“Why flirt with the dark, when you can have the bread of life!” Proverbs 2:1-22- Reading/ Thoughts
Shalom,
Good Wednesday morning it’s June 9, 2021, and I pray all is well: Today we will continue our reading and reflection in Proverbs 2:1-22: Depending on your version it will be titled The Benefit of Wisdom. I hope everyone is having an outstanding morning. I'm battling seasonal allergies right now, good news coffee is a cure all.
Proverbs 2:1-22 The Benefit of Wisdom
Do any of you recall a special someone in your life that was full of wisdom. Maybe that person is still around or maybe they are not but it was their wisdom that left an impact. Let’s all close our eyes and think about those words of wisdom left on our hearts we still turn to when times get rough. For me I’m recalling a time in my life when I was still in the military and was preparing for medical retirement; struggling with PTSD, and TBI symptoms.
It was a beautiful Spring day in Fort Lee, VA, we were waiting around for our typical never on time formation to end our day. The military is rooted in hurrying and waiting. I swear they love wasting our time for no reason. So I was standing in formation with some friends discussing my medical retirement, and I was distraught thinking I was going to the short end of the stick. I remember being really on edge. When one of my buddies said out of the blue “The emotions you feel are normal, but how you react to those emotions isn’t normal.
As I sit here and reflect on Proverbs 2, I will say this all roads lead to Christ even in the Old Testament. This is what we see moving forward in our passage through the Father, Jesus became our bread of life. Jesus became our wisdom but in order to be successful we must use his words of wisdom daily. In the passage God is saying please receive my words of wisdom and cherish his commandments. Open up our ears so we can hopefully apply his words of wisdom onto our hearts; so when the time is right we are ready for understanding. I have said many times that I feel different. It feels like the old Jared is slowly passing away each day, I strengthen myself in Christ. What can we learn from this, Jesus is our bread of life; http://bib.ly/Jn6.22-51.NKJV we must turn to him denying ourselves. The more I open up to him and the more I hold myself accountable in front of him; the more wisdom I gain. I have gained more self control in six months than anytime in my life. That’s because Jesus truly is the bread of life.
As we get closer to the end of the passage it tells us we all come to a fork in the road. It seems many people walk extremely close to the edge, and sometimes some fall up the cliff. We all struggle daily whether it’s from an altercation or from personal thoughts, keep this mind you can’t hide that from Christ. The world is extremely scary and dangerous right now but if we choose the dark, we become dark. Our thoughts can be our worst enemies and sometimes it’s our thoughts that lead us astray. Our thoughts are what Satan uses to tempt us into the dark, and keep us angry at those who truly love us. This passage is saying that if we allow our thoughts and actions to drive us into darkness, then we have no one to blame but ourselves. If we chose wisdom through Christ we can be saved from our downfall, and hopefully we chose the right fork in the road.
As we end our passage Proverbs 2 ends with the wicked getting vanished from the earth completely. That is making a reference to the end of days which is mentioned in the book of revelation. Romans 6:23 for the wages of sin is DEATH; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our LORD.
In closing I continue to pray all is well: Today’s message is this: If there is someone out there who is traveling too close to the edge; turn around! You are on a sinking ship reverse course before it’s too late. When your thoughts start to wonder into the dark ask yourself this, is it worth the exhaustion to continue down that destructive path? In the end we should all seek Jesus the bread of life! We should all strive to seek his wisdom and ask him what we would do in a situation that has gotten out of control. “In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Lord, I pray that you continue to give me the strength to seek your wisdom. I pray you help to identify the cliff and help me to reverse course on my sinking ship. Father, I continue to ask that you keep me honest and pure when sharing your messages. Thank you for all the gifts and blessings in my life. You are the king of the universe and through you all things are possible. In Jesus name I pray, AMEN!
“Why flirt with the dark, when you can have the bread of life!” - Jared W. Campbell
Proverbs 2:1-3: My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that incline thine ears unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding.
God Bless,
Jared W. Campbell
US Army Retired