Journey Through Proverbs Hits on the No-Nos!

When I was first wrestling with God over the spiritual content of this year's Mexico Experience, I didn't jump all over the idea of going through Proverbs the way I might jump all over a 3rd season of Jericho or the return of firecracker crunch ice cream to Baskin Robbins. One aspect of Proverbs that I wasn't really excited about addressing was all the sexual stuff. I didn't really want to argue with students about what it means to obey your parents and why it is so important. And finally, I didn't really want to say point blank to students, "Hey, you're a fool! It's time to wise up."

It's not that sexual stuff isn't important or that our relationship with our parents is somehow insignificant. But, I was just struggling to understand how and why those would be important subjects to address when we are "supposed" to be talking about serving people who don't have what we have, loving people like Christ loves us, and bringing justice to the social injustices of our world. Then my eyes began to be opened, and I began to see that there are just as many verses throughout Proverbs that talk about how we treat the poor, living justly, and serving others as there are about sexual immorality and listening to our parents. But then, the giant lightbulb that I have reserved for the most special of occasions (aka. bright ideas) went on and I realized that our sexuality has everything to do with the way we treat other people. The way we treat and respect our parents is going to determine how effective we are at loving people that are different than us. My relationship with my parents influences the way that I live out my sexuality. And ultimately, every single day I will make choices...healthy or unhealthy that will determine the course of my life. If I stopped and analyzed the majority of my decisions, I would get a clear picture of the health of my heart and the direction of my life.

That's when I realized Proverbs is about direction. Whereas I could read through Acts or the Gospels in an hour and be able to restate a general story line and some high points, I can't do that with Proverbs. There are no "high points." The book of Proverbs is one step after another, verse by verse, slow, but directional. There is not always rhyme or reason to the subject matter, because our lives are the same. Today I find myself strugging with laziness, while yesterday it was pride. If I deal with the pride and confess it, and offer it up to the Lord, then I can grow and be whole and live in reality. But if I don't, then I find myself the same person as I was yesterday, just as likely to deal with my laziness as I was yesterday to deal with my pride.

I hope as you continue to journey through Proverbs you realize that everything that comes up you are going to deal with in your life...In the Christian life all are fair game to talk about...we all struggle, let us be genuine brothers and sisters in Christ and confess with one another so that we might be healed as James tells us in the 2nd Testament...Today I find myself being challenged by yesterday's call to "wake up!" and to learn from the ants who are actually wise in the way they work. I leave on Wednesday for Israel, and there is a lot to do, and so rather than methodically (wisely) working through everything I need to, I have been avoiding details. "Working," but not working wisely. Pray for me...and I am praying for you that you will find your small group a safe place to confess to one another, pray for healing, and see God work miracles in your life.