Scripture:
- Proverbs 8:13
Observations:
This is a very straightforward passage. If I say I love God and I follow him with my whole heart, that he is head over my life, then I will abhor evil. One cannot love both God and evil. They are at loggerheads. Evil is disobedience of God. One will either love God and hate evil or vice versa.
What's interesting, though, is the author of the proverb then lists a few things which fall into the category of evil:
- Pride & arrogance
- The way of evil
- Perverted speech
To be honest, I am unsure of what is meant by, "the way of evil." After looking up a couple commentaries it appears that "way of evil" could be understood as " a manner of life that is evil".
Pride and arrogance are spoken of many times as roots for evil which are to be avoided. Evil actions and attitudes have been spoken of at length. Perverse speech, to my knowledge, has been spoken of less so.
In today's day, the idea of perversity has a sexual connotation - it is a behaviour or attitude towards sex and sexuality which is base, twisted or divergent from the norm. A better definition of perversity, however, would be "the willful misrepresentation of that which is good and true". Dirty speech oftentimes still falls under this blanket, as the wanton, jocular sexualisation of innocent comments or actions would still be defined as perversity under the second definition, but, more than that, the idea of perversity is opened up to people whose speech denies Christ or twists the Bible to their own ends. It is opened up to those who willfully lie or spin the truth to benefit themselves.
So, this proverb, then, looks at three areas in which evil takes root in our lives:
- Our attitude
- Our actions
- Our speech
If we were to follow God in his hatred of evil, we would begin work on the sins of our life in these three areas, giving them up to him, being diligent to seek him for his presence, truth, and restoration, and removing ourselves from our old ways of being, doing, and speaking.
I would add a fourth to this list, though:
- Our thoughts and feelings
Some would say they are an extension of our attitude, but our thoughts and feelings preclude our actions and speech. If we adjust our actions and speech, maybe even adjusting our attitude, but do not adjust the thoughts of our heart or mind, then we have only whitewashed over the cracks. If we have not treated the lingering emotions over another's actions, then we are not truly free from our sin. We need to treat the foundational, more hidden areas of our life just as much as the more visible, if not more.
Application:
Jesus' summary of the ten commandments begins as follows: "Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength."
In my emotions, being, thoughts, actions, and speech, I need to actively choose God over sin. These five areas are important, being all tied to each other in our different spheres of activity. If God is in my being, then he affects by thoughts and feelings. If God is present in what I think and how I react/feel, then he affects my actions and speech.
I need to be steeped in God, permeated with his presence, that others around me may see him.
~ ~ ~
The Love Dare
Day 31: Love and Marriage
Te authors are breaking down the two elements of Genesis 2:24, that a man leaves his father and mother and cleaves to his spouse, becoming one flesh.
The purpose of “leaving,” of course, is not to abandon all contact with the past but rather to preserve the unique oneness that marriage is designed to capture.We're not in the business of burning bridges. God isn't saying you cannot be close to your family or previous friends after being married, but he is saying that the manner by which you engage has changed. You and your spouse have become one entity. This is something I am slowly beginning to understand as I approach a mere 6 months of marriage and it is something I will always continue to grow in understanding. A man and wife are to one in spirit, mind, and purpose, to cling to one another in love and affection, not to stray and seek that from others or to lean on others outside of the marriage union.
“Cleaving” carries the idea of catching someone by pursuit, clinging to them as your new rock of refuge and safety.The authors take some time to illustrate the effect of cleaving in God's model for marriage, creating oneness in decision-making, priorities, and sexuality. God designed the physical act of sex to be a glue, binding two people together - another reason to avoid pre- or extra-marital affairs and sex, but that's not a discussion for this immediate time - and encouraging them to see one another eye-to-eye, as God sees them.
Do many couples succeed in this? I can't say. I'd like to hope that most Christian couples do, but I am proof that Christians are still able to screw things up. Loving is difficult. It is the accepting of a person in all their faults, problems, and hurtfulnesses, choosing to see them as God sees them, and opening yourself to God to fill you with what you cannot make yourself. It's easy to love someone as they appear, when you're dating or during the honeymoon. When you begin to see someone as they are and when that person begins to see you as you are, that's when truly loving in the spirit of God begins.
It's a choice, people, and it's a glorious collision.
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