Chicken Big

(Proverbs 8:28 KJV)  When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:

Have you stopped to think today about how much you assume about your world?  We assume that certain patterns and norms can be depended on.  When we read a story about Chicken Little running around screaming “The sky is falling!” we recognize it as absurd.  That is the point of the story.  The reason we see it as absurd is that we live in a world created by the God of the Bible.  We assume the sun will come up because God put it there and sent it on its cycle.  When we read about the sun standing still for Joshua we recognize it as an unusual, one time miracle of God.  We don’t worry about the sun stopping just because it feels like it or because we did something wrong.

Read your history about the cultures that felt they had to make human sacrifices to appease the sun god and get him to return the next day.  Think about all the pagan rituals that went into the winter solstice so that the sun would not go away forever.  Think about all the things that our God has assured us we don’t need to worry about.

So?  We live in a world of physical stability.  Be thankful for the assurance that gives us.  Praise God for His creation and His revelation about it.  Be Chicken Big and announce that the sky is not falling. 

Money Bags and You

(Proverbs 7:20 KJV)  He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.

In this verse we have the evil adulteress listing the reasons why it is okay for this naive young man to sin.  Now let me ask you, why do the actions of another justify our breaking the rules?  Have you ever had those times when you say, “Everyone else is doing it.”  I know I have.  Saying that is not the problem.  The issue comes when we act on it.

As followers of the Eternal God we know that He is aware of all that we do.  We know that He does not accept excuses.  He does not look the other way.  He does not grin and wink.  He sees all and knows all. 

That is why we are different than those around us.  We know there is a standard.  We know what that standard is.  We know that when we stand before the judgment seat of God it won’t do us any good to say, “But Lucy used to lie to Ricky.”  We know right.  We should act on it.

So?  You are responsible for your decisions and actions.  Accept it. 

Unisex, Kinda

(Proverbs 6:20 KJV)  My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

Verses like this make me believe that the many statements concerning fathers have a parallel truth involving mothers.  This form is fairly common in Proverbs. 

One of the things that is hard for some to understand is the seeming paradox of a patriarchal society which gives women a place of honor.  The Bible teaches that women have a worth and a dignity that should be acknowledged.  In ancient cultures the Jews gave their women more freedom than the surrounding cultures.  It is a part of our belief.  Women have the image of God just like men.

(Genesis 1:27 KJV)  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

And in the New Testament we see this repeated and also see it extended.

(Galatians 3:28 KJV)  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

So?  Treat both men and women with dignity.  It is part of who we are and who they are.

Spiritual Sticky Notes

(Proverbs 5:7 KJV)  Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.

How much does it take to get you to “depart” (5493) from the “words” (561) given to you?  Have you ever heard the expression “in one ear and out the other”?  Sometimes I think God mumbles that to Himself.

Maybe it would help if we could develop some sort of spiritual sticky notes.  My daughter was really into those.  She would have every surface in reach covered with them.  It worked for her.  Maybe it would work for us.

Try it.  Listen for the voice of God.  It might come in a sermon on Sunday.  It might come as you read the Bible.  It might come completely unbidden as the Holy Spirit puts a thought into your mind. 

Write it down.  That in itself will help you remember. 

Put it where you can find it.

So?  God is trying to reach you.  Believe it.  Do your part to be connected.  Do your part to remember what He is trying to say.  It can have consequences, good and bad. 

Violence or Valor

(Proverbs 3:31 KJV)  Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
Why would we “envy” (7065) a “man” (376) who is an “oppressor" (violence NASB) (2555)?  That is a good question, but we do it all the time.  

But we do envy.  I don’t go to the movies much and I never watch TV unless someone else has it on but I do read action novels.  There is something in us that enjoys watching or reading about men of violence.  It is such a part of the macho culture we see around us.  We are part of that culture.

The condemnation is not of soldiers and protectors.  All you need to do is do a search for the term “mighty men of valor” in the KJV and you will come up with hundreds of listings such as,

(Joshua 1:14 KJV)  Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help them;

Neither the Old Testament nor the New Testament condemns the soldier who is doing his duty.  The problem is the person who lives by that violence. 

So?  Know and recognize the difference.  Violence for violence sake is to be avoided.  Defense of the weak and righteous is expected.  Sometimes that requires mighty men of valor. 

Seeker Friendly

(Proverbs 2:4 KJV)  If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;

As I was reading this chapter today I saw again the parallel with the words of Jesus.

(Matthew 7:7 KJV)  Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

Do you see the promise to the seeker?  Do you see how the promise is fulfilled?  If you look over the verses leading up to this you see receiving, inclining, crying, lifting.  If you read on you see similar actions and positions.  They come down to “seek” (1245).

God has reached out to us.  He prepared the Old and New Testaments, He sent His Son, He provides the Holy Spirit, He established the church.  Grace and Providence are doing their part.

So?  I would say the ball is in our court.  God was, is and will be active.  Seek.

Happy Prosperity Day

(Proverbs 1:32 KJV)  For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

The KJV and the NASB pick totally different words here.  If we put them together we get to the lesson for this April Fools Day.  The KJV talks about the “prosperity” (7962) of fools.  The NASB uses “complacency” (7962).  At first they seem to be two different concepts but think about it.  Who tend to be the most smug and self-righteous about their place in society?  I think of the rich and the famous.

Think about how movie actors want to tell us about the science of global warming.  Think about how people in the music industry want to lecture us about the economics of poverty and hunger.  Think about how politicians want to write laws to establish justice.  April Fools Day indeed.

So?  What about those of us who follow the living Christ?  Do we think we have arrived?  Are we coasting on our spiritual knowledge?  Are we complacent?  Am I complacent?  It is time to examine my foolishness.