Contemporary Cultural Comparisons and Refreshing Reminders of Relationship
Every day we're reading or listening to part of the Bible together and sharing thoughts with you. Today Mal Calladine gets into our ninth monthly chunk of ‘Practical Proverbs’… nuggets of knowledge that have loads of life application.
What did I like about today’s passage?
Two things impacted me.
1. I liked the parallels in chapters 25 and 26 to the situation we find ourselves in this ‘second spiking’ COVID season: so many little couplets are a metaphor starting ‘like’ or ‘as’… and many of them I thought spoke to how we consider our own current personal responses.
“like a bad tooth, or a lame foot, is reliance on the unfaithful in times of trouble” (25:19)
These ARE times of trouble, and it’s time for the faithful to step up! And to do it thoughtfully and well (25: 20), not singing light and frothy songs to those with a heavy heart. If we don’t acknowledge the season we are in, it’s like taking away a coat on a cold day!
To provide even for enemies (25:21-22), but not give way to the wicked (25:26) and be really self-controlled in considering our own potential for excess and seeking honour rather than humility (25: 27-28; and most of chapter 26!)
2. In chapter 27 there were verses that I’d highlighted in the past that came with reminding refreshment of real friendships:
“better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted” (27:5-6a)
“the pleasantness of one’s friend springs from his earnest counsel” (27: 9b)
“as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (27: 9b)
The quality of relationship where we can take a rebuke, because there is trust; who we can take input or counsel from; and who keeps us sharp? It made me ponder my journey of those kind of relationships.
What did it show me about Father God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit?
To the first area, it was the reminder that ‘faith comes from hearing the Word’ (Romans 10: 17). That the motivating encouragement I need to respond in action, comes from His Word: where I hear with my ear; believe in my heart; which brings the conviction I need to then respond.
To the second area, that God isn’t about superficial relationship. That even in the Godhead, they model real, authentic relationship, 3 in 1. The Holy Spirit does nothing on his own, but only what He hears the Father and the Son are doing (John 16: 13-15).
What am I going to do differently as a result?
The main ‘action response’ I felt to the first area was 25:25: “like cold water to a weary soul, is good news from a distant land.” I first was impacted by this verse when visiting the church in Jakarta, Indonesia. In the most populous Muslim nation in the world, the church there were unable to meet in large numbers, not because of pandemics, but because of bombs being planted when they met in bigger gatherings. Yet their dynamism, creativity, faith, vitality and growth in their situation were so impacting to me. Being with them raised my faith of what God can do, and I came home quoting this verse a lot, and telling many stories. I felt reminded this was a season to bring faith to weary souls by telling encouraging stories from far away!
In the second area, it was the conviction to invest in my most trusted relationships. Those who I trust to rebuke me well, rather than staying quiet; give good wisdom-ous counsel; and keep me sharp. “Faithful are the wounds of true friendship”.
Who am I going to share this with?
I’m going to contact those far away that I know have energy, adaptability, creativity and faith; and ask them what’s going on? And then I need to share those stories here, with those I think are weary!
And I’m going to contact some deep friendships to ask if they are up for more journeying of sharpening, rebuking and counsel!