Insightful Musings on theScriptures
by
Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67
Good morning, dear ones.
I’ve been sitting here laughing in bursts. I’m watching the two cats play just outside this window. One is under and old decomposing plastic tarp I have had over some lumber. The other is above play-fighting with the moving tarp. Once in a while the cat below pops through with his head and/or paws. Better than TV.
We have an appointment. Better run. Then I need to get home and carry on with some urgent work.
Love, Dad/Ray.
I can’t avoid the core meaning and intent of this urgent plea given by this father/author to his son. Perhaps I will attempt to phrase the main message in the form of a question: “Do you solemnly swear to embrace WISDOM as you would the marriage partner of your dreams, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for better or worse, for as long as you live?” We never hear the author’s son respond. But he is definitely supposed to say, “I do!”
To be sure, this appeal is not gender-exclusive. WISDOM should most definitely be embraced with marriage-like commitment, whether one is male or female. She/He is a perfect match for you—no matter your age, gender, color, birthplace, language, or whatever.
Here again is an important general point to make (which we seem to make often): THIS COMMITMENT TO WISDOM IS TO BE EQUATED WITH SEEKING GOD’S KINGDOM RULE, LOVING HIM PASSIONATELY, AND LIVING TO PLEASE HIM—in other words, A HEART AFTER GOD. I cannot escape the ultimate conclusion that living life by that perspective and standard is, bar none, the very best use of human intelligence available on planet earth! QUESTION FOR ANYONE OR EVERYONE: CAN YOU PRESENT, WITH COMPELLING CLARITY, A BETTER PERSPECTIVE AND STANDARD TO LIVE BY THAN THIS ONE?
I’m confident that David would concur whole-heartedly. In fact, he already has. Listen again to these lines: “Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands” (Psalm 63:3-4). Wow! His love is better than life? That’s what he said. I’m feeling that my seriously pondering that idea for 5 minutes, with all its related attachments, will adequately replenish my inspiration/meditation tank to fuel my positive living for at least a month!