Mission Faithwalk

          A scoundrel and villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth, who winks with his eye, signals with his feet, and motions with his fingers, who plots evil with deceit in his heart—he always stirs up dissension. Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy. (Proverbs 6:12-15)           As I begin considering today’s passage, I feel naïve, sheltered, protected. I find it hard to believe that such people exist. I’m sure that they must, but I want to think it’s outside of my own circle of experience. That’s because in my mind, I picture these people as greasy, melodramatic, comic-opera style villains. There’s part of me, just as it is part of a lot of other people, that has this notion that serial killers somehow look like serial killers. Ted Bundy looked like “the boy next door.”           I have met people who post things in social media like someone putting bait into the water and tow it slowly behind their “boat.”

             How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man. (Proverbs 6:9-11)   This morning is a test of yesterday’s thought. Is a sluggard merely a lazy person, or might it include a person who lives for today? At least using today’s passage, the hedonist gets a pass. Only the lazy person seems to be involved. The question for us, and for me especially, is whether or not our sleeping habits are those of a sluggard. So, what do we know about sleep? Are we sleepy sluggards? According to a Gallup poll from 2013, Americans average six point eight hours of sleep per night. Another poll claimed that twenty percent of Americans get less than six hours per night. In comparison, in 1910, Americans reported getting an average of nine hours of sleep per night. I suspect that ancient Israel was more like Ameri

            Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. (Proverbs 6:6-7)             Thoughts about the ants have changed. In Biblical times, the ant was considered as having no commander, overseer, or ruler. Then science came along and discovered that ant colonies had what the scientists called queens, soldiers, and drones, just as the societies around the scientists did. More recently, ants have been declared super-organisms because the ants appear to operate as a unified entity, collectively working together to support the colony. Curiously, that sounds an awful lot like an ideal socialistic society. [1] n Fortunately for the scientists, it hasn’t really been considered that ant colonies are “nationalistic.” Each colony is a separate super-organism. No other colonies and no other “races” allowed, except as slaves.           What is more interesti

          My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge for another, if you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth, then do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go and humble yourself; press your plea with your neighbor! Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids. Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler. (Proverbs 6:1-5)             I suppose something like this still happens. People may not be as close or dependent on their neighbors as they once were, but “neighbors” can include family members and friends. You co-sign a loan or provide collateral. Everything seems to be going along perfectly, until the collection agency calls you because that family member of friend missed payments.            Solomon’s advice is wise. My own reaction, if my finances allowed it, would probably be to pay

                For a man’s ways are in full view of the LORD , and he examines all his paths. The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast. He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly . (Proverbs 5:21-23)             I watched the first few minutes of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s talk on his five rules of success. The first rule was to have a clear vision of what you want to accomplish. I’d always figured that his body building was his vision, and that movie-making was the answer to “So now what do I do?” He said that the movie-making was always part of the plan. He kept that plan in mind, working out for hours every day. He had discipline.            Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl put it a little differently. He said that if you know your why, you can handle the how.   Too often, my whys get mixed up. I want to please the Lord, who sees all that I do. His paths are paths of discipline. But I also want to please myself. As for m

          Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well. Should your springs overflow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares? Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers. May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe, a graceful deer—may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love. Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another man’s wife? (Proverbs 5:15-20)             Didn’t I say that Solomon didn’t have a problem with sexuality? I find myself wondering when he wrote or said this. Was it after the foreign wives that the Law forbade him to have got him involved with the worship of their gods? Was he recognizing that error in his own judgment? I don’t know. Once again, however, I think the lesson needs to extend beyond sexuality.           It seems as if we are always looking around, assuming that everyone else has it b

My son, pay attention to my wisdom, listen well to my words of insight, that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge. For the lips of an adulteress drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil; but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave. She gives no thought to the way of life; her paths are crooked, but she knows it not. (Proverbs 5:1-6)             Yes, we’re back to adulteresses. Sigh. Some might wonder what Solomon’s problem is with sex. I don’t think he had one. He had hundreds of wives and even more concubines. He’s the guy who wrote Song of Solomon. Don’t read that to anyone under eighteen. They’ll accuse you of being a pedophile. I don’t think his problem was with sex. As I said before, it was with disloyalty.           Yesterday, in a Face Book writing group, someone asked in what ways we differed from the author stereotype. A few of us went off on a shor

          Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. (Proverbs 4:25-27)              I don’t have Attention Deficit Disorder, at least I don’t think I have ADD. Watch me when I’m doing research, writing, or doing something that requires focus. I have been known to spend the better part of eight hours staring at a micro-film reader screen. No, I don’t have ADD, but if I sit across the table from you at a restaurant, and a bird or butterfly lands outside the window, or someone at another table says something, or someone walks by, or just about anything, and you’ve lost me. It might be for a split second. I come back, but I am easily distractible.            I suspect many people are more like me than they might like to admit. What distracts them might be different, but it’s still there. I think this is what Solomon was talkin

Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. (Proverbs 4:24)             Yesterday, “Guard Your Heart.” Today, “Watch Your Mouth.” Since what comes out of the mouth is indicative of what is in the heart, they are in the right order. Listen to what our mouths say, both our individual mouths and the mouths of our society.            What comes out of your mouth. I grew up in a household where what most people would call bad language wasn’t used.   That doesn’t mean that there was no bad language. My mother was known for balderdash and folderol . My own preferences for expletives changes, but includes blast, blasted, (Oh) bother, and rats. In junior high school, I got in trouble with a girl in my neighborhood because when she kneed me (I never knew why) I called her a name. After weeks of being bullied, my mother finally intervened and brought the matter to the vice principal’s attention. The girl defended herself with the statement that I’d called her

                  My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body. Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. (Proverbs 4:20-23)             The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?               “I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.” (Jeremiah 17:9-10)           “Trust your heart.” Three of the most dangerous words in the English language. Our passage in Proverbs talks about the heart being the wellspring of life. The thing about wells was that they had to be protected. Even today, our water sources need to be protected, from people, from animals, from parasitic, bacterial, or viral agents. It is vital to our societies that fresh, clean drinking water is available.      

                Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching. When I was a boy in my father’s house, still tender, and an only child of my mother, he taught me and said, “Lay hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands and you will live. Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Esteem her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you. She will set a garland of grace on your head and present you with a crown of splendor.” (Proverbs 4:1-9)              When I was in high school, I hated history. Who wanted to memorize names and dates? Yes, I drew a timeline covering from the earliest history to the modern day, but I don’t think I really learned anything from

          Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways, for the LORD detests a perverse man but takes the upright into his confidence. The LORD'S curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous. He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble. The wise inherit honor, but fools he holds up to shame. (Proverbs 3:31-35)             Yes, I know. Pie-in-the-sky, by-and-by. Karma’s going to get the bad guy eventually. In the meanwhile, he’s got money to burn, more toys than he can play with in three lifetimes, and everyone loves him, but we’re not suppose to envy him. I admit, I struggle with envy sometimes. I know some people who claim that I’m the one who should be envied, but I know people who have had two wonderful marriages. I go by houses, mobile homes, and RVs that make where I live look like a pile of junk. It was envy of a fictional character that sparked my return to the university, and the biggest thing I learned was that I didn’

Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow”— when you now have it with you. (Proverbs 3:28-29)             I like the idea of doing good works, not because they’ll get me into heaven, but because of the helper’s high. Doing good makes me feel good. I keep telling myself that someday, I want to be able to do this, or that, and to donate the other. When someone comes to me with a request, however, I’m often too busy, or I can’t be away from Dad, or I don’t have money… There’s always an excuse, and some of those excuses are true, legitimate, and valid. There are other times, however, when the reality is that I don’t want to do or donate as much as I want the security of holding on to the money.              I think today’s passage is the flip side of something I’ve written in the past. I’ve said that the evil that we are tempted to do is more evil than the evil we aren’t tempte

                My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble; when you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared. (Proverbs 3:21-26)             Have you ever noticed how is it is to get lost? Let your concentration slip for one one millionth of a second, and wham! Where you wanted to go is somewhere way over there and where you are is L.O.S.T. For a couple months, I’ve had a shoebox on my dresser, in which I’ve put stuff that needs to be attended to. I have stacks of books, most of which will probably go back without being opened and late. I also have stacks of projects I was going to accomplish this summer: curtains, hats, cl

            By wisdom the LORD laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place; by his knowledge the deeps were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew. (Proverbs 3:19-20)               If you looked in my front yard, you’d find two service berry bushes that are probably three feet tall. In my back, you’d find a peach tree and a crab apple. Both are at least seven feet tall. If you cut them down, you could count the growth rings and determine how old they were. Would knowing that tell you how long they have been in my yard? Since most of you know that I planted them all this summer, clearly the answer is “no.” They grew at a nursery until I brought them home and planted them. Your understanding of how the world works was not a consideration in my purchase and planting of the trees. Among my concerns were the well-being of the plants, the hope of enticing some birds other than House Sparrows, Pigeons, and Mourning Doves to my yard, and the prospect of en

          Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed. (Proverbs 3:13-18)               We live in an era in which some people want us to believe that reality is a malleable construct of the imagination. I’m not sure whose imagination is supposed to have constructed it, but apparently, it is not mine. In this supposed construct, if a person decides or discovers that he/she identifies as a woman, he/she is a woman. If as a man, he/she is a man. If as a cat, he/she is a cat. Society seems to have the responsibility to accommodate those identities, unless the identity goes beyond what is conside

         My son, do not despise the LORD'S discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. (Proverbs 3:11-12)   And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” (Hebrews 12:5-6)             Uh oh. Discipline? Discipline implies that we are doing something wrong. That we are not good enough. That someone else has authority over us. That someone has the right to demand things of us and to …punish us. That sounds like a job for a god, not a man. Of course, even when God is the god in question, we still tend to resent it. Nobody’s perfect. Why can’t I be considered good enough? After all, I’m not like (name your favorite sinners.) Hint: if you reject the Lord’s discipline, in that, you ar

          Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. (Proverbs 3:9-10)             Part of the reason I garden is in hopes of having produce to share with my neighbors, with friends, with people at church, and through the church, with those who come to our food pantry. Over the past couple years, I’ve shared plants with my neighbor. Buying three seedlings is less expensive than buying one larger plant. This year my neighbor and her family got kale and yellow squash. Since the yellow squash is the plant that has been producing for me, I was able to give three to the food pantry. Unfortunately, my friends are the ones who end up last on the list. It’s a small garden. I’m hoping to learn to do better next year.            Most people don’t do much gardening. We’re no longer an agricultural society. A number of churches I’ve attended suggest an alternative that mak

                Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. (Proverbs 3:7-8)             It should be simple. We should support those things in society that have shown themselves to be good for the world and for society, and not support the things in society that either have shown themselves not to be good for the world and for society, or that logically cannot be good. Wisdom would suggest choosing the things that have proven themselves best for the world.           Some things are good for society. Some things aren’t. Unfortunately, many people today are so focused on feelings that they insist that whatever accommodates a person’s feelings must be accepted, promoted, and celebrated. They think the things that are good for society are bad for society because they aren’t all-inclusive.   They also think that things that are bad for society are good for society because the standards are lowered f

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)             Thoughts swirl through my mind. There’s so much to cover here. The first thing is that this is counter-intuitive. It’s counter-rational. That doesn’t mean it’s irrational, just that it goes against our rational ideas. It doesn’t make sense to us. Shall we trust someone who Is so completely out of our control? Someone whose estimation of a good idea can mean that we are troubled and burdened? This idea makes me want to stamp my feet and say, “I don’t wanna. ” See how far that gets any two-year-old with a good parent.            Understanding is a key for me. I go through times when my mind develops choruses with which it regales my imaginary audience. Right now, it’s “But you don’t understand.” Like a broken record, my mind never seems able to go on to explain who doesn’t understand or what they fail to

My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. (Proverbs 3:1-4)             In yesterday’s blog, I made it clear that what I discussed wasn’t really what the Solomon was talking about. It’s not that I don’t think the things I said are true, it’s just that they weren’t really there to be drawn from the passage. I put them on the passage. I even said so at the time. What I was saying really had nothing to do with what Solomon said. I meant well, but I apologize for the misappropriation of Scripture.            Today’s passage is of a sort that I think is often misappropriated. People see the words “love” and “faithfulness” and put on them what they want them to mean. There are quips about real friends helping hide