Tiny Devotional for Monday, 11/09/2020

 A great good morning to all my friends and neighbors in Internet Land! And to family members who have dropped by, the cats are asking for Miss Evelyn.

“Whoever is naive, let him turn in here!”
To him who lacks understanding she says,
“Come, eat of my food
And drink of the wine I have mixed.”

“Whoever is naive, let him turn in here,”
And to him who lacks understanding she says,
“Stolen water is sweet;
And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
Proverbs 9: 4-5,16-17

Gentle reader, this is the last day in which we hear the direct voice of Wisdom and Folly, as the main item on the menu. After this, it’s specific recipes for living, all the way down.

The first pair of verses come from Wisdom; the second pair, from Folly. Do you see how the opening words are identical, calling to the naive? It’s only the last verse in each pair that tells us whether the offer brings help or harm.

This morning, I’m thinking that even the naive, at some point, recognize their lack, and are looking for...something. Meaning, direction, purpose; they don’t know what it is, exactly. They just know they are missing an important piece.

And there are PLENTY of charlatans out there who will speak to that desire, in order to seduce them into destruction. They issue the same invitation as Wisdom.

Q: How do the naive know which is which before it’s too late?

A: From the testimony of faithful witnesses, people of integrity.

That’s OUR role.

We MUST represent the truth, in such a way that our lives call to the naive, the innocent. We MUST live in such a way that truth,  always expressed as love, lights our world.

Okay?

Peace be on your household.