March 12th, 2012
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Not Such Easy Choices

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Opening Prayer

Loving Lord God, grant me the profound inner peace that results from trusting You completely. I bless Your name.

Read PROVERBS 24:1-22

[1] Do not envy wicked men, do not desire their company; [2] for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble. [3] By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; [4] through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. [5] A wise man has great power, and a man of knowledge increases strength; [6] for waging war you need guidance, and for victory many advisers. [7] Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the assembly at the gate he has nothing to say. [8] He who plots evil will be known as a schemer. [9] The schemes of folly are sin, and men detest a mocker. [10] If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength! [11] Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. [12] If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done? [13] Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste. [14] Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. [15] Do not lie in wait like an outlaw against a righteous man’s house, do not raid his dwelling place; [16] for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity. [17] Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice, [18] or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him. [19] Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of the wicked, [20] for the evil man has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out. [21] Fear the LORD and the king, my son, and do not join with the rebellious, [22] for those two will send sudden destruction upon them, and who knows what calamities they can bring?

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Meditate

“The larger question for us is not, ‘Will you cross the finish line’? Rather, ‘Whose hand will you be holding as you cross the finish line’?” (Leonard Sweet).

Think Further

There are many young people in Western countries who are not in employment, education or training. One project I read about attempts to reach out to them. It was initiated by a former banker who funded a trial project called “Grandmentors.” The project explored whether time spent with a sympathetic and wise older person may help these youth find their way in a complex world. The idea emerged from this man’s happy experience with his grandfather, a wise, non-judgmental man who passed on to his grandson the importance of humor, of keeping calm and not jumping to conclusions.

Our text for today is mentoring material! It provides the final section of 30 sayings or instructions that begin at 22:17 and are addressed to “my son” (23:15,26; 24:13,21). These sayings are similar to the material we find in Proverbs 1-9.

This is mentoring we will never grow out of! How do we choose to respond to evil, to the wrongdoing of which we become aware? What does it look like to react wisely to people we perceive to be wicked? Here are many “do not’s” by which to measure our behavior (1,15,17,19,21), but the most demanding mentoring word is a “do,” calling us to moral courage, to act with integrity (10-12). This instruction is unique in Proverbs for urging us to oppose evil directly. English translations of v. 11 are unhelpfully weak: the Hebrew is a strong imperative, “Rescueﾅ!” and puts its finger uncomfortably on the kind of blind-eye turning (12) that makes possible concentration camps, environmental destruction and the bullying that shamefully drives many children and adults to suicide today.

Apply

Ask God to bring to your mind a person you can mentor, or be mentored by. Pray for wisdom and insight to embody and share the truths of today’s passage.

Closing prayer

Lord, You weigh my heart and watch over my soul (12). Give me courage to see as You see, and to act as Your Spirit prompts me.

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