Of chicken sandwiches and christian endurance

In James 1:2-5, the author writes:

Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy.  For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.  So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything. (NLT)

If you're like me, this is a passage you're much better at quoting than living.  However, it seems to me that this is a timely message for Christians in America.  For a couple hundred years we've enjoyed a position of relative cultural dominance.  That is rapidly coming to an end.  Though the recent dust-up over Dan Cathy's (CEO of Chik-fil-A) support of traditional marriage, seems to testify that Christians (or at least free speech advocates) still enjoy a bit more vigorous support than some assumed, it would be wise for each believer to ask himself/herself "Just how far am I willing to take this?  Just how much do I believe in the words of James 1:2-5).  Though many (like myself) were able to purchase a sandwich at Chik-fil-A and enjoy nothing but unqualified support and acceptance from fellow believers, there were others (like the gentleman in this video) who were not blessed to swim in such warm and accepting waters.  What if I had been in his shoes.  Would I have had the courage to remain...to stand...to give my endurance a chance to grow?

Proverbs: Words to Live By: Chapters 21-25

Prov. 21:9 It’s better to live alone in the corner of an attic than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely home. [see also: Prov. 21:19 and 25:24]
· What’s the main point of this proverb?

Prov. 22:7 Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender.
· How is this proverb illustrated today?

Prov. 22:10 Throw out the mocker, and fighting goes, too. Quarrels and insults will disappear.
· Does “throwing out the mocker” strike you as a Christian response? Why or why not?

Prov. 22:11 Whoever loves a pure heart and gracious speech will have the king as a friend.
· What does this mean?
· Which king is he talking about?

Prov. 22:13 The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion out there! If I go outside, I might be killed!”
· What do you think the point of this proverb is?

Prov. 24:3-4 A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense. Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.
· What does it meant to “build a house”?
· What other ways do people try to build their houses?

Prov. 24:10 If you fail under pressure, your strength is small.
· What’s the message for us?

Prov. 24:11-12 Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die; save them as they stagger to their death. Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.” For God understands all hearts, and He sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve.
· What’s the basic point?
· How can you fulfill this command individually?
· How can we as a church?

Prov. 24:27 Do your planning and prepare your fields before building your house.
· Do you understand?
Prov. 24:28-9 Don’t testify against your neighbors without cause; don’t lie about them. And don’t say, “Now I can pay them back for what they’ve done to me! I’ll get even with them!”
· Is there any reason these proverbs are stuck right next to each other?

Prov. 24:30-34 I walked by the field of a lazy person, the vineyard of one with no common sense. I saw that it was overgrown with nettles. It was covered with weeds, and its walls were broken down. Then, as I looked and thought about it, I learned this lesson: A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.
· What’s the point of this?

Prov. 25:3 No one can comprehend the height of heaven, the depth of the earth, or all that goes on in the king’s mind!
· What are some possible meanings of this proverb?

Prov. 25:18 Telling lies about others is as harmful as hitting them with an ax, wounding them with a sword, or shooting them with a sharp arrow.
· The ancient rabbis saw slander as a violation of the commandment: “Thou shalt not kill.”

A Fate Worse Than Singleness

It’s better to live alone in the corner of an attic than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely home. (Prov. 21:9)

It’s better to live alone in the desert than with a quarrelsome, complaining wife. (Prov. 21:19)

It’s better to live alone in the corner of an attic than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely home. (Prov. 25:24)

Obviously, these proverbs speak to the repeated importance of relationships. It’s always struck me as a little surprising that, despite the rising divorce rate and the fact that virtually everyone has either been burned by a toxic relationship or knows a close friend/family member who has, people keep getting married. A negative secularist view might say this is because we’re all stupid, or the oppressive power of religious taboo is so powerful it continues to exert the pressure to marry, or some such rot.

I rather think it’s because most people simply crave healthy relationships—even if we don’t know how to recognize them. Even if we’re the ones responsible for making relationships toxic, that doesn’t diminish our desire to have someone who will love, affirm, and accept us in spite of who we are.

Such a desperate longing for love can be inspiring, but without at least a modicum of cool rationality such desperation can lead to terribly tragic decisions. When I was younger and experiencing some of those consequences, a good friend told me, “You know, there are worse things in life than being single…like being married to the wrong person, for example.”

The watchword Proverbs would give us for today is: discretion. Look before you leap. If you think you love someone, take the time to be certain you’re loving with your mind as well as your heart. Contrary to popular belief, covenants (such as marriage) that are lightly entered into cannot be exited without serious long-term consequences. Remember, there are worse things than being single.

Proverbs: Words to Live By: Chapters 16-20

Marriage and Family
Prov. 17:6 Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged; parents are the pride of their children.
Prov. 17:21 It is painful to be the parent of a fool; there is no joy for the father of a rebel.
Prov. 17:25 Foolish children bring grief to their father and bitterness to the one who gave them birth.
Prov. 18:22 The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the LORD.
Prov. 19:13 A foolish child is a calamity to a father; a quarrelsome wife is as annoying as constant dripping.
Prov. 19:14 Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth, but only the LORD can give an understanding wife.
Prov. 19:18 Discipline your children while there is hope. Otherwise you will ruin their lives.
Prov. 19:26 Children who mistreat their father or chase away their mother are an embarrassment and a public disgrace.
Prov. 20:11 Even children are known by the way they act, whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right.
Prov. 20:20 If you insult your father or mother, your light will be snuffed out in total darkness.

· What is the Bible (particularly, the OT) perspective on how to deal with those who bring grief to the family? Do you think this is still valid?
· The New Testament often speaks of the church as a “family.” In what ways do the family principles of Proverbs apply to the church?

Chapter 16
Prov. 16:26 It is good for workers to have an appetite; an empty stomach drives them on.
· What do you think of this? Does it sound cruel?
· In what ways has life given you an “empty stomach”?

Prov. 16:32 Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city.
· Why?

Chapter 17
Prov. 17:8 A bribe is like a lucky charm; whoever gives one will prosper!
· So…is God saying we should bribe people? [see also: Prov. 17:23 and 18:16]
· What are some ways in which we “bribe” people today…but may not think of it as wrong or as bribery?

Prov. 17:19 Anyone who loves to quarrel loves sin; anyone who trusts in high walls invites disaster.
· What do the first and second parts of this proverb have to do with each other?

Chapter 18
Prov. 18:17 The first to speak in courts sounds right—until the cross-examination begins.
· What lesson are you supposed to get from this?

Prov. 18:18 Flipping a coin can end arguments; it settles disputes between powerful opponents.
· What do you think is the main point of this proverb?

Chapter 19
Prov. 19:2 Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes.
· How is this relevant to you?

Prov. 19:3 People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the LORD.
· How does this fit with what we read in 16:3?

Chapter 20
Prov. 20:4 Those too lazy to plow in the right season will have no food at the harvest.
· Notice, it’s not enough simply to be willing to plow…you have to plow in the right season.
· How might that idea relate to our lives?

Prov. 20:21 An inheritance obtained too early in life is not a blessing in the end.
· Are there any biblical examples? (Prodigal Son – Lk. 15:11-32)

Prov. 20:28 Unfailing love and faithfulness protect the king; his throne is made secure through love.
· What is the real basis of authority?
· What is it that makes God, “God”?