Wise giver

For Friday, September 8, 2006
Proverbs 3:28

Do not say to your neighbor, "Go, and come again,
tomorrow I will give it" - when you have it with you.

We saw how the wisdom that is taught to man in the Proverbs is the wisdom that God possesses.

When teaching on prayer in Luke 11:5-9, Jesus uses the example of a man who needs bread to entertain a guest, and bangs on the door of his friend's house to ask that his friends provide the bread. Jesus says that the friend will provide the bread because of the man's persistence, notwithstanding the friendship that the two have.

God of course, answers our prayers for that which we need out of his mercy and love for us. If even we will give things that inconvenience us for the sake of the needy person's persistence, how much more does our heavenly Father provide for our needs to his harm from his love.

God always "has it with him" and in his wisdom he provides it for all who need it. So we act wisely in this regard, we act in with godly wisdom.

Pursuing Justice

For Thursday, September 7, 2006
Proverbs 3:27

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
when it is in your power to do it.

The phrase, "those to whom it is due" is literally "those to whom it belongs," but the translation here communicates the proper sense of things.

Within biblical patterns, "ownership" is not so much a matter of holding the deed or claiming a right as it is the free communication of goods as an overflow of divine charity. Thus barring the poor from gleaning in one's field would have been as much as violation of the eighth commandment as stealing a neighbor's donkey.

As the Geneva notes on this proverb, "withhholding" from others here means "not only from them to whom the possession belongs but also you shall not keep it from them who have need of the use of it."

In what ways, then, do we hold good from others? Are we stingy with encouragement or expressions of concern and sympathy? Do we hold back from giving of our time or financial resources when we know we could help? Do we get caught up in our work or hobbies or other interests in a way that causes us to neglect more pressing or important concerns?

If he who was rich became poor for our sakes when it was not at all our due, how much more should we freely give to when face with the obligations of right or of charity.

Confidence in the Lord

For Wednesday, September 6, 2006
Proverbs 3:25-26

Do not be afraid of sudden terror
or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes,
for the LORD will be your confidence
and will keep your foot from being caught.

You go to the doctor and a routine checkup reveals and unexpected and dreadful condition.

You walk down the street in a dangerous city, never sure of what lies around the corner.

Fear of death is a great impediment to living righteous life in the present. It can cause paralysis and direct us to "save our life" only to find we will still lose it.

Knowledge of the resurrection found in our Lord is our assurance in the face of death. We know through faith in the resurrected Christ that we will not be caught in the grave forever. We have confidence in what we do now for the Lord who will raise us.

Athanasius described this phenomenon, using it as a 'proof' of the change brought by Jesus resurrection

A very strong proof of this destruction of death and its conquest by the cross is supplied by a present fact, namely this. All the disciples of Christ despise death; they take the offensive against it and, instead of fearing it, by the sign of the cross and by faith in Christ trample on it as on something dead. Before the divine sojourn of the Saviour, even the holiest of men were afraid of death, and mourned the dead as those who perish. But now that the Saviour has raised His body, death is no longer terrible, but all those who believe in Christ tread it underfoot as nothing, and prefer to die rather than to deny their faith in Christ, knowing full well that when they die they do not perish, but live indeed, and become incorruptible through the resurrection. But that devil who of old wickedly exulted in death, now that the pains of death are loosed, he alone it is who remains truly dead. There is proof of this too ; for men who, before they believe in Christ, think death horrible and are afraid of it, once they are converted despise it so completely that they go eagerly to meet it, and themselves become witnesses of the Saviour's resurrection from it.

quote taken from On the Incarnation

Life for Your Soul

For Tuesday, September 5, 2006
Proverbs 3:21-24

My son, do not lose sight of these -
keep sound wisdom and discretion,
and they will be life for your soul
and adornment for your neck.
Then you will walk on your way securely,
and your foot will not stumble.
If you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

In a time when war and terrorism are much on people's minds, the promise of ongoing security, political stability, and living without fear either sound very enticing or too good to be true.

In Proverbs, we find the encouragement and instruction of an aging monarch toward his son, the future king whose wisdom and discretion will someday provide not only for his own life and security, but also, as the head of the body politic, will assure the life and security of his people.

If we treasure the wisdom found through fear of the Lord, we may claim these promises here for ourselves. Nonetheless, it is in the kingship of Jesus Christ that these promises find lasting fulfillment. In the life of Jesus - and especially in the shadow of his cross - we know the true character of these promises.

While God promises security, he does not promise us safety from every threat, since even his own wise Son underwent execution at the hands of power. While our Father promises that we will not stumble, he does not guarantee the path we walk will remain without danger, since even Jesus' discernment followed the way of the cross. While God offers us rest without fear, he does not promise that we will escape death, since Jesus himself was laid in the darkenss of a sepulchre.

In light of Jesus' resurrection and glorification as king, however, we know that in him by faith we have security, stability, and hope. We know that these can withstand every threat we face in our world, since in his resurrection life Jesus, the wisdom of God, becomes life for souls.