Proverbs and Picnics

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Go to the Ant

When the ants arrive, I know it’s almost summer. In they march, one-by-one, oblivious that they are uninvited, unwelcome guests. Quickly making themselves at home, they swarm around yesterday’s crumbs as if there was no tomorrow. They never seem to take a vacation or a sabbath. Do they even sleep at night? Though I show them, shall I say, something less than hospitality, they barely slow down.

Interestingly, wise King Solomon encourages us to take a different approach toward these tiny intruders than Terro. He advises, “Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest” (Prov. 6:6-8 ESV.) In other words, slackers, take note! A tiny ant, without being forced or told, is purposeful and productive. She has a single-minded focus that keeps her preparing and gathering. It would be wise to follow her example.

The point of a proverb is not to over-analyze or be extreme in its application. It’s not an absolute promise or command, but a practical principle or observation for wise and blessed living. The divinely inspired Proverbs in God’s Word unfurl the way of wisdom that God has always called His people to live. The bookends of Proverbs clue us in that these are more than just good ideas that I can implement on my own. The book begins, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Prov. 1:7 ESV) and ends, “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised” (Prov. 31:30 ESV.) Wisdom is dependent on a right relationship to God.

How, then, do I read Proverbs? Is it practical or spiritual? Yes. Proverbs is practical. It speaks to topics encountered everyday—work, foolishness, temptation, the tongue, sex, money, justice, parenting, and more. Yet, considering the fact that Proverbs is a book within a Book—the Bible, I need to relate all these snippets of wisdom to the fear of the LORD and ultimately to the gospel. Proverbs is spiritual.

God’s heartbeat from the beginning, when He with Wisdom created the world (Prov. 3:19), is that His people would listen and obey Him. This is wise. In Eden, Adam and Eve foolishly failed to trust God’s wisdom, seeking their own instead (Gen. 3:6), and all we like sheep have followed suit. But God promised, "Behold, the days are coming…when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely” (Jer. 23:5 ESV.) Jesus came, exemplifying wisdom and proclaiming God’s heartbeat—listen and obey. This is wise. He said, "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matt. 7:24 ESV.) Since we could not and would not live in God’s wisdom, Jesus Christ who is “the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:24) “became to us wisdom from God” (1 Cor. 1:30 ESV.) This is the gospel good news! “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach (the cross) to save those who believe” (1 Cor. 1:21 ESV.) Praise God!

In the gospel, Christ—the Wisdom of God— changes our foolish hearts and empowers us to live wisely as we were created to do. The Proverbs, then, are treasures of wisdom for those who live in the fear of the LORD, listening and obeying His Word. James, which many of us have been reading this month, is often called the “Proverbs of the New Testament.” Appropriately, he picks up the theme and reminds us to “be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (Jam. 1:22 ESV.)

In reading and applying Proverbs this summer, yes, gain practical wisdom for life. But even more, consider the fear of the LORD and the greater Wisdom to whom you belong by faith. The ant is a worthy inspiration for diligent labor, but the fear of the LORD stirs me to diligently consider even that for which I labor. The gospel consoles me that Jesus is my Wisdom from God, as I confess my failure and find help in Him. I think I’ve just begun to scratch the surface on considering the ant. Perhaps I better set aside the poison and take a closer look.

1st Thursday CONNECT

What do Proverbs and picnics have in common besides ants? Proverbs and picnics are the plans for Women’s Ministry this summer. We will meet June 6, 6:30-8:30 PM, for our last 1st Thursday CONNECT until September. We will be having a picnic, hopefully the first of many you will have over the summer. Sandwiched between that and our conclusion of the book of James, we will hear from the women who are going on mission trips to Alaska and Slovenia in June. If possible, please bring a small package of glow sticks for Shelley to take to English Camp in Slovenia. RSVP for 1st Thursday CONNECT on Facebook or by texting Marcia at 503-720-7197.

On Thursday, we will also prepare to spend the summer in two ways:

  1. Proverbs.

    Resources for personal reading in the book of Proverbs this summer will be available at 1st Thursday CONNECT, online, and in the church lobby. At one chapter a day, matching the date with the chapter, you could read it three times between June 6th and September 5th, our next 1st Thursday CONNECT. If you want to discuss it with a friend, you might read the chapter that corresponds to the date and use the questions for “Hebrew Wisdom Literature and Poetry” in the One-to-One Bible Reading notebook as a guide.

  2. Picnics.

    We also have resources for engaging with a friend in the book of Mark this summer. Many of us went through Mark in One-to-One Bible Reading last fall, and now we encourage you to invite someone outside the church to read Mark with you this summer. Picnics are optional but would make it even more fun!

One-to-One Bible Reading

Have you been praying for an open door to read the book of Mark with someone outside the church this summer? Now is the time to ask! It could be as simple as, “I’ve been reading the Bible this year with various friends, and I was wondering if you would like to read Mark with me this summer?” One woman told me she has already asked her friend, and they are both excited to start!

All you need is a Bible and a friend. You might start with 4 weeks, and if it’s going well, do 4 more. Set a time and a place, possibly with a picnic. Start your time with a simple prayer. Read the passage aloud together. Discuss what it means and how it applies to you. One-to-One Bible Reading questions for 8 weeks in Mark will be available at 1st Thursday CONNECT, as well as on the church website and in the church lobby. Pick up a copy for yourself and a friend and get started in June! Reading the Bible with someone is one of the easiest and best ways to share the gospel. This could be one of the most enjoyable and rewarding things you do all summer.

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Opportunities

  • Along with Proverbs and Picnics for summer, we suggest working through a free two week study from The Daily Grace Co. called The Word of Life: How to Study the Bible and Why it Matters. Copies will be available at 1st Thursday CONNECT or can be printed from the included link.

  • If you would like to be part of a group of women going through The Charles Simeon Trust Workshop for Women this summer to learn to better study and teach the Bible, or if serving on the leadership team of Women’s Ministry interests your heart, please contact Marcia for more information.

  • Women’s Camp at Camp Tadmor is July 19-21. Gather some friends, register on the camp website, and make memories while learning from God’s Word. If you plan to go, let the Women’s Ministry team know, and we will try to connect you with others who are going.

  • This month, please pray for Shelley Rogers as she serves in Slovenia and for BJ Hayhurst, Alina Gauthier, and Sadie Hayhurst as they serve in Alaska.

Feedback

Women’s Ministry exists to help women delight in God through Jesus and engage others to do the same. Would you please fill out a feedback form for Women’s Ministry to help us do this better. You can do so by downloading this form, completing it, and emailing it to marcia.reavely@gmail.com or putting it in the Women’s Ministry mailbox at church. Thank you so much!

Proverbs Resources

Links

(Resources are curated but may not always reflect the views of New Life Church.)

Marcia ReavelyComment