(considering) 8:28

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.