The story thus far . . .

I know not everyone has been following this blog from the beginning, so I thought you might like an easy way to catch up. I re-edited all my posts on Proverbs 1 and have uploaded them in a pdf file. Please feel free to download it from http://www.paullytle.com/documents/Proverbs01.pdf.

Hope you enjoy them!

If you don't know what I'm doing with the blog, I'm basically going through Proverbs verse-by-verse and posting my thoughts and reactions. You can find the blog on my profile.

Proverbs 2:10: The Walter Peck in us all

“for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;”
-Proverbs 2:10

I was listening to a sermon this morning which was about, in part, how the new birth changes us. How we were once dead, and now live. How we can now see where once there was darkness.

And then the pastor said something very interesting to me, because it is something I’ve had to deal with when it comes to this blog. He said that if we use these sorts of phrases to people on the street (like, “We are all dead unless we have Jesus”), they will think we are mad.

I’ve had to think about that a lot in this blog, because Proverbs says things that are sometimes offensive to people who do not believe. Such as when it says that God is the source of wisdom and you can only get it from Him.

I am reminded of Walter Peck. Do you remember this character from Ghostbusters? He was from the EPA, and he was so determined to expose the Ghostbusters as frauds that he ends up releasing all the ghosts and causing terrible destruction.

We find this sort of person in life a lot (especially in customer service departments of major corporations). They aren’t necessary bad people, but they just don’t see the whole picture. Sometimes we are like that too. We find ourselves arguing a small point only, later, to realize that the issue was a much greater one.

I have to admit, if I had been a character in the movie Ghostbusters, I probably would have thought the whole thing was a scam.

When we encounter Christ in a real, there is an understanding of things that seemed so unimportant before. For me, I suddenly realized how my whole life had been leading toward Him, and I had an understanding of how He had been guiding me the whole time.

It was a very pleasant feeling, seeing all of this for the first time, even though I had lived it for more than twenty years.

When we speak of wisdom, we are speaking to the knowledge of our true place in this world, the true Power behind it all, and those things that are truly important. These are the things Jesus reveals.

And they can only come from Jesus and no other source. The reason for this is a simple one. Because we have done wrong in lust, greed, selfishness, and hatred, we fail to reach the standard of holiness needed to enter the presence of God. We have doomed ourselves in our thoughts, actions, and words.

Every other major religion in the world tells us to do better and make it up to God. But God is not someone who can be paid off in good works. He asks for holiness. Spiritually, we are dead in sin.

Jesus came to earth and lived a perfect life. Because He did that, He was able to take on our sin when He died on the Cross. He took our sins, and we can therefore take on His righteousness.

But this can only happen if we believe. Like Walter Peck, a lack of belief will only lead to disaster for us. It is only through faith that we find life. Repent of those years you tried to make it on your own and follow Him. You will find your eyes opened, and you will see as though for the first time. It will be pleasant to your soul.

Proverbs 2:9: Believing and understanding in the proper order

“Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path;”
-Proverbs 2:9

What wonderful goals these are. When I read this verse this morning, I think that’s what struck me first. What if we all lived like this.

So many organizations have sought these goals. So many people have made this their mission. Let’s take a look at these ideas.

Righteousness. Righteousness speaks of how we act in all situations. To understand this is to never say, “What should I do?” for the right way is ever before you.

Justice. To know justice is to know what people require and what they deserve. To act justly is to act fairly, to carefully weigh the actions and motives or others and to respond well.

Equity. To be equitable is to be evenhanded of all people. Race, creed, or position holds no sway over you. You favor no one because of that person’s power, beliefs, appearance, or anything.

Understanding. Let me go backward in the verse, for the gift of God here is the understanding of all these things. They are not merely lofty goals, but things that can be achieved.

Then. Let’s go back again, this time to the very beginning of the verse, because it tells us how to achieve these things. “Then” tells us that this verse is a reaction to the ones before it. And if we go back even farther, we learn how we get these things.

Is it by discipline? By going to conferences? Through diversity training? Do we have to study for a year? Go on missions to understand the plight of the third world? Deprive ourselves of chocolate? Tell me!

No. We have to believe.

You see, the whole first part of this chapter is about seeking the Lord, and the Lord will give us what we seek.

Too often do we seek righteousness, justice, and equity to understand God. We join these organizations, give time and money, hold rallies, study philosophy, and all to get a glimpse of the eternal. We have it backward. What the Bible tells us is to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).

Saint Anselm of Canterbury said it wonderfully: “Nor do I seek to understand that I may believe, but I believe that I may understand. For this, too, I believe, that, unless I first believe, I shall not understand.”

We seek to know God by chasing His attributes. No, let us seek God first, and He will show us His attributes as part of His nature.

To show us more of Himself, God came down to earth in the form of a man, Jesus. Jesus came to bridge the gap between us and God, so that we would not have to seek Him merely by chasing after righteousness and justice (which cannot really be understood fully without God), but by knowing Him, and in knowing Him, understanding.

Our sin requires punishment, and in His death on the Cross, Jesus paid our price, so now there is no excuse for us not to come. No sin in our lives is too great for His loving sacrifice. He calls with open arms, ready to bring us His own righteousness, His own justice, His own equity, and His own understanding. Most importantly, His eternal life. Repent of your old ways and ask for His forgiveness and Spirit, that you may understand. It will not work to seek understanding so that you may believe. You have to believe first, “then . . .”

Primum Mobile

Just a quick one here. I'm involved in an online magazine called Primum Mobile (http://www.primum-mobile.net). We just did our Winter issue, so please stop by. In it, I have a speech/article about Old Testament prophecies of Jesus. I had a lot of fun doing it and learned quite a bit. Take a look and let me know what you think!

Proverbs 2:8: Dad is coming!

“guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints”
-Proverbs 2:8

“Just wait until your father gets home!”

I’ve heard that threat in a lot of stories from a lot of people. I think for my generation and the generations before, there were multiple levels of punishment when you did something wrong. The first punishment would come from whomever was around at the time, whether it be your mother, a teacher, or someone at church. But then . . . dad would come home.

That threat was not an empty one. Usually, that first punishment would be bad enough, but then dad would come home, and he would hear the story for the first time, and he’d be angry. Usually, you’ve forgotten all about it. You’re probably in the back, playing with your toys, having a wonderful time, and then his car would pull up in the driveway, and you’d remember.

I’ve honestly struggled a lot with the idea of justice over the years. It is such a frustrating topic. We hear about violent criminals getting out on technicalities. Where is the justice? We hear about a rich boss who treats his employees terribly, and yet has great wealth. Where is the justice? Closer to home, I bet we’ve all seen someone recognized and awarded at work for something he didn’t do. It seems like everyone in the office knows he didn’t do it except the boss sometimes. Where is the justice?

Then there are the women who are raped. The family members of a young man who was murdered. The man who works so much to provide for his family that he hurts himself and becomes disabled. Where is the justice?

To many, the promise that God guards the paths of righteousness is an empty one. The world does not seem like a just place.

In Matthew 13:24-30, Jesus tells a story of a landowner who plants a bunch of wheat, but then an enemy comes in and plants weeds amongst the wheat. Well, if you tear up all the weeds right then, you’re going to pull up wheat too, so the landowner decides to let them both grow until the harvest, when he can safely separate them. In the meantime, all we can see is a bunch of weeds, and yet the landowner has things under control. God is like that.

And somehow, all of this makes sense. I don’t fully understand it, so I’m not going to be able to explain it. But God makes us an amazing promise in Romans 8:28 (NASB): “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

For now, rain falls on the just and the unjust alike. But God is in control, and He will make it right.

Do you believe that? Maybe this story will help. Because we had all fallen into sin, God came down to earth in the form of a man, Jesus. Jesus was sinless, the only man who ever lived that was sinless. And yet He died one of the most painful deaths imaginable. As the only sinless man ever, He was therefore the only man ever who did not deserve to die, and yet He did. It was the worst crime this planet has ever seen.

But He rose from the dead, and He ascended into Heaven, and when He returns it will be as a conquering King, come to take His rightful place upon the throne.

He will find justice, though he was wronged beyond comprehension. But His sacrifice also paid the price for our sin. Justice demands that sinners pay with blood, but He paid with His own Blood. Repent of your sin and trust Him for justice. In the end, we will be satisfied completely and without regret.

He is watching, moving all things, and watching over His people here. For those who don’t repent, He will come as the father comes home to a disobedient child: with punishment. But for the faithful, He watches over us like a good father will watch over his child.

I still struggle with the idea of justice in the world, but I find great comfort in that fact that He has a better handle on it than me. I can let Him take care of it.

Proverbs 2:8: Saint Paul Lytle the Handsome

“guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints.”
-Proverbs 2:8

Is there a patron saint of blogs? Sadly, I would be half surprised if there were not. I was going through some of the Roman Catholic Saints once because I needed one for a book I was writing. The book was set in medieval times, and I needed a saint’s name to use as a location. There were so many I eventually had to find a list of strictly medieval saints just to get a handle on things.

But actually, that list is remarkably short, since there have been countless saints that have not been acknowledged by the Roman Church.

Like me, for one.

Seriously. I think I may start writing not as “Paul Lytle,” but as “Saint Paul Lytle.” Maybe I could put a cool title on the end too to distinguish me. “Saint Paul Lytle the Younger.” “Saint Paul Lytle the Proverbs-Guy.”

When we start talking about saints, we sometimes run into trouble. I love tradition, but this is one of those times when tradition has really messed it up. So when I saw that this verse was talking about the saints, I knew I needed to clarify some stuff right away.

A saint is not someone who was a great person, who died and was “inducted” by a church, and then who did some miracles like appear in a loaf of bread. No, that’s not what the Bible says a saint is. A saint is a Christian.

Take a look, for example, at Jude 1:3: “Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.”

Hebrews 13:24: “Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those who come from Italy send you greetings.”

You’ll notice, for one, that the saints aren’t dead. Huh. You’ll also notice that all Christians seem to be lumped into that category. I cannot go into every mention of the word saint in the Bible, but do a search. You’ll find that the word “saint” means “Christian.”

But wait, you are saying. Isn’t a saint someone who’s really holy? Who’s blameless? Who’s got a direct line to God?

Yes. Those are Christians.

The Greek word for saint is hagios. It means pretty much that. Someone who is pure, holy, blameless. The Hebrew word means pretty much the same thing.

That’s us.

You see, everyone has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Everyone has. Our pride, selfishness, lust, and ambition have separated us from the perfect holiness of God. In this way, there is no one we can call a saint.

But then Jesus came. He is the Son of God, and He came as a man to guide us. He died on the Cross, and in that death He took on our sins and paid the price we should have paid.

And in so doing, He has given us His righteousness. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Because He took our sins, we are now blameless before God. We are saints. And as saints, we have eternal life.

Do you believe that? If you have not repented of your sins to God and ask His forgiveness, I ask you to do so. Ask Him to take Jesus’ sacrifice for your sins. Repent and follow Him.

Think of baptism as the canonization process.

Proverbs 2:7: Finding the right path by just walking it

“he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,”
-Proverbs 2:7

I had a coworker once who was somewhat of a party girl. She knew I was a Christian, and occasionally we would talk about Christ and such (though regrettably I did not speak to her much about these sorts of things). I remember distinctly during one of these conversations she told me something I had heard several times before from different people: “I’ll probably seek God when I’m older. Right now I just want to have fun.”

What struck me as odd about this statement was that this particular woman was miserable most of the time. She was just constantly in the bad mood. She may have made fun of me for NOT getting drunk all the time, but I was joyful, stable, and confident in my future, and she most certainly was not. I’m not really sure what “fun” she was holding out for, but I don’t think she was finding it.

She was not a Christian, of course, but I’ve seen this sort of thing in Christians as well, even in my own life.

When I first came to Christ, I accepted Him, but didn’t really do much about it. Not much in my life changed at first, and I really wasn’t doing much better in my life. But as I began to follow Him more, I noticed that the peace in my life increased.

I still sin. Probably a lot. And yet from His Word and His Spirit I have gained so much understanding a peace. I do not have to worry about all the little things of life, because I know my God will take care of me. I do not have to worry about decisions how to act, because I know which way is right. The more I obey, the more I find that this way is the only good path.

And the more I feel protected. Some of those sins that used to tempt me so terribly are all but gone from my life. Some remain, it is true, and yet even they are fading. The opinions and tauntings of others do not affect me nearly as much. Even other problems are taken care of. I know I do not have to worry about food or money, because He will provide. I still have a work, of course, and I am not rich, yet He makes sure I have enough. The more I obey, the more I realize that only He matters, and He will take care of me.

But the greatest provision from God is His Son. You see, I am not always upright, and I don’t always walk with integrity. I sin sometimes, and so I really have no claim on wisdom, peace, provision, or even life. I have lost that right. But in His death, Jesus took the penalty for sin that we should have paid. And therefore, when I repent, I have claim on His righteousness.

With righteousness, I have access to wisdom, peace, provision, and even eternal life. I can walk in the ways of Jesus because He took my place.

Repent of your sins and ask His forgiveness. It is only this way that we can have a relationship with God. There is no other way, because we have all sinned and fallen short of His Glory. Only through the Blood of Christ can we find life.

If you are already a Christian, please take a moment to pray for that party girl I mentioned. I have not seen her in years, but while she is on our minds, I ask you to pray for her.

Proverbs 2:6: Back to the source material

For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
-Proverbs 2:6

We do a funny thing in schools sometimes. We will, in these cases, study books about a writer rather than just reading the works of the writer. This is especially true with Classical philosophers and older works. We read the summary, the criticism, or the explanations without ever reading the source.

Personally, I have found Plato much easier to understand than all the books ABOUT Plato’s philosophy.

It’s not that the books about Plato are bad. Quite the contrary. Some are very good. But they are not substitute for the original.

We cannot say we are a fan of Stephen King when we have only seen the movie versions of his books. That’s not Stephen King; that’s an adaption by someone else. We cannot say that we loved GREAT EXPECTATIONS when we only read the Cliff’s Notes. We did not read the novel! We cannot say that we are a Platonic scholar when we have only read a journal article about the Allegory of the Cave.

That should seem obvious, and yet it is not when we approach God.

See, we have tried every way on earth to understand all of this, to become wise. We have philosophized on the meaning of life, the universe, and everything. We have studied nature and her laws, seeking to find her source and beginning. We have taken apart the body and wondered what makes us tick.

And God tells us, “I AM the meaning of it all. I AM the source and beginning. I AM the One who makes you tick.”

It’s not that these things are bad. They aren’t. It’s just like reading the critical essay on Plato rather than reading Plato. The essay can help you understand better, but it’s not a substitute. Science and philosophy can help us understand better, but they are not substitutes for the truth.

God explained Himself in His Word. And here’s the cool thing. Then He came to earth in the form of the man, Jesus, to teach us even more. Consider if you were reading Plato, and you have these critics trying to explain it to you, and then Plato shows up and says, “Look, you have it wrong. Let me help you.” You’d let him, right? Especially if there were a test on Friday!

Jesus came to help us. We, being imperfect and flawed, are unworthy of the Glory of God. But Jesus came to take our rightful punishment on the Cross and give us His righteousness. It’s like the test about God is on Friday (and you have to get a perfect score), and Jesus, who is God, told you, “I okayed it with the professor. I’m going to take the test for you.”

Let Him.

How do you let Him? Repent of your worldly ways. Repent to God and ask for His forgiveness. Then follow Christ. Read the Bible and let it change you.

Do you have to give up science, philosophy, or anything of that nature? No. But now you’ll come at it with a wisdom and understanding of the truth behind everything. Wisdom comes from Him, because He is the only one who has seen it all. And not only that, He created it all as well.

Proverbs 2:5: Mocking the giants

“then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.”
-Proverbs 2:5

Let’s be honest here. I don’t think here’s ever been an age so full of its own understanding as this one is. I enjoy history, and I’ve found that, throughout those many ages, people have had a respect for what came before.

Not this one.

We think people of the past were backwards, stupid, and oblivious to everything that was going on around them. We even make up lies about the past, such as that the medieval man hated science, or that everyone before Columbus thought the earth was flat. (This is utter hogwash; the early Romans accurately measured the size of the earth, something that even Columbus failed to do more than a thousand years later. That the earth was round was commonly known long before Christ.)

We mocked the sciences of older times, even though our understanding is merely built upon theirs. Our time is like the dwarf on the shoulder of the giant, but the strange thing about our time is that we mock the giant because he doesn’t see as far.

And woe to he who dares to question modern science! The documentary Expelled interviews some people who did just that, and many of them lost their jobs. Take a look at the online discussions where someone questions (with scientific data) the validity of evolution. The responses will astound you. The message is clear: do not question what you are told. This is the truth.

Which is exactly what those older times thought about their science, though they at least had the humility to consider that they did not know everything.

Last time, we looked at the first half of verse 5. The second half speaks of finding “the knowledge of God.”

Our age is a dwarf atop a giant. Well, the next age will climb atop our shoulders and see farther still. Hopefully, they won’t make fun of us too much, but we deserve it. Here’s the thing. God’s still settled miles above us. Our new Tower of Babel of science will never reach Him, no matter how much we try to convince ourselves otherwise. He founded this box we are in, formed its every corner. And He did it through wisdom:

The LORD by wisdom founded the earth;
by understanding he established the heavens;
by his knowledge the deeps broke open,
and the clouds drop down the dew.
-Proverbs 3:19-20

Now we are within the box, trying to look out, but only He can see that far. We think we can see it all, but we cannot.

The knowledge of God is an understanding of the truth in all things. Why does the plant grow? Well, we can have a long discussion about the science of that, and it will be true. But the deeper truth is this: God caused it to. The science is not wrong, it’s just incomplete.

That knowledge goes deeper and better still, because it strikes right into the heart of grace and love. With His help, we can understand how far we have strayed from His truth. We will see how much we have sinned and fallen short of His glory. We will see that we do not deserve life.

But we will also understand the depth of love God has for us, that He sent His Son to come, to guide us, and to die for us. In that death, He has taken the punishment we deserve for our sins. But He also rose again, that we may have life after death.

This is love as you have never known, and it can be yours by only turning from your old ways, repenting to Him, and following. Then you will understand something deeper again, that He can restore you and make you new, that He will move you in ways you have never known possible. You will trust in Him, because you know His understanding surpasses all.

Proverbs 2:5: The meaning of the word “awful”

“then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.”
-Proverbs 2:5

Did you fear your parents? I did, for sure. Yes, I loved them. Absolutely. Yes, they were very good to me. I don’t even want to suggest that they did anything wrong in their raising of me, because they didn’t. We didn’t always see eye-to-eye, but what snot-nosed kid who thinks he knows everything ever sees eye-to-eye with his parents.

But despite all the things they did right (and perhaps BECAUSE of them), I still feared them. We live in a time when so many parents are trying to be friends to their children, so maybe this isn’t as universal as I hope, but it certainly wasn’t a bad thing.

Why did I fear them? Because they have control over my life and could make me do pretty much anything they pleased. They could punish me when I did wrong. Most of the time, I tried to follow their rules because of that fear. I didn’t want to displease them because I wanted to keep TV rights!

And if I was punished and wanted mercy, then I really came to them in fear!

I was listening to a podcast the other day that was talking about the fear of the Lord, and I got frustrated as he tried to explain that “fear” was not a good word here. We’re not supposed to “fear” God, this person said, but it’s really just sort of a respect.

Respectfully, that’s hooey.

We are supposed to fear Him, though it is not a fear like we would fear a robber or a tyrant. It’s an awe that tells us, without doubt, that God should be obeyed.

At one time, the word “awful” meant something different than it does today. It meant, literally, “full of awe.” “Awe” is what you get when you are just floors with a sense of majesty, respect, reverence, and fear for something.

God’s like that. When you encounter Him (and I mean truly encounter Him, not just have the sense that God is out there somewhere), you will understand that He has total and complete control over your life. You will find Him awful in the original sense of the word. You will fear Him.

Why? For the same reason I feared my parents. Because He has sovereignty over my life. Jesus says:

I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!
-Luke 12:4-5

But take a look at our verse from Proverbs again. If you read back to the beginning of the chapter, you’ll find that this is God’s promise to those who obey Him. What? You mean to say that if I obey God then I’ll start fearing Him?

Yes. This is a REWARD.

See, I feared my parents in the way that I did because they were good parents. Some people fear their bad parents; I feared mine because they were good. They were just, powerful, and loving. I feared them, but I would not trade them for anything.

Our Heavenly Father should be feared, but not in a way you will regret. You will find Him just, which may frighten us, because we are lustful, prideful, hate-filled people. But you will also find great love and mercy. He is so loving that He sent His Son to us to die on the Cross for our sins. If we repent, then we will be washed clean.

A good father disciplines His children, but He does it for their good. So too will God discipline us to guide us on the right path. The path to life.

This is a wonderful gift, to know God as a father. Do not be fooled by the wisdom of the world that tells us that we are all “God’s children.” Only those who repent and come to Him in reverence, worship, and fear will be called His children (read 1 John 3 for more on this). Only those who obey. Repent to Him today, accept the sacrifice of Jesus, and ask for His mercy in fear and trembling. In this way will you find life.

Proverbs 2:4: Bibles are expensive!

“if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures,”
-Proverbs 2:4

What is this Book worth to you?

It’s funny, because I was recently out shopping for Bibles, and the cost of some of them surprised me. I found that I really couldn’t afford the ones I wanted. You know, the nice ones with all the footnotes and cross-references. I did, in fact, buy one of these for my wife, but I do have an older study Bible, so I passed on one for myself.

I’m the type who wants to topical Bible, the commentaries, the different translations, et cetera. But I get them more slowly than I would like, because they are very expensive.

But that’s my reaction to a book, not The Book.

Let me explain. Perhaps I can’t afford the new leather-bound study Bible with full color maps right now. But that is a book. I have plenty of copies of the Bible, which is The Book. The particular binding or paper is not the important part; it’s the message. That, to me, is worth any price I could pay and more.

Solomon tells us we should seek God’s Word like silver and treasure. He’s not the only one to make this comparison. Psalm 19:9 tells us this of God’s teachings: “More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.” Jesus also compared the Kingdom of Heaven to a treasure someone finds in a field, and that person sells all he has to buy the field so he can have the treasure (Matthew 13:44).

See, nothing in this world is sought by people like money. For money, we would sell out anyone or anything. And Solomon, the richest man in the world at his time, perhaps the richest ever, tells us, “Yeah, seek the Word with that intensity, that hunger, and that desire. You see what money means to all those people out there? Make sure God means that much to you.”

Why? Why should this Book be so important to us? Because it tells us how to gain life. In all our sins, like greed, we deserve death, but the Son of God, Jesus, came down from Heaven to take our place in death. By repenting and believing in Him, we can have eternal life. We can live, even though we die. If we follow Him, then we will not find the death we have earned, but the life that He has earned.

How do I know that? Because the Bible is about Him. That’s why it’s called “The Good Book.” Eternal life is something worth seeking after with that intensity. It is worth any price.

The great thing is this: you don’t have to drop a huge amount of money to get it. Oh, it’s worth it, but the Bible is available for free online at places like Bible Gateway. Many churches will give you a copy if you don’t have one. I recommend starting in the Gospel of John. Read it a couple of times, and you will have a good idea of who Jesus is.

I know what you are thinking. You’re too busy for all of that, right? Work’s been rough, and you have to put in some extra hours, and then there’s so much to do at home. There’s just no time to read John!

Do not fall for the lie that work or even home life is more important than this. Seek God as though your life depends on it. Because it does.

Proverbs 2:3: Stand up and shout!

“yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding,”
-Proverbs 2:3

There is a difference between believing in something and speaking out for it.

I was in a certain class of about twenty people a few years ago, and most of the people there (including the professor) were diametrically opposed to pretty much everything I believed in. They would pretty much spend the whole class period bashing Christianity and men and morality and the like. Now, you’ve probably guessed that I’m not terribly shy about voicing my beliefs, and I did.

In pretty much every class was I ridiculed, mocked, and even threatened, simply because I stood up for my beliefs. The professor, at times, even joined in.

I passed the class, so I’m not really worried about it.

But I found it rather funny that I would have a couple of people every class come up to me later and tell me that they agreed with what I said. I didn’t press them too hard on the topic, but I always wondered why they had just sat there while their beliefs were being trampled like that. But they did just that.

In truth, we all do it sometimes. It is one thing to believe in Jesus, but when you are around people who are mocking Him, do you say anything? Do you sit there quietly? Do you even laugh with them, so you won’t stand out?

The previous verse we looked at spoke of our hearts and minds. But this verse asks us to take our beliefs and turn them into action. I believe it is actually advocating two kinds of actions here. The first is to call out to God. Pray, sing, shout praises! Talk to Him. James 1:5 tells us this: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” God responds when we speak to Him.

But we can call out for insight in another way, by speaking to others. We are told to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations . . . teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Surely we have much to talk about. We were all sinners, rightfully condemned to death for our greed, lust, pride, and hatred. But even while we were sinners, opposed to God, Jesus came to die for us. He took our sin and gave us His righteousness. In repentance then, we have life. Surely this is worth singing! Surely we should be praising God in every breath and telling everyone the good news! Do not worry what you will say, because the Holy Spirit will guide you, but speak of this, for Christ Jesus is worthy.

Proverbs 2:2: My favorite class

“making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding;”
-Proverbs 2:2

In college, especially in my later courses, I was just about as happy as I could be in class. I devoured the material, and I loved learning new things, reading new books, and hearing new ideas.

Others were not so enthusiastic. You know what I mean: they were doodling pictures, taking naps, whatever.

I’ve noticed since then, people are sometimes surprised with how much I know. They are taken back when I can talk about history, literature, even science with relative ease.

I never thought it was that odd, but then I usually hang out with people who just as eagerly sought after education as I did. It is true that I’ve read a lot on my own, but a good chunk of what I know is ultimately a result of school, and I’ve had largely the same education as people around me. It surprises me, ultimately, not that they are surprised at me, but that they do not know what I do.

The difference, really, is that I paid attention, they I hungered after the material. I studied, I worked, and I learned.

Chapter 2 of Proverbs begins with several parallel passages about our response to God, and ultimately what we will gain through this proper response. In this second couplet in that series, Solomon speaks to the way in which we learn about God.

In short, the knowledge of God is something about which we should be excited. It should be like our favorite class, the one we look forward to all week. It should be like that book you can’t wait to start reading. It should be like the new episode of 24 you’re so anxious to see.

We looked at this in more detail in chapter 1, but there is a difference between wisdom and understanding. In short, understanding is that you know the Word and comprehend what it means. Wisdom is the ability to apply it to your own life.

“Make your ear attentive.” In other words, when you hear about God or read the Bible, pay attention! Understand that this is really important, and it deserves your full attention. “Incline your heart.” Now we’re going beyond just actions, but to your emotions. This isn’t something we should just do because we have to (like college algebra), but because we want to.

Do you think this is impossible? Honestly, if the idea of WANTING to read the Bible is foreign to you, you should be concerned. Peter tells us this: “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation -- if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.”

Have you truly tasted that the Lord is good? If you have, then you will want more. If not, then there is no wonder that the Bible seems boring to you. I urge you to make an understanding of Jesus a top priority.

None of us are good enough for heaven. We’re all tainted with greed, lust, and pride. But God is so good that He sent His own Son, Jesus, to take our place in death. On the Cross, Jesus paid the debt that we all owe.

It is His free gift, available to any who will repent from sin and follow Him. Truly the Lord is good, and His salvation whets my appetite for more, which is exactly why I read the Bible. It is why I make my ear attentive to wisdom and incline my heart to understanding.

Proverbs 2:1: Clean your room and you’ll get a cookie!

“My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you,”
-Proverbs 2:1

I sort of live life according to a reward system. It’s a rather simple thing. If I complete a project or do really well at work, I may buy myself a CD or something. And normally I won’t buy myself those things UNLESS I have done something worthy of it. When I got my Masters degree, for example, I bought the fifth season of Babylon 5. When I sold my first essay, I bought a guitar effects processor.

Basically, it’s the adult version of “You can’t have dessert until you clean your plate.”

Solomon here explains the benefits of following the Lord, and it’s tempting to think of this passage as a reward system, as though God were bribing people to become His friends. “Follow me and I’ll give you some ice cream,” it seems to be saying.

But that’s not quite it. The promise here is more in line with this one: “Work hard in school and you’ll have the skills to succeed in life.” See, God is not promising to buy you stuff when you do a good job. He is offering to change you into something better.

But we need to take a role in this change.

Our first part in this process is to receive His words and treasure His commandments. What does this mean? Well, God’s word is the Bible, so that’s a good place to start. If we receive it, that means we hear it, or read it. Which means we need to open the Bible and take a look.

Then we have to treasure it. So it doesn’t just mean reading, but also studying it, memorizing it, meditating upon it. It means following what it says.

And most of you are cringing at the thought.

You shouldn’t, because the story the Bible tells is a story specifically for YOU. It is about how all of us got caught up in rebellion against God when we went after our own desires, lusts, pride, anger, and greed, but how He sought to save us anyway. God came to earth in the form of a man to help us back. In His death on the Cross, He took the penalty for our rebellion.

The Bible tells of God’s great love and mercy for you. It is a story I never grow weary of.

We’re going to look at all the rewards of this in the coming entries, but they do not mean anything without Jesus. Only through Him can we escape death. Repent and turn to Him now, and begin this journey into life.