satisfy your craving now.” Lady Wisdom says, “Go home and make amends with your spouse. Your humility will make love grow deeper.” Lady Folly says, “Doesn’t it feel so good to be appreciated. Stay a while longer to soak in the attention because you know you won’t get it when you go home.” 

Most good things in life don’t come easy. They require intention, diligence, and patience. Unfortunately, we’re all too often trapped by listening to the voice of folly. On Sunday, Pastor Ryan said, “We must ponder the pathway of our feet long enough to realize it leads to a destination.” Take a good look at your typical weekday. Where are you most easily tempted to take the quick, easy, and cheap road? As you enter those moments today, pray God would help you listen for the voice of wisdom. Allow wisdom to woo you. 

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By Yvonne Biel  

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Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.

If someone is truly wise, teaching them something new will make them wiser, and they understand that.  The wise know learning is the key and it’s not short-lived: it’s life-long.  The same for those who are righteous, knowing it’s a lifelong exercise.  The end of wisdom and learning is only realized when, as Jesus followers, we arrive at our final destination: presence with Jesus.  Only then will the continual process of learning be set aside as we’ll be present with the source of wisdom and it will be communally shared with us.

As with most good things, there’s a dark twin to wisdom.  In Proverbs 9, we find a comparison between wisdom and folly.  This comparison demonstrates their contrast.  Perhaps the most apparent is the permanence implied in folly and realized in wisdom.  Wisdom has ‘built her house,’ ‘hewn her seven pillars,’ and ‘set her table.’  Wisdom is prepared, ready for us!  The idea of permanent structures and a place to sit down to eat, helping to understand the sense of permanence. We see wisdom has already accomplished the preparation for us, and she sent others to find those seeking wisdom.

Folly, on the other hand, rather than preparing a place for seekers, lures them away from wisdom, all the while sitting in places of visibility, loudly calling out.  When it comes to finally serving those seduced, folly is ill-prepared and hollow, and we can get the impression the goal was nothing more than to detour those listening away from wisdom.

Life is so full of decisions.  Some are painful, some are not.  Some yield short-term results, others last for many years, perhaps for the rest of our lives.  The story about building a house on sand versus rock (Matthew 7:24-27) is a well-used metaphor for wisdom.  And it makes a lot of sense!  But perhaps, as with many metaphors demonstrating the practical side of wisdom, we’ve forgotten the durative nature of wisdom.  In Proverbs 8:22-31, wisdom was present at creation and is still with us today.  Wisdom has set an incredible table for us, wanting only the best for us and our relationship with each other and God. Ultimately, the choice is ours to make.  Shall we choose folly, stepping to an ill-prepared table full of stolen food and water, or shall we choose wisdom where we can sit down to a full, well-balanced and wonderfully prepared meal, resting in wisdom’s permanence?  The best way to find out where we are in this decision is to review our calendars.  Where do we spend the bulk of our time?  Is it pursuing true wisdom or are we pursing folly?  Perhaps it’s time we gave this serious thought.

“The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work,
    the first of his acts of old.
Ages ago I was set up,
    at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
When there were no depths I was brought forth,
    when there were no springs abounding with water.
Before the mountains had been shaped,
    before the hills, I was brought forth,
before he had made the earth with its fields,
    or the first of the dust of the world.
When he established the heavens, I was there;
    when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,
when he made firm the skies above,
    when he established the fountains of the deep,
when he assigned to the sea its limit,
    so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
then I was beside him, like a master workman,
and I was daily his delight,
    rejoicing before him always,
rejoicing in his inhabited world
    and delighting in the children of man.

-Proverbs 8:22-31

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By Rich Obrecht  

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Leave your simple ways, and live,
    and walk in the way of insight.”

You can almost hear the crisp voice of Lady Wisdom pleading, “Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight.” She’s concerned for his wellbeing and she has done her best to prepare a tempting alternative to his current path. The smell of delicious food and the promise of stimulating conversation is in the air. She pulled out all the stops to draw him into her better company. The real question is will he turn around and change? Will he eat at her life-giving table or will he turn again to the water and bread offered by lady folly?

The way of wisdom requires more from us then the way of folly. There are more steps to prepare to dine at wisdoms table but the invitation is always in the air and it’s always spoken from a sweet voice. The way of wisdom promises life beyond the long climb to her house. You have to ask yourself, do you want more? Don’t you long for a life that is more full and meaningful? Deep down don’t we all want to rekindle the dreams we once had of a life well ordered and well lived. It’s so much easier to let life happen to us, to remain in our simple ways choosing quick pleasures rather than long lasting joy.

Sometimes being discontent with the way things are is the best emotion we can cultivate. There are things in our lives and in this world that are just not good. We must be discontented with those things. Bill Hybels calls this a “holy discontent.”

Today, we remember the holy discontent of a group of leaders who took action on July 4, 1776. Their unwillingness to linger in the past caused them to write the Declaration of Independence. We celebrate because of their decision to move. We live in this incredibly free nation because they left the modus operandi and attempted to create a better future. Today, read the Declaration of Independence and reflect. What is God asking you to leave behind in order to chart a new course into the way of wisdom?

 

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By Aaron Bjorklund  

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Wisdom has built her house;
    she has hewn her seven pillars.
² She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine;
    she has also set her table.
³ She has sent out her young women to call
    from the highest places in the town,
⁴ “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
    To him who lacks sense she says,
⁵ “Come, eat of my bread
    and drink of the wine I have mixed.
⁶ Leave your simple ways, and live,
    and walk in the way of insight.”

⁷ Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
    and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
⁸ Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;
    reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
⁹ Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
    teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
¹⁰ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
    and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
¹¹ For by me your days will be multiplied,
    and years will be added to your life.
¹² If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
    if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

¹³ The woman Folly is loud;
    she is seductive and knows nothing.
¹⁴ She sits at the door of her house;
    she takes a seat on the highest places of the town,
¹⁵ calling to those who pass by,
    who are going straight on their way,
¹⁶ “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
    And to him who lacks sense she says,
¹⁷ “Stolen water is sweet,
    and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
¹⁸ But he does not know that the dead are there,
    that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

 

After much failure, my wife and I are pretty good now about keep our calendars in sync – but it hasn’t always been that way. There have been many times when we’ve double-booked ourselves. I’ve learned my lesson! Having to say “no” after you’ve already said “yes” is a walk of shame that none of us enjoy. It’s always easier to choose if there is only one option, but that’s rarely the case when it comes to our calendar. It’s also never the case when it comes to the decisions we make. There are many options for how we’re going to live. We have the freedom to choose how we respond when we’re wronged, what type of work ethic we have, and fidelity in our relationships. There are always two voices calling to us.

Solomon describes the two invitations – one of Lady Wisdom and the other of Lady Folly. Wisdom and Folly are both continually attempting to call people to their banquet. They have the same goal, but they use different approaches and have different destinations. Lady Folly has two primary strategies – volume and seduction. (Proverb 9:13) Volume is typically an effective mode of communication. The louder the message is, the more people hear it. The louder a message is, the more convincing it becomes. We can see this truth play out on the pages of our culture in the way that new ideologies and behaviors become the norm. The louder message eventually becomes the accepted idea. In addition, Lady Folly seduces. She entices. She offers the hope of something she can never deliver on – her invitations are empty. On the other hand, Lady Wisdom sends her messengers to call from the highest places in town (Proverb 9:3). Wisdom isn’t loud, but she’s everywhere. She permeates the world we live in. She’s consistent. She’s wooing. She’s solid and she’s good on what she promises and what she promises is good.

These two invitations are continually before us. As Robert Frost wrote, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” Unfortunately, Lady Wisdom’s road is less traveled. The brokenness, regret, and restlessness in our world proves that’s the case. The truth is, we can only respond to one of the two invitations. We may feel double-booked, but we are only responding to one call. We choose where we place our RSVP with every decision we make, with the way we treat the people around us, and with the convictions we hold in our heart. This Sunday, we put an RSVP in the sermon notes. Which box did you check? Whose banquet are you dining at? Take a few minutes today and think about which invitation you’re responding to and what that means practically. Post a picture of your RSVP on social media and use #wooedbywisdom to track with others.

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By Ryan Paulson  

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Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.- Proverbs 4:23

Proverbs 4:23 tells us springs of life flow from the heart. That sounds beautiful if the springs of life are fresh, cool, and contaminate free. But, what happens when the springs in our inner pool are stagnated and diseased? The health of our heart determines the cleanliness of what flows from us. If you’ve been tracking with this week’s Daily Devotionals, we’ve been giving you strategies for tending to your heart. The importance of learning to feed, cleanse, and guard your heart cannot be overstated because what’s in us always leaks out.

What’s in us will get out even if we try to hide it. Studies show we communicate our inner lives even without words (Amy Cuddy). It affects our own demeanor and it effects everyone around us. Body language significantly affects others perception of us as well as perception of ourselves. Remembering you’re a child of God who is redeemed, clean, empowered, and loved isn’t just a task that bears fruit in your inner self. Your body is affected by that knowledge and others see you differently. The opposite is true when you feel fear or condemnation.

So, how can we really know how our heart is doing? Since the spring of our life flows from the heart, there’s no way to shut off the valve of that spring. One way to evaluate how our inner lives are doing it to evaluate what’s leaking out of us. An outburst of anger may be a sign you’re afraid of losing control. Anxiety is also a warning sign that something deeper is wrong in your heart. Cynical remarks may bubble out of us when our hearts are tired and in need of attention. Anger, anxiety, and cynicism are all measuring tools that reveal the health of your inner self. If you’re feeling these things recently, take those feelings to the Lord in prayer and then determine to feed, cleanse, and guard your heart today.[/vc_column_text][us_separator height=”25px” size=”custom”][vc_column_text 0=””]

By Aaron Bjorklund  

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