My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
(Proverbs 3:1-6 ESV)
For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, ‘He catches the wise in their craftiness,’ (1 Corinthians 3:19 ESV). Today, this verse seems perhaps more accurate than ever. Our culture is filled with anger, hopelessness, and condemnation. Our society will try to pull each of us down into the muck and mire of hatred. We are taught it is wise to hate those who disagree with us. We are encouraged to make our neighborhoods into our enemies. The anger and hatred we see each day try to extinguish our hope.

Scripture extolls each of us to resist culture’s wisdom. Proverbs teaches us, instead, something far more profound and far more hopeful. God’s command for us is to make love and faithfulness part of our everyday lives. God wants each of us to be so engrained in love, faith, and peace that these qualities are written on our hearts — they transform might who we are through the work of the Holy Spirit. When we live according to both faith and love, God is delighted. When we act boldly in the love of both God and others, we defy the wisdom of our culture. Others can see our love as a bright, warm flame amid hopelessness and despair.

We must try with all our might not to lean upon merely our knowledge, nor the understanding found in culture, and place our trust in God’s perfect and true wisdom. When we are a candle flame of love against the shroud of anger, and we submit our wills to God’s commands, we provide a beacon of hope in the lives of those around us. Our love and faithfulness will point others toward Christ. Little by little, bit by bit, even small acts of love in the name of Christ will transform our neighborhoods into more hopeful, healing, and holy places

SBS

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