3 in 30 for 30

I was looking forward to reading Proverbs 3 this morning. It's a fantastic part of Scripture, and it contains my favorite verse:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

King Solomon knew the value of wisdom. It's basically what this book is about. It's very foolish to reject the wisdom of the Lord.

"By wisdom the LORD laid the earth's foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place; by his knowledge the watery depths were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew." v. 19-20

God spoke, and everything was made. I don't know how, and frankly in my mind it doesn't matter, because by grace I'm still alive for some reason. His wisdom made everything we know; and it was intended to be good.

This is why we are being warned to cling to wisdom, for the foolishness of the world is folly! Why reject the wisdom of the One who put breath in your lungs? It's because we're idiots.

But then, something near the end of the chapter caught my attention, hence the meme of the silly dog.

"Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, "come back tomorrow and I'll give it to you" - when you already have it with you. Do not plot harm against your neighbor, who lives trustfully near you. Do not accuse anyone for no reason - when they have done you no harm. Do not envy the violent or choose any of their ways." v. 27-30

These are commands. We are to look out for the broken (which, by the way, is EVERYONE). We are to live wisely with one another, even if we don't agree ideologically, socially, politically, culturally, etc. In short, we are to share this wisdom we have in Jesus with others, not as a "wise sage," but Jesus' heart for the broken.

"Do not envy the violent or choose any of their ways. For the LORD detests the perverse but takes the upright into his confidence." v. 31-32

Jesus detests perverse things. And became like us in the flesh.
He had every right to let us go. But he held firm... led to the slaughter.

This is how far Jesus detests sin. He detested it so much that he decided not to abandon us, because he saw how helpless we are without him. So, he took the curse.

We are to be that as the Church. To reflect Jesus' heart in such a way that those who are in evil and sin would see His heart, and would have no choice but to consider who Jesus is, not out of guilt (though we are), but out of awe. Infinite and Intimate Awe of the Almighty.