Following the rules

I love the Spanish card game Truco. I learned it from my wife's Argentine family--it's a popular game there. Without going into too much detail, Truco is a combination of poker and spades, probably my two favorite card games previous to learning it. It involves the strategy of catching tricks (trucos) PLUS the skill of bluffing to win tricks. And cheating is built into the rules, because there is a standard set of signs you can flash your partner to let him know what cards you have. I guess it's not really cheating because if your opponents see your sign-flash, they know what you have too. It's a great game.

I may have written before about my wife's uncle David. Their family background is Jewish--they emigrated to Argentina from Turkey in the early 20th century--and David is the epitome of Tevye from "Fiddler on the Roof." He is the best Truco player in the family (at least in his own mind). But the first time we played together he said a phrase that has stuck with me for almost 20 years now. Since I was just learning, I slid the pad and paper for scorekeeping toward him. He took it, but declared, "You need to know my philosophy: if you can't win when you're keeping score, you don't deserve to play."

I kept score.

I've now used that phrase hundreds of times since then, mostly on the golf course when someone asks if I'm writing the scores on the card. And it came to mind again this morning as I read Proverbs 11.1:

"A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is his delight."

Two things come to mind here. First, God does not like those who cheat. How often do we bend the rules of whatever we're doing in our own favor? We think of ourselves as deserving of the best, so we take advantage of whatever situation to make it come out for our benefit. And honestly, we don't often see this as cheating, but just as "ambition" or "the way the cookie crumbles." I'm reminded of an old Chuck Swindoll story where he and his son were rafting in Colorado, and as the head guide was explaining all that would happen, Chuck was eyeing what looked to be the best raft and saltiest guide, and starting maneuvering he and his son that direction. Was he cheating? Of course he was, just in a socially acceptable way. All the others, who were following the rules by listening to instruction, were being cheated out of what might have been their raft and guide. Big deal? Probably not.

The one place I hate cheaters is on the highway. On my commute home there is one place that during rush hour traffic the lane for exiting the highway backs up probably a 1/2 mile. I dutifully wait it out in that lane for 10 or 15 minutes, because I think it's clear that is the right thing to do. [I know it's like the only rules I tend to follow. I'm full of hypocricy.] It ticks me off to no end those people who think they are better and smarter than the rest of us who pass us all in the left lane then force their way into the right lane closer to the exit, making those of us who are following the rules wait an extra 15 seconds. That's not the way it should work; those who follow the rules should be rewarded, not those who break the rules.

And I think this proverb says that eventually those who cheat will be seen and caught by God.

But here's the second thought I had from this wise saying. Who is it that gets cheated the most in areas of "false balance"? It's the poor and marginalized. It's those who have no voice of their own, no place to get justice. It is those who cannot speak up against unjust scales and rules and economic systems.

Last night we watched "Speed Racer" with the kids. It was a fun movie, and in the end the marginalized guys won. The business guy who had the clout to make the rules always work in his favor went to jail. It was a picture of a world that I think God delights in, where the kid slays the giant, where the slaves win over the powerful government, where the baby born in a barn is the greatest king of all time. God is the champion of those who have no champions, and any system--political, economic, organizational or otherwise--that cheats those who have no voice is an abomination to him.

Where does wisdom come from?

I'm not a biblical scholar, but I play one on TV.

Proverbs 8 is a great example of how many people misinterpret the Bible. The chapter is usually subtitled something like "The blessings of wisdom" or the like. In it, wisdom is personified, or given human characteristics, a common literary tool in the poetic passages of the Bible (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs; plus many specific passages within lots of other books).

Now any normal person knows that you say stuff in poems that you would never say in real life. Remember the first time you were in love, and you thought about writing that special someone a poem? You promised the moon, eternal love, and carrying books home from school forever. You exaggerated for effect (hyperbole). You gave your love a voice, and turned the nebulous, mysterious, unexplainable love from an "it" into something much more tangible.

The proverb writer here does that with wisdom. But there are some people that just don't get it.

For instance, there are those who point to this chapter as promoting the female deity, whether it be God's feminine side or a separate person (wife? sister?). All the personification here is feminine in nature. Now don't get me wrong, I don't think God is male or female. He's in touch with his divine side, and since we were made in his image, that divine side has feminine and masculine qualities in abundance.

Or there are those that say this somehow refers to Jesus as the preincarnate (before he was born) personification of wisdom. The help in creating the world, the design of the earth--it makes those who don't see Jesus as God justify their placing him as the chief of all created beings, based on misinterpretations of John 1.1 and Colossians 1.16. In this view Jesus was created first, then helped God the Father create the rest of the world.

Finally there is the Sophia-worship group. In Greek, wisdom is "sophia." And while these proverbs were orginally written in Hebrew, for much of history they have been read in Greek in the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible popular from before Jesus was born throughout much of the Roman Empire times). Sophia worshipers--similar to the first mistake--see "Sophia" as a real person, equal to God. Some feminists have latched onto this belief and formed a religious structure around Sophia-worship.

But to me the truth seems very obvious. The writer of the proverb wants us to see that we should be in love with wisdom. We should be passionate about pleasing her, knowing her. We should want to spend our time with her.

At the core, wisdom comes from fear of the LORD and a passionate pursuit of wisdom.

Feet problems

I have a thing about feet.

I don't know what it is, but feet have always been the ickiest part of the body for me. Maybe it stems from sticking my foot under a lawnmower when I was 16 and losing a toe, or maybe it's something psychological hidden within me--who knows. But I don't like feet.

Like Adrian Monk there are days where I work to overcome this icky feeling. I have grown to the point of being able to give my wife a foot massage. Sometimes. Of course there's then the alcohol rub, bleach bath and disinfectant use afterwords, but I'm progressing...

A couple of weekends ago I needed to take San's van to the shop for a new tire. She had taken my truck and gone shopping, and I didn't really want to wait, so I walked the mile or so from the tire place back to our house. It was a nice Saturday morning stroll.

Until I got to our neighbors' house. The kids were playing on the sidwalk, I was watching them, and totally forgot about the little raised bump in the sidewalk. I kicked it straight on, and stubbed my toe. I nearly fell down. Don't you love that feeling of "How can I regain my balance and not look like an idiot?"

The only real problem is that I was wearing flip-flops (no mom, no one calls them "thongs" anymore, that means something else now). As I kept walking up the driveway, I felt a little liquid on my foot, looked down and...well, let's just say it suddenly hurt more. I came inside, cleaned it up, bandaged it, made sure it didn't need stitches (it was more of a filet than a gash), then limped around for a couple of days.

So today I read Proverbs 3. There's lots of stuff in there about wisdom, including this:

"My son, do not lose sight of these--keep sound wisdom and discretion, and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck. Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble." Pr 3.21-23

It is easy to get distracted from wisdom and slice open a toe. (Maybe wisdom is to stop wearing flip-flops...really mom, Google "thong" and see if any flip-flops come up.) We need to keep our focus on the wisdom of God, and not be distracted by the alternative voices begging for our attention. Jesus said to "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness." Sometimes, he says, "what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God" (Lk 16.15b).

You can't fix stupid

"When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan." Pr 29.2

I think that sometimes we Christians have an equation like this one:

Persecution/negative comments = What the Bible says about righteous living being persecuted.

But the reality is this:

Persecution/negative comments = Natural consequences of doing something stupid.

When believers do something stupid, the critique we get IS NOT persecution. If we offer bad leadership, bad politics, bad thinking, bad philosophy, bad and/or stupid [fill in the blank], the critique we get is deserved.

This proverb seems to say that wicked leadership will be obviously bad to people, but when there is an increase in righteousness, the people will like it. That is not to take away anything from real persecution--it exists and should be pointed out for what it is. But when we are obnoxious instead of graceful, judgmental instead of loving, shouting from a distance instead of building relationships, we are being stupid, and the critique is deserved.

As my friend says, "you can't fix stupid."

Some fun, some serious...

"Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips." Pr 27.2

This is great advice. It's always better for others to sing your praises, cuz then you don't look arrogant or prideful. There's only one thing wrong with following this proverb:

What if no one says anything good about you?

I guess then you can go back to Pr 17.8 and offer someone a bribe to praise you in public...

"...do not go to your brother's house in the day of your calamity." Pr 27.10b

Hmm, should I have turned my brother away during Hurrican Ike? No, of course not. This is a great example of missing the point of the proverb. I deliberately skipped the first half of the verse, which says "Do not forsake your friend and your father's friend..." The thought I have is this--we should work to be the kind of people who help in troubled times. We will all need other's help in times of calamity, and when we need help we should seek it. But as followers of Jesus we can make a difference in the world when we are individually and collectively ready to help in times of trouble.

One of my favorite proverbs: "Whoever blesses his neighbor with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, will be counted as cursing." 27.14. Can I get an "amen" from you non-morning folks?

Whoops, I guess the bribe thing won't work. 27.21 says "The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and a man is tested by his praise." It seems that praise for us--or the lack thereof--are parts of the refining process God has. Hmm, I guess that means I should not take praise or the lack of praise personally. It has nothing to do with my identity. It is something God uses to shape me into a better man.

Finally, on the economy:

"Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds, for riches do not last forever, and does a crown endure to all generations? When the grass is gone and the new growth appears and the vegetation of the mountains is gathered, the lambs will provide your clothing, and the goats the price of a field. There will be enough goats' milk for your food, for the food of your household and maintenance for your girls." 27.23-27

I have two or three times sat down to blog about the economic situation in the US. The truth is I have no idea what is right. I feel like some bailout is necessary, but giving carte blanche to this administration is still a bad idea. It's a bad idea for any administration, because power does corrupt. It's why the leadership style of Jesus-followers is about service and sacrifice, not power and authority. But I digress.

The ecomony breathes, just like the cycle of grass disappearing then the new growth appears. We have staved off any significant downturns for nearly 30 years. We have almost no one left who lived through the Great Depression. Maybe we're near another significantly difficult time. Maybe not. I have no idea. But I know that God is on his throne and cares deeply for all of us, especially the poor. So we should prepare for difficult times, but never hoard away from the poor. There will always be enough for "the maintenance of your girls."

And as you know if you have daughters, that is plenty.

Fools and sluggards are bad--but there are worse things

I have always loves Proverbs 26. It's a great example of setting someone up for conviction, just luring them into a trap to see their own sin. The first 11 verses are all these statements about a fool--purposeless, loveless, moralless; they are just worthless people. We shouldn't honor them, shouldn't listen to them, shouldn't give them the time of day. And as you read them you think, "man, I'm glad I'm not a fool. I'm a lot better than that. I think I'm wiser than that."

Then you get to verse 12: "Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him."

Yikes! Didn't see that coming...

I just think the word sluggard is cool. When was the last time you used that in casual conversation?

And finally, for a jokester like me, the proverb that squelches the fun: "Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows and death is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, 'I am only joking!'" So should I give up trying to trick people for fun?

Or is this more about trying to get out of bad behavior? When we get caught in something that looks bad, we like to play it off somehow. A good way is to say, "I was just foolin'. Didn't really mean that." As I'm trying to teach my children, our first response when we're in a situation where there is any chance we had some shortcoming in responsibility, we should own up to it immediately. No excuses, no playing it off. Just an honest, "You know, maybe I didn't think that through, and I'm sorry."

Just a thought.

The ol' switcharoo

I read Proverbs 24 before going to sleep tonight, and came across a good thought in verse 17:

"Do not rejoice when an enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles..."

Yes, I thought. This is good. The counter-cultural message of Jesus. Nonviolence, love for everyone, even enemies. We should all practice this.

Then I read verse 18:

"...lest the LORD see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him."

Okay, so let's see. If I want REALLY bad things to happen to my enemy, I should not be happy when they begin, cuz if I'm happy then God may think he's been too hard on the poor soul.

The proverbs really mess with me sometimes...

A hot commodity

"Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction and understanding." Pr 23.23

Truth and wisdom, instruction and understanding--these are the commodities worth investing in! Today's market fluctuations and economic uncertainties don't affect what is wise, what is worth knowing and doing. These "stocks" do not decrease in value--there are no downturns in the wisdom market.

A man once found a treasure in a field...

The friend of kings

"He who loves purity of heart, and whose speech is gracious, will have the king as his friend." Proverbs 22.11

I have read and practiced this verse for years. It seems to be the biblical version of "how to win friends and influence people." Two things are listed--purity of heart, graciousness of speech.

Purity of heart is about focus, about the "one thing." Remember in "City Slickers" when Billy Crystal asks Jack Palance what the secret of life was, the crusty cowboy called "Curly" holds up his finger. "Your finger?" asks Crystal? "No, find one thing, and do it well."

When our heart if focused on the "one thing" of the kingdom of heaven, it stands out. People take note.

Graciousness of speech is about valuing the people you talk to, and treating them as more important than yourself. It is about eye contact, listening, and genuine concern. It is never about shouting from a distance, the characteristic of all too much of today's Christian leadership in the US.

In short, being the friend of kings is about relationship. Being the kind of person, day in and out, whose heart is focused on the kingdom and who speech reflects concern for the other person.

Getting in a hurry

I am notorious for getting in a hurry to get certain things done. But there is something to be said for doing it right:

"Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way." Pr 19.2

The young are full of passion, ready to change the world. But passion alone can't do it. Knowledge is required. The knowledge on where to go is of primary value--it comes before the passion to go. Passion is vital, but subservient to knowledge.

Another of today's proverbs is about not getting in a hurry to be mad:

"Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense." 19.11

I hope I have good sense. It's not a personality trait, although I'm sure some people are naturally less likely to get angry than others. Good sense is learned behavior. It has to be practiced. Maybe that's why those people that drive you crazy are still in your life--God's growing your good sense muscles...

"Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed." 19.17

We are just stewards of our stuff, God is the Owner. However God looks at our generosity to those in need as lending to him money. Amazing. We get "double credit" by giving to the poor--once from the experience with them and once from God. And God pays us back.

The power of relationship

You know relationship makes the world go 'round. But today's proverb has this gem:

"Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment." Pr 18.1

You cannot serve God alone. To be alone is to seek your own desire, and eventually your judgments will fail. That's not to say you don't need alone time--we do just like Jesus did. But our alone time recharges us to be with people; reconnects us to the still small voice of God. It is not an end to itself. Life is lived only in community.

"A fool's lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating." Pr 18.6

This verse would have been helpful for me to have memorized as a kid. "Really mom, I was only following the biblical mandate when I hit Johnny..."

Finally, another relationship thought: "If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame." Pr 18.13

Abba, may I be a hearer and a listener to my neighbor, and a doer to meet his needs.

Burning, bribes and bubbling over

A few thoughts from Proverbs 17:

"The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tests hearts." (3)

Don't you just love tests? Tests of the heart burn; they refine. They bring into the light the junk that doesn't belong, so they embarrass us. They make us feel guilty. But they are a necessary part of the purification process.

"A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of the one who gives it; wherever he turns he prospers." (8) Hmm. This is one of those proverbs that I wonder about. Is the writer promoting the use of bribes? Did bribes have both positive and negative connotations in those days? Verse 23 talks about accepting a "bribe from the bosom" or a bribe given in secret--are bribes okay if they are done with full disclosure?

And finally, this gem for personal obedience: "The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out." (13) We have seen in the past few years what damage water can do when it gets let out of its boundaries. Just ask folks in New Orleans or Galveston (actually, don't ask them. Just pray for them and serve their needs!) Quarreling has similar effects on relationships. So I'm making a resolution today--I don't need to win arguments, especially with my wife. And I don't even need to always feel the need to make a point. Or to rub in a point. Or to hammer in a point until those with lesser points agree with me.

Yikes, the proverbs can be convicting...