Journal Proverbs 7 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)
Scripture: “My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye; bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
Say to wisdom, “You are my sister”, and call insight your intimate friend—to keep you from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words.
For at the window of my house I have looked out through my lattice and I have seen among the simple, I have perceived among the youths, a young man lacking sense…” Prov 7:1-7a
Observation: Solomon doesn’t pull punches. With all the choice words, arranged in such beautiful order, stupid is still called stupid and fools are fully identified…
Analysis: I wish I would have taught my sons in this manner. Shucks, I wish I would have taught myself in this manner.
I don’t know if this is prophetic insight or not, but there are times where I can walk into the grocery store and get a sense of “that young man is [this or that]; that young person is bound up by [this or that].” It crushes my heart and I think “Lord, what should I do?” But that is another post.
Here is Solomon instructing how to avoid being “a young man lacking sense…” He could be talking about me.
Being absorbed, radically absorbed in pursuing Jesus is the thrust of this chapter. Dad is telling the son, “Listen to what I am telling you, son. Find value in my words. Please don’t roll your eyes, even don’t roll them in your heart. Wisdom must be the love of your life.”
Paul wrote to Timothy: “…train yourself for godliness, for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way…devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture…Practice these things. Immerse yourself in them, that all may see your progress…” (1 Tim 4:7b-15)
Either from Solomon or from Paul, I am directed to pay attention and embrace the truth—to avoid that gets set right in front of me and lulls me into being stupid.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are there with me every day, all the time. The physics of that is a mystery; I have no idea how you are with me and with so and so as well. One of the expressions of your grace is that if I call out, you never fail to answer. Help me to call out to you in a right manner, working pride out and humility in. AMEN.