If you’ve been following the progression of Proverbs to this point you’d have been treated to some lovely extensive treatments about the basis of life being the pursuit of wisdom grounded on fearing God and leading to fullness of life and forsaking the foolish adulteress. These passages of scripture are essential for a proper grounding what is important in life. In as much as these scriptures have had classic one liners and sayings that would be oft repeated and in some cases ripped out of context, they have been building blocks to a home of thought about the virtue of wisdom.
When you mention proverbs, though, more often that not the thinking is more about the kind stuff you get from Proverbs 10 onwards. From Proverbs 10 we get bullet-point Proverbs. As a whole they don’t particularly go anywhere or construct a narrative, but like the one-liner of good comedian, the chapter is replete with little nuggets of thought that contains enough wisdom to confound people and yet illuminate the way to life. Such kernels of wisdom make up popcorn proverbs that are far more substantial than the other popcorns could ever manage.
As I studied Philosophy and Politics at university, I sat in on some interesting lectures. I recall one in particular where the noted lecturer giving an outline of some important political philosophy tome noted a ‘but’ in a passage and stated without blinking that this was one of the most important ‘buts’ in history. I can tell you that in as much as I was meant to be a budding graduate with some level of maturity, that phrase gave me the giggles.
Recovering from that brief moment of infantile humour, I grew to discover the power of the ‘but’ in our everyday life. Where things might be going well inserting that word can turn everything on its head and make things decidedly worse. Where things might have been going awfully, the inserting of that word turn things out to be lovely and sweet. Often I’ve used it whilst winding someone up about something they think might be going badly to deliver a message of glad tidings. It is replete in scripture especially in areas where the state of humanity is at an all time low in danger of being destined for Hades, but God in His infinite wisdom in the fullness of time gives us His Son and His Spirit to turn us from Hades towards the Kingdom of Heaven.
There’s a lot to be said about those ‘buts’.
When it comes to the path of wisdom and the way to enjoy life these ‘buts’ are even more crucial. Check out the trend throughout these popcorn proverbs how many of them ratchet up the comparison between righteous and wicked with the use of the essential ‘but’. Let’s consider some of these if we check those verses out …
Foolish sons saddens mothers; wicked brings no profit and have their craving thwarted; Slack approaches leads to poverty; Slack in harvest brings shame; wicked talkers hide violence and their name rots; babbling fools are ruined; crooks are exposed; hatred stirs strife; Those who lack sense can expect a rod in the back; Those who reject correction mislead others; hypocrites lie; those who talk much are bound to mess up; fools die for lacking sense; wrong-doing appears as a joke to a fool; wicked people get what they dread; wicked are swept away after the tempest; wicked get life shortened and what they expect dies; destruction is for the evil and they won’t stay in the land; those who speak wrong will be cut off as they only know to speak that way.
But
Wise sons gladdens father; Righteousness delivers from death; Righteous people don’t go hungry; Diligent people get rich; Prudent people save in summer; Righteous people are blessed; Remembering righteous people brings a blessing; Wise people take on board commandments; Walkers in integrity remain secure; Righteous speak life-giving words; Love covers all offences; Wisdom is spoken by people of understanding; Wise people store knowledge; Prudent people restrain their lips; Righteous speakers feed many; Righteous desires are granted and established forever; God fearers extend their lives; Righteous hope brings joy; Followers of the Lord’s way are provided a stronghold; Righteous remain unmoved and speak acceptable wise words.
As ever with the loving Lord the two ways are set out with the end stated clearly – the desire to live the full life is expressed BUT the choice is ours as to which path we will follow.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
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