Wisdom cries out ...

Hear the word of the Lord:

Wisdom cries out in the street;
in the squares she raises her voice.
At the busiest corner she cries out;
at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:

"How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing
and fools hate knowledge?
Give heed to my reproof;
I will pour out my thoughts to you;
I will make my words known to you.
Because I have called and you refused,
have stretched out my hand and no one heeded,
and because you have ignored all my counsel
and would have none of my reproof,
I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when panic strikes you,
when panic strikes you like a storm,
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when distress and anguish come upon you.

Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
they will seek me diligently, but will not find me.
Because they hated knowledge
and did not choose the fear of the LORD,
would have none of my counsel,
and despised all my reproof,
therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way
and be sated with their own devices.
For waywardness kills the simple,
and the complacency of fools destroys them;
but those who listen to me will be secure
and will live at ease, without dread of disaster.”

Proverbs 1:20-33

Wisdom cries out ...

Hear the word of the Lord:

Wisdom cries out in the street;
in the squares she raises her voice.
At the busiest corner she cries out;
at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:

"How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing
and fools hate knowledge?
Give heed to my reproof;
I will pour out my thoughts to you;
I will make my words known to you.
Because I have called and you refused,
have stretched out my hand and no one heeded,
and because you have ignored all my counsel
and would have none of my reproof,
I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when panic strikes you,
when panic strikes you like a storm,
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when distress and anguish come upon you.

Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
they will seek me diligently, but will not find me.
Because they hated knowledge
and did not choose the fear of the LORD,
would have none of my counsel,
and despised all my reproof,
therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way
and be sated with their own devices.
For waywardness kills the simple,
and the complacency of fools destroys them;
but those who listen to me will be secure
and will live at ease, without dread of disaster.”

Proverbs 1:20-33

Just crazy ...

Today’s devotional thought was written by Angela some time back, and now seems an appropriate time to send it to you:

“For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.” I Cor. 1: 21

Being a houseparent at Westview Boys’ Home can be quite an interesting conversational piece. It begins with a statement of where I work and then it is followed with a brief description of what that entails. That is usually followed by a compliment of how we must be “special people” to do what we do, to which I sarcastically reply “Or just crazy”. Most usually agree with me on that.

What is it that is so crazy about our job? Is it the overwhelming schedule? Is it the boy’s “bad attitude” that is sure to come with the difficult transition? Is it his failing grades that seem to be a constant battle? Is it his hostile looks and his hateful words that are directed to everyone in his life that has failed him, but that seem meant only for you? Is it the dark shadows in his past that rob him of peace and manifest as anger toward everyone, namely himself? Is it the challenge, the joy, and the heartache of standing by as God repairs his crushed spirit and broken soul?

Or is the crazy part the knowing that with each interaction, each conflict, each hug, each tear, each mistake, each dream expressed, each hello, and each good-bye, our own hearts will be crushed and, at moments, our spirits will be broken seemingly beyond repair. But yet we find ourselves wanting to be nowhere else except “stuck” here in this glorious quicksand of God-like love. Love that helplessly draws us to these lost boys and, in spite of our fear that we could very possibly be crazy, we dare not let go. Even if at the end of the day, our only reason to hang on is because the message of Christ compels us to.

I said goodbye to a boy today. A precious boy. A boy that has stolen a piece of my heart and I haven’t a clue how I will find the courage to give any more pieces away. And I am convinced that I must be crazy to throw my heart into this process of raising another woman’s son for a time only to have to inevitably say goodbye. But then I looked at his picture that I have hung on my “wall of success” in the living room and realized something. He is no longer a boy, but a young man, and I am humbled to be a part of that growth. And even more mind-blowing; he is no longer a boy, but a brother. He has left here sealed with the Spirit and redeemed by our Lord’s blood. I wasn’t always prudent. I wasn’t always fair. Not once was I perfect. But I loved him. I loved him because it pleased God to entrust him to me for a short, wonderful time. I loved him because that was the display of gratitude and honor that Christ demanded of me and that that beautiful boy deserved. And I can only pray that the love I dared to show him will continue to point him toward the heart of Christ and towards the goal to spend eternity with our Father.

Was I crazy to take this job? Since day one.

Was I crazy to love so fiercely only to hurt so deeply? Absolutely.

And I am now convinced that it will be worth it every time.

Blessings,

Angela

Confessing our vices

A prayer to challenge us, and a scripture to give us comfort.

Prayer of Confession - Our Vices and Virtues

O Father, we know that all of us have sinned
and fallen short of your glory.
We confess that we know personally the hatred which divides
nation from nation, race from race, sisters from brothers.
We admit that even though our words or thoughts
may conceal hate, our actions give us away.
Father forgive.
We realize that the covetousness of people and nations
to possess what is not their own is not distant from us,
but has taken up residence in our heart as well.
Father forgive.
We own up to stockpiles of the greed which exploits
the work of human hands, and lays waste to the earth,
Father forgive.
We concede that our bottomless hunger has sharpened the pangs of
our envy of the welfare and happiness of others.
Father forgive.
We acknowledge our deafness, our indifference to the plight
of the imprisoned, the homeless, the refugee,
Father forgive.
We allow our eyes to lead us into the lust which dishonors the bodies
of men, women and children,
Father forgive.
We confess the pride which leads to trust in ourselves and not in you,
Father forgive.

[Selah – a turning]

Father, help us to swallow our pride and fill our throats with your praise;
Correct our vision from lust to the discernment of beauty and truth;
Open our ears to your calling to forsake our indifference,
and embrace a passion that tunes our ears
to hear the cries of the oppressed for justice;
Refine our taste with your goodness that we may satisfy our hunger
With contentment instead of deepening it with envy;
Liquidate our greed to make room in our lives for
the conservation of our planet’s resources;
O Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Remove the dross of covetousness from our hearts and shape us
into vessels of blessing for others;
Train our minds to purge hatred from our thoughts
And fill the gap with love for others before our waywardness
replaces it with something worse.
Help us empty ourselves of evil, Father,
so that you may fill us with that which is good.

Continue your work of conversion in us, Father.
O Lord, in your mercy

Hear our prayer.

Through your Spirit, shape us to conform to the image of Jesus;
In the name of your perfect imager we petition you,

Amen.

Enlighten us with your word, O Lord.

See, a king will reign in righteousness,
and princes will rule with justice.

Each will be like a hiding place from the wind,
a covert from the tempest,
like streams of water in a dry place,
like the shade of a great rock in a weary land.
Then the eyes of those who have sight will not be closed,
and the ears of those who have hearing will listen,

The minds of the rash will have good judgment,
and the tongues of stammerers will speak readily and distinctly.
A fool will no longer be called noble,
nor a villain said to be honorable.

For fools speak folly,
and their minds plot iniquity:
to practice ungodliness,
to utter error concerning the Lord,
to leave the craving of the hungry unsatisfied,
and to deprive the thirsty of drink.

The villainies of villains are evil;
they devise wicked devices
to ruin the poor with lying words,
even when the plea of the needy is right.
But those who are noble plan noble things,
and by noble things they stand.

- Isa 32:1-8 NRSV

Grace and peace,

Ron