(considering) 8:28

Texts Reflecting: Proverbs 5, Ecclesiastes 5

The simplest lesson implied in everything so far is that not all work or striving is valuable, some of it is striving after the wind (as Ecclesiastes says), but it’s also a facet of the teaching in proverbs. The recommendation of avoiding an adulteress is one example. Lest you lose your strength and give it to another, avoid the evil of unfaithfulness. Why, because as 5:21-23 puts it, evil destroys itself, and if you embrace evil, your evil will eventually destroy you.

That said, even as we produce good things, the people who consume those good things will also increase. This isn’t a bad thing per se, just a thing, but one should always remember that increasing value will also increase the people who value things.

All sorts of strivings exist, and all kinds of work for transient benefits. The question is going to be what is wise to do. The problem is that it is not always clear what is wise, which is why the preacher of Ecclesiastes and the writer of proverbs both intend to pass on wisdom to the reader.

This means that the most important facet for a reader to build up is humility, especially humility before God, something that has been again repeated in the readings for today. The most famous part being:

Do not be quick with your mouth or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.  (Ecclesiastes 5:2, NASB 2020)

It’s important to note that this means to be careful to be humble before God even when you ask for things, since it is God that knows better.

Texts Reflecting: Proverbs 4, Ecclesiastes 4

With so much of both Proverbs and Ecclesiastes (and I’d argue, most of the Bible) focussing on the motivations of people as more important than the actions of the believer, it’s no surprise that people focus on verses like Proverbs 4:32, which reads in the NASB “Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life”. It’s been used often to talk about how important desires are in the fight against sin.

What is less often focused on is the section right after that. Verses 24-27 talk about how it’s important to get the rest of our bodies in line as closely associated with that. We often ignore the fact that teh way we live affects the way we think about our lives, and even our affections. If we spend our time saying deceitful things, we will over time find ourselves less capable of loving the truth (24). If we spend our times looking at and appreciating the things we shouldn’t, we’d be less capable of looking at other beautiful things with appreciation (25), and if we spend all our time going into the bad kinds of places, following after evil, we shouldn’t be surprised when we find our desires for walking rightly has also atrophied.

Humans are not merely spiritual beings. The way we act and work affects the ways in which we think and love. We cannot love the things we haven’t tried, and we will likely love the things we spend the most time seeking.

Our hearts are extremely important, after all, salvation comes to those who believe in our hearts about the good news of Jesus Christ. It is by the heart that we love the Lord our God, and that we love our neighbours. And that is why we are told in proverbs 4 that we are to watch over our hearts with all diligence, as that will lead to how we act, but how we act with our bodies, what we say and what we do will also affect our hearts.

Texts Reflecting: Proverbs 3, Ecclesiastes 3

As I read scripture, I’m struck by how easy it is for me to absolve myself of things as I read. Sometimes the text says things and I think “this person I have in mind should really take note of this” or I think “wow, I’m glad that I am not like that” (resembling a certain Pharisee Jesus had a parable about, who didn’t end up justified).

Yet it’s a fickle thing. I know that it’s an issue I can face, and something I probably need to watch out for, and indeed something I should mull over some, as it can help me to learn a little better what it would look like for me to be godly in my own life, and yet ignoring scripture with self-righteousness is still pretty easy for me., even while the texts say things like “be not wise in your own eyes”.

Case in point, buried in today’s readings (among a lot of repeating themes we’ve already thought about in the last 2 days) there’s this little aphorism among a list of things you should either avoid, or do in order to be wise: “Do not envy a violent person, And do not choose any of his ways” (Proverbs 3:31)

Now first off, I don’t think I’m a particularly violent person. I don’t often feel the need to hit things, well, ever, and I don’t have any instances of assault in a record with police (or even a record with police for that matter), but it struck me that as I watch injustices on the news, I can often think that since my culture seems unwilling to punish evil, I wish that I could give violent people a taste of their own medicine. It’s like I envy the violent person his ability to be violent, even if it is only insofar as I’d like to visit that violence on them. I guess I’m still needing some godliness in my life.

In the meantime, I need to pray for those who (as scripture says) bear the sword in order to be a fear to the unrighteous, that they would be protected, and that they can stay righteous themselves as they serve and protect the communities they’re part of. And I need to trust that God will answer my prayers by empowering police and military to fill the roles they’re called to.

Christ have mercy.

Text Reflecting: Ecclesiastes 2, Proverbs 2

Some might imagine that lies are as useful as the truth. After all, people who lie often get ahead. Those who seem rich and famous are often not very nice people. And yet, Proverbs 2 tells us that wisdom is not merely good in becoming a better person, but is useful in knowing to avoid evil people and especially evil women.

This is important, because evil is often seductive. It’s always easier in the short term to follow on with whatever is going on around you, and the ease provided by the wealth, power and enjoyment often feels like the right way to go.

Yet the preacher of Ecclesiastes tells us in Ecclesiastes 2 that wealth and entertainment are ultimately futile. Yet there is also a bit of a difficult set of ideas here, as Ecclesiastes also tells us that wisdom has no real ultimate benefit over foolishness, after all both the foolish and the wise end up in the same place (death, the grave).

This likely means that wisdom, and the efficacy of wisdom are not ends in themselves. This is again why it is so important to be seeking the Lord and the fear of the Lord.