Skip to main content

Lovingkindess 4

           When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. (Proverbs 31:21-23)

          There are two effects that this woman’s lovingkindness has in today’s passage. The first is that she is prepared for emergencies. She’s not afraid of the snow, or anything other circumstances, because all of them are prepared. And they are as well dressed as they can be. I don’t know what the colors of the material have to do with a quality that would prepare them for the cold, except perhaps that the red and purple dyes work well on material like wool. It tended to be expensive, so the clothes had to be well made. In general, lovingkindness tends to involve not being caught unaware by circumstances and scrambling to catch up or fearing deprivation and hoarding.  

          The other factor, somewhat related, is that she behaves in such a way that her husband is not embarrassed by her. It may even be because of what she has done that he is respected. Even if it isn’t, lovingkindness involves caring about the reputation of the other equally with your own, or as more important than your own.

          One of the ways these two might be related is that when one does not respect oneself, it’s hard to respect someone else or look to their being respected. So we’re back to the idea of it is by having enough of something, self-respect in this case, to face emergencies is better than needing to catch up or to so afraid of being humiliated that one has to hoard and play the miser with respect for anyone else.

          This is not to suggest that we should encourage the games that are being played to delude people into thinking they are respectable winners, powerful victors just by showing up, and that you can have self-respect by browbeating others. The point is that we can and should prepare ourselves and those around us for trials, and through our faith in God and our preparations, not feel the need to embarrass or harm others in order to protect ourselves.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Higher Thoughts

  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the  Lord . “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)           The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments,   for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord      so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (I Corinthians 2:15-16) If you read about the ancient gods of the various peoples, you’ll find that they think just like people. In fact, they think just like the sort of people we really wouldn’t want to be around. They think like the most corrupt Hollywood producer or, like hormone overloaded teens with no upbringing.   It’s embarrassing to read. I have a friend who argues that because God is not just like us, He is so vastly dif...

A Virgin?

           Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)           This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:18)           But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”            “How will this be,” Mary asked the...

Saved?

  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:28-30) “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ ” (Matthew 7:21-23) Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.” (Romans 3:4)   What conclusion do you draw when someone who was raised in a Christian family and church, perhaps even playing a significant role in a chur...