Wisdom and Wealth

Tradition and Wisdom
Teaching and Learning:
Teaching Values

Proverbs 10:23-28

The Message

 ²³ An empty-head thinks mischief is fun,
   but a mindful person relishes wisdom.

 ²⁴ The nightmares of the wicked come true;
   what the good people desire, they get.

 ²⁵ When the storm is over, there's nothing left of the wicked;
   good people, firm on their rock foundation, aren't even fazed.

 ²⁶ A lazy employee will give you nothing but trouble;
   it's vinegar in the mouth, smoke in the eyes.

 ²⁷ The Fear-of-God expands your life;
   a wicked life is a puny life.

 ²⁸ The aspirations of good people end in celebration;
   the ambitions of bad people crash.

For Reflection
There's that term again, "Good People".  Aristotle suggested that those who were most credible communicators were good men.  What does it mean to be good?  It certainly wasn't a Christian in Aristotle's time.  But then again, in those days the truth was considered unknowable.  As Plato said, we could only catch a glimpse of the archetypes, never a full view of truth.

Then came Christ. Good took on a new meaning.  No longer did good mean an ethical life.  The new meaning is God-centered.  The wise speaker is one who lives and speaks through the God filter.  The paradox is that the truths spoken in the best arguments may be false while the truths spoken from God-centered faith are never false.  Rationality in the Kingdom of Human Kind may not equate to rationality in the Kingdom of God.

God-centered reality is, in the end, most practical.  It is focused on the long term and is active in day-to-day matters. God-centered wisdom turns chaos into order, storms into sunny weather, disaster into celebration.

Pray
that you will become more and more trusting in your faith.  Pray that you will take the time to listen to the God whispers and have the courage to follow His gentle hand.