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“Train Up a Child…”- Proverbs
What better book to help train up a child than Proverbs? Granted there are some subjects in Proverbs that are too much adult information for a child. Nevertheless, I believe that there is much in every chapter that would profit our children and help them grow up to be wise adults. It is an important balance for the parent or teacher to allow a child to be a child while teaching them the important principles that will train them up to be wise adults. Too many adults in this generation lack wisdom. Even those with lots of street savvy or book learning, many times, do not have the wisdom to…
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The Most Woman-Friendly Book in the Hebrew Bible
Several weeks ago, someone asked why we don’t see more women in the Bible. My exploration of the answer launched me on a multi-part series which just happens to coincide nicely with Women’s History Month. You can find the first two posts here and here. Today I want to continue looking at how we miss some of the women in or behind the text—contributing to it—when they’re actually present. My friend and colleague, seminary professor Dr. Ronald B. Allen, teaches through the Bible’s Poetical books. And he loves to help students see and celebrate the emphasis on women in the Book of Proverbs. He notes, “Because the addressee of wisdom in Proverbs…
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Who do you trust?
Everything fell to pieces six weeks into what should have been my dream life. I had spent years working toward this season, and yet I watched as everything collapsed around me. With each passing day, I sought to hold onto what I believed was God’s path for my life, despite the dysfunction, medical diagnoses, isolation, and rejection that surrounded me. I attempted to stay focused on what I knew to be God’s truth, but God seemed distant and silent. As I trudged through life, the weeks turned into months of uncertainty and silence. I spiralled as the burning question of “why?” remained unanswered. I slowly stopped trusting the Lord for…
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To Spank or Not To Spank–That is the Question
What one considers child discipline, another considers child abuse. Yelling and hitting may break a wayward child’s will but could also crush a child’s spirit. Too many children grow up feeling unloved due to a parent’s harsh critical anger. Some become timid melancholic children who share their time between unloving volatile homes, and schoolyards where they are easy targets for teasing. And these children will often tolerate abusive treatment as adults. I get it. Parents feel the need to exercise strict disciplinary action so their children don’t grow up to be psychopaths. But yelling and hitting don’t teach a child anything good. Besides,…
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The Golden Rule
We all know that “Two wrongs don’t make a right” and “A stitch in time saves nine.” These and other handy proverbs provide nutshell explanations of broader concepts. Even in first century Israel, people wanted short clarifications of complex things. In their pre-internet, pre-printing press era, Israelites exchanged information and got their educations by questioning Jewish Teachers, or Rabbis, in formal gatherings. As a Rabbi, Jesus constantly fielded questions, even from know-it-all religious leaders (Mt 22.34-36). The Israelites had numerous rules, Mosaic Law and Talmud, while Gentiles had little if any familiarity with the Old Testament, and neither knew what to do. So, when a crowd gathered on a…
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Missing the Mess
I try to keep my world uncluttered but as fast as I clean it up, the mess reappears. I'm not blaming people I love who don't seem concerned about their litter. They just walk around it, without a care. I wish I could do that. I wonder if I stopped my incessant organizing, sanitizing, and straightening, how long would it take for anyone to notice. Would we drown in the mayhem first? I remember reading about a woman's routine before bed time: letting the dog out, making lunches, locking doors, setting the alarm, signing permission slips, picking up clothes and toys, setting out clothes for tomorrow, fluffing the pillows…
