Reading Proverbs Theologically – Part 2
Your most recent article talked about reading Proverbs theologically. Would you give an example or two?
Nathan
Nathan
Dear Nathan,
Thanks for asking. Here are a couple of examples. First, Proverbs 13:25 reads, “The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite, but the belly of the wicked suffers want.” Applying the steps I gave in my last article, I see two theological terms: “righteous” and “wicked.” These terms provide the starting point for my reflection. When writing down my reflection, I talk to God:
“Father, in this proverb You are connecting righteousness and satisfaction, wickedness and want. If it is true that the righteous are satisfied with food, how much more must it be that You, the Righteous One, are fully satisfied. I bless you as the Righteous One who lacks nothing. Your satisfaction is the fullness out of which You delight to bestow bounty upon me.
“Lord Yahweh, You have designed the world so that the righteous eat to their satisfaction; I do this every day. But I also know that wickedness robs the wicked of their appetite. They sing songs like “Can’t Get No Satisfaction.” The reason is that satisfaction doesn’t come from internal fullness, completed desire, or external sources. One must be right with You, Yahweh, the source of satisfaction, for appetite or aesthetics to be a context within which satisfaction may exist. Your design allows the poorest and hungriest of your children to live satisfied, and the richest, fullest sinner to find an insatiable black hole of longing which no pleasure can fill, eating them away like a tree rotting from the inside out.
“You are teaching me, Yahweh, that when I’m right with You, I can abide satisfied, whatever the state of my world. When I’m not right with You, there will be no satisfaction. Thank You for making it possible for me to be right, to be a member of Your family, to be united with Yahweh my Righteousness (Jer 23:6; 1 John 2:2). I bless You for the joy of inner satisfaction. When I find myself craving and lacking, it is probably a sign that I have turned my gaze away from You, the fountain of living waters (Jer 2:13).
“If I have rightly understood that Your satisfaction is the fullness out of which You delight to bestow bounty upon me, then my satisfaction should be the fullness of which I delight to bestow bounty upon others. Help me to see and seize opportunities to increase my own joy in sharing Your blessings with others.”
Second, let’s look at a proverb about women. Proverbs 14:1 reads, “The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.” The theological terms here are “wise” and “folly.” Proverbs 2:6–7 says, “For Yahweh gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright.” Folly is the opposite of how Yahweh thinks and acts. Again, I read theologically in conversation with God:
“Yahweh, wisdom comes from You (Prov 2:6). A wise woman is one who trusts You, knows You, and fears You (Prov 3:5–7; 31:30). She seeks Your wisdom as hidden treasure (Prov 2:1–4). I see that Your wisdom is constructive (Prov 3:19–20). It is creative (Prov 8:22–30). Lord Jesus, Creator of everything, all the treasures of wisdom are hidden in You (Col 2:3). Holy Spirit, You are the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding (Isa. 11:2) Who gladly fills Your children with wisdom and spiritual understanding (Col 1:9).
“All–Wise God, Wisdom Incarnate, Spirit of Wisdom, I worship You. Three in One and One in Three, Generous Giver of wisdom, I bless You (James 1:5). I rejoice that Your wisdom builds. It doesn’t destroy. Grant me more of Your wisdom.
“Thank You for giving my wife wisdom. Please increase it daily that we may build an enduring house for Your name and Your glory. Establish my sons in wisdom. Open their eyes to see You as the fount of all wisdom, as the Master Builder of their lives. He who marries a foolish woman, marries one who will destroy his home. Guard my sons, I pray, from folly and foolish women, even as You have guarded me.”
Blessings,
Philip
Thanks for asking. Here are a couple of examples. First, Proverbs 13:25 reads, “The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite, but the belly of the wicked suffers want.” Applying the steps I gave in my last article, I see two theological terms: “righteous” and “wicked.” These terms provide the starting point for my reflection. When writing down my reflection, I talk to God:
“Father, in this proverb You are connecting righteousness and satisfaction, wickedness and want. If it is true that the righteous are satisfied with food, how much more must it be that You, the Righteous One, are fully satisfied. I bless you as the Righteous One who lacks nothing. Your satisfaction is the fullness out of which You delight to bestow bounty upon me.
“Lord Yahweh, You have designed the world so that the righteous eat to their satisfaction; I do this every day. But I also know that wickedness robs the wicked of their appetite. They sing songs like “Can’t Get No Satisfaction.” The reason is that satisfaction doesn’t come from internal fullness, completed desire, or external sources. One must be right with You, Yahweh, the source of satisfaction, for appetite or aesthetics to be a context within which satisfaction may exist. Your design allows the poorest and hungriest of your children to live satisfied, and the richest, fullest sinner to find an insatiable black hole of longing which no pleasure can fill, eating them away like a tree rotting from the inside out.
“You are teaching me, Yahweh, that when I’m right with You, I can abide satisfied, whatever the state of my world. When I’m not right with You, there will be no satisfaction. Thank You for making it possible for me to be right, to be a member of Your family, to be united with Yahweh my Righteousness (Jer 23:6; 1 John 2:2). I bless You for the joy of inner satisfaction. When I find myself craving and lacking, it is probably a sign that I have turned my gaze away from You, the fountain of living waters (Jer 2:13).
“If I have rightly understood that Your satisfaction is the fullness out of which You delight to bestow bounty upon me, then my satisfaction should be the fullness of which I delight to bestow bounty upon others. Help me to see and seize opportunities to increase my own joy in sharing Your blessings with others.”
Second, let’s look at a proverb about women. Proverbs 14:1 reads, “The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.” The theological terms here are “wise” and “folly.” Proverbs 2:6–7 says, “For Yahweh gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright.” Folly is the opposite of how Yahweh thinks and acts. Again, I read theologically in conversation with God:
“Yahweh, wisdom comes from You (Prov 2:6). A wise woman is one who trusts You, knows You, and fears You (Prov 3:5–7; 31:30). She seeks Your wisdom as hidden treasure (Prov 2:1–4). I see that Your wisdom is constructive (Prov 3:19–20). It is creative (Prov 8:22–30). Lord Jesus, Creator of everything, all the treasures of wisdom are hidden in You (Col 2:3). Holy Spirit, You are the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding (Isa. 11:2) Who gladly fills Your children with wisdom and spiritual understanding (Col 1:9).
“All–Wise God, Wisdom Incarnate, Spirit of Wisdom, I worship You. Three in One and One in Three, Generous Giver of wisdom, I bless You (James 1:5). I rejoice that Your wisdom builds. It doesn’t destroy. Grant me more of Your wisdom.
“Thank You for giving my wife wisdom. Please increase it daily that we may build an enduring house for Your name and Your glory. Establish my sons in wisdom. Open their eyes to see You as the fount of all wisdom, as the Master Builder of their lives. He who marries a foolish woman, marries one who will destroy his home. Guard my sons, I pray, from folly and foolish women, even as You have guarded me.”
Blessings,
Philip