By: Brian Harris
Proverbs 22:20 reads, “I have written thirty sayings for you, filled with advice and knowledge.”
What follows are a wide range of helpful insights from the noble “Do not rob the poor… for the Lord is their defender” (V22) to the controversial “Don’t fail to correct your children. They won’t die if you spank them” (Prov 23:13) and the pragmatic “If you are a big eater, put a knife to your throat, and don’t desire all the delicacies” (Prov 23:2).
Each generation formulates its own wisdom. Often it is in agreement with what has gone before, but sometimes not. I decided to see if I could move into the same league as the teacher in Proverbs, and formulate my own 30 wise sayings.. Don’t worry, it’s a longer project and I don’t plan to settle on them in a hurry – but I thought I would tinker with a few in this post, and ask if you were drawing up a list, what would feature in your list?
As I write, Rosemary and I are on a 25 day holiday exploring around Europe and the UK. It’s taken a while to get here, but it’s to celebrate Rosemary’s retirement 20 months ago – when she stepped down from her role as a Clinical Nurse, finishing off just a few months shy of 50 years in one nursing role or another. The fact that we are celebrating confirms that we noted the wisdom of the proverb I was taught at primary school: “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” It’s not one you hear much today, but the insight remains valid.
In addition to having heaps of fun, and exploring exotic places (I’m writing from Reykjavik, Iceland – using a few hours I have spare before we board a cruise that will visit Iceland, Norway the Netherlands and Belgium before we disembark in Southhampton), I’m hoping to settle on my own list of 30 wise sayings – who knows, now that I’ve finished writing Stirrers and Saints, it could even be my next book project.
As I sift through various options, I’m pondering some insights from Volf and Croasmun’s For the Life of the World: Theology that makes a Difference. I listened to part of the audiobook on our marathon flight from Perth to London, and an idea from it that has stayed with me is that the flourishing life is impacted by three key domains: Our circumstances (which we often have little control over); our posture towards them (which we do have a choice about); and our emotion towards them (which we have some control over). It seems to me that a fair few proverbs could flow from here. So many people burn with rage against circumstances they cannot change, instead of thinking through their posture towards them and the emotional response we can choose to cultivate as we move forward. So I’m tucking that away for further reflection.
OK – so I have alerted you to “Project Proverbs.” I’m opting for 30 not just because the writer of Prov 22:20 did, but also because it appeals to my sense of tidiness. A proverb for each day of the month – with a day off to try something new each 31 day month! And here are 3 I am tinkering with at present:
Proverb 1: “Start at the beginning: God is.”
This seems to me to be the building block of all wisdom. We need to decide to live as though God exists – or not. If God exists, life makes sense. There is a plan and purpose to life, and we can lean in to everything with curiosity, because we are not accidentally here, but are part of a much larger purpose. We are part of an intentionally created order.
Psalm 139:14 says: “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” If made, it’s right to ask, “made for what?” Discovering that answer is a responsibility, privilege and delight. Not that we should settle on the answer too quickly – for life has different chapters and while some common threads are likely to weave their way through them all, we are invited to explore new focus areas in each chapter. We are not one trick ponies – but filled with God given potential and opportunity. But it starts with our awareness of the far larger picture of life: God is – the beginning of all things. Because God is, life makes sense. Without God, we are victims of random chance – briefly and accidentally animated carbon, going no where, and signifying nothing.
Proverb 2: “Start where you are: There really isn’t any other place to start.”
Now true, not all will agree with me on this one. Many would argue that we should start with where we want to be, and then work backwards from there – and I won’t dispute the wisdom of that. But we still need to start where we are – not where we would like to be, think we should be, or delusionally pretend we are. Facts are friends (another definite proverb contender), and the Sound of Music was right to advocate that to start at the very beginning is a very good place to start.
It is only when we face our starting point that we make good decisions about the steps ahead. Denying reality doesn’t make it go away, it simply leaves a lot of unfaced issues lying in our path, waiting to trip us up. Where we start is not where we finish – but it is where we start! When we embrace what is – face it squarely both for its beauty and its ugliness, we are in a strong position to make good decisions for the route ahead. True, do ask where you want to be in 5, 6 or 7 years, but be just as observant of your starting point and what it will take to move from there. This is Jesus’ point when he advocates that if we plan to build a tower, we work out the cost. Where are we starting from? What is in the bank – what isn’t – and what do we need to do about it? These are good questions, ones that help ensure a good journey lies ahead.
Proverb 3: “Work out how to tell your story: Reframing is a friend.”
When I say this, I am not implying that we should deceitfully pretend that bad is good, or that our most tragic moments were our finest. But I am insisting that we can think about the events of our life in different ways, and tell our story in different ways. Some stories disempower, leaving us as helpless victims or treacherous villains. We get locked into one way of seeing things, and if that way is unhelpful it will hold us back forever. However, we can learn to tell our story in a grace filled and hopeful way – one that spots God in the middle of it, one that has found a way forward and offers hope.
It’s worth listening to the way you tell your life stories. Are they told in a life serving or a life sapping way? What might change if we framed them as “a lesson learnt” story; or a “not the giant of my dreams nor the dwarf of my fears” story; or a “valuable turning point” story: or a – well, you’ve got the point.
Only 27 more proverbs to go!
Article supplied with thanks to Brian Harris.
About the Author: Brian is a speaker, teacher, leader, writer, author and respected theologian who is founding director of the AVENIR Leadership Institute, fostering leaders who will make a positive impact on the world.