chkmuth jubilating
Proverbs
1:20-33New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The
Call of Wisdom חָכְמוֹת
σοφια
Wisdom,
chkmuth, Sophia 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.”
This
is our first lesson for Sunday. Wisdom, chkmuth, Sophia in (the)
street she is jubilating. She is calling foolish ones away from
stupidity. But frankly, the seeming vindictiveness of it appalls me, it
is too realistic: if I live stupidly I will pay for it when disaster
comes and drags me down into calamity; and Sophia will not help, but
will laugh, for I will be reaping the fruits of my foolhardiness. "Told you so!" she will chortle.
I
might prefer that the passage be laced with mercy that has Sophia
saying she will come rescue me, or at least feel sorry for me, put me on the prayer list; but it's too realistic for that.
I've never smoked, and at this age I'm thankful. Sixty years ago when I was at university, a friend wrote me rather boastfully from another college, “I've become a weed fiend,” in other words, had taken up smoking. I was sad about it, frankly even a bit disgusted – why would anyone do that to themselves and to those around them, not only the wasteful expense, but the smell, the stench of it, clothes, breath, taste, befouled air. Younger than I, to my great sadness, his obit appeared in the newspaper one morning a couple years ago. I'm sure death was the result of the smoking habit that, apparently seeming so cool at the time, proved the folly of a lifetime.
I've never smoked, and at this age I'm thankful. Sixty years ago when I was at university, a friend wrote me rather boastfully from another college, “I've become a weed fiend,” in other words, had taken up smoking. I was sad about it, frankly even a bit disgusted – why would anyone do that to themselves and to those around them, not only the wasteful expense, but the smell, the stench of it, clothes, breath, taste, befouled air. Younger than I, to my great sadness, his obit appeared in the newspaper one morning a couple years ago. I'm sure death was the result of the smoking habit that, apparently seeming so cool at the time, proved the folly of a lifetime.
Though
never a smoker, my living has been equally foolish in other ways.
Still, from the Bible, somehow I might have hoped for a bit more
sympathy when stupidity catches up with me. My eating and exercise habits won't help me live to a hundred-twenty, but at least I don't text while driving, eh?
80F 78% clear two hours ago, with Orion out hunting, now raining 2015090603
But five minutes later:
But five minutes later:
W