Proverbs 2
19 of all those who go to her none return, nor do they attain paths of life 20 so you go in the way of goodness, and keep the to it 21 for the right (straight, righteous) shall dwell (abide/remain) in the land & the mature (complete, whole) shall remain (be left) in it 22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the deceitful will be torn away from it.
Be Careful Who You Love (what you’ll miss if you love the wrong one)
Being in love is a kind of intoxication-but one that can last a lifetime (though there are, I think, very few who experience a lifetime of being in love). CS Lewis said “falling in love is something that happens to you, being in love is something you do”. This is one of those rare quotes I would partially disagree with Lewis. I believe falling in love and being in love are both a matter of choice, something we do, and that we must choose well. Solomon warned his son that Lady Wisdom would keep him from the love of a woman who would draw him away from the good and blessings and fruitfulness God designed for him. The image is clear, fall in love with Wisdom-pursue her-and false loves will simply not be enticing to you. A person in love is simply not bothered by the attraction to alternative allurements (research suggests that those in committed relationship actually look away more quickly from more attractive members of the opposite sex https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002210310800142X). God designed the husband-wife relationship to teach us about, and draw us to, Himself, and for fruitfulness. Those who pursue love with the wrong person will experience the opposite.
The Way
Jesus said “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:14) There are paths, once we start down them, it’s really difficult to change direction. As Yoda warned “once the path to the dark side you start, forever will it dominate your destiny”, (or something like that). No one can influence our choices of path as greatly as our beloved. The one God would have you hook up with for life must be one who is on the straight and narrow and will motivate you to stay on that path. On the right path are “life” and “goodness”. For this reason Paul exhorted “do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers”. The bull you yoke yourself to better be headed in the right direction on the right path, otherwise you will lose multiple opportunities for life and goodness-fruitfulness.
The Fruit (Land)
Wisdom blesses the land, and those who live in it. Adam and Eve were sent out of the Garden. The people of Israel were exiled from the Promised Land. The Land of Israel represented the place where the people were blessed with life and fruitfulness-the place they would raise their children and grandchildren, the place where the fruit of the land would provide sustenance and pleasure. In the New Testament, any place is good for the LORD to give His Spirit-and along with Himself He gives love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control (a sound mind) (Galatians 5). He also gives family as the safe haven for children to grow into maturity and wisdom and strength. Those who fall in love with Wisdom will not be attracted to those who would lead them away from such abundance (We’ll discuss more of the implications of what it means to “fall in love with” Wisdom in the next chapter).
Prayer for Today
Father,
Fix our eyes on You, so that we are not distracted by lesser “loves”.
Let us follow Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, with resolution and consistency.
Father,
Honestly, we’re so in love with You that we can’t imagine ever sacrificing that love to pursue someone who doesn’t love you. Yet, we’re frail, and sometimes easily deceived.
Keep our eyes open to Truth-keep our hearts soft and open to Your good guidance. Keep us from everyone and everything that would keep us from producing abundant fruit in Your Kingdom.
Build Your character in our hearts.
Bring us to love that draws us only to You.
In the name of Your blessed, glorious and beloved Son, Jesus
Amen
Proverbs 3
1. My son, don’t forget my law, but let my commands guard your heart. 2. For they will add long days to you, and years of life and peace.
3.Do not leave behind love (hesed-mercy) and truth (amen-You thought it meant “so be it” or something like that. It’s the common word for Truth. When Jesus said “truly, truly I say to you” He said “amen, amen, I say to you”) tie them around your neck-write them in the notebook of your heart. 4. And find favour and good understanding in God’s view (eyes) and people’s.
Law & Life
We may think of Law and Life as almost opposites. What system has a death penalty? Of the Ten Commandments, which ones lead to death for those who disobeyed? Even Paul said “the letter (of the Law) kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Corinthians 3). We think of the Inquisition atrocities, burning people like John Huss on a spicket because he spoke against the official teachings of the church. It seems like law is a source of death.
Yet Solomon says his laws and commandments guard the heart and lead to long life and peace. Maybe part of the problem is the application of the Law by society verses a law written in the heart. We all function better when we have love and truth in our hearts driving all we say and do.
Love & Truth
Here, again, words that almost seem to not go together, yet cannot be separated. I know people who are really good at telling the truth as they see it, but, well, are not so good at doing so in a loving way. I know other people who are really good at behaving in a way that is affectionate, but are not very good at telling the truth as they see it, specially if the truth is going to be hurtful. Very few, well, I’m not sure I know anyone other than Jesus, seem to be able to “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4). We desperately need both. We need to be people who hold on to love. It’s easy to leave love behind. When I’m hurt I want to hurt in return (again, hurt people hurt people). I want to stay away from those who would hurt me. But Jesus loved the world so much He came and directly addressed, confronted and died for those who hurt Him, accused Him, abused and berated Him. He never left love behind. And He never shied away from telling the truth. He was/is, in fact, Truth. Wisdom embraces both love and truth, even though one leads to pain and the other to rejection from others. Only with the combination can we enter in to the life of peace and endurance the LORD desires for us. It’s only as we hold on to love & truth, and make them our intimate companions, that we begin to understand the nature of our LORD and see things from His perspective.
Favour & Good Understanding in God’s view
I’ve often wondered what God’s perspective is. Would He approve of what we have done in Syria, Yemen, and North Korea? I think all of us would agree, “no”. But would He view my willingness to belittle and insult and hurt others as ok? I think most of us might say, “well, umm, that’s ok, but Syria, etc. are not. They’re not the same”. But they are. Wars come from our hearts and the errors we allow in our hearts that keep us for loving each other are the same errors that result in wars and disasters on a national scale (James 3). When we begin to weigh our petty excuses for strife against our LORD’s view of love for all humanity, I think all of our interactions will be transformed. On one side, I think our LORD is ready to receive me no matter how unspiritual I am and have been. I also believe HE is ready, willing, waiting to work in me to help me see things from His view-from His perspective. How He loves the one I hate, how He works for justice for the weak, and provision for the widow, how unimpressed He is with the wealthy and powerful of this world, how He longs for us to establish a just society, a place where His people are free to fulfil all He designed for them and designed them for-where people attain toward their greatest potential. When we make changes in our own hearts to align ourselves progressively with His perspective, we become forces in society that will earn both His favour and that of people. But it’s not for favour we do these things. We embrace love and truth because we love Him (John 14 & 15). Yet that love moves us to keep changing and growing and learning and becoming more like Him, and that’s wonderful.
Prayer for Today
Father
Teach us wisdom
Make us more like you today and every day
Soften our hearts so we will not abandon love
Strengthen our hearts so we can embrace the truth and deal with the consequences of Your truth
Give us Yourself, in all our thoughts, actions, and emotions, so we can know Your truth with grace.
Father,
Make today new
Where we have been fools, make us wise
Where we have been false, make us true
Where we have forgotten what is important, teach us Your priorities
In the name of Jesus, who left heaven’s glorious throne to show Your love and truth to us
Amen!
