Monthly Archives: September 2020

Spiritfire- Proverbs 22:7 “The Borrowers”

“The rich rule over the poor,
     and the borrower is servant to the lender.”
 
It was a statement, a definition of how things were.  For my kids, it was a quick summary of the facts of life.  They understood it in terms of ‘owing favors’.  “If you wash the dishes this time, then you get to decide tonight’s movie,” is a common weekend arrangement in our house.  Though this proverb had more to do with social classes and financial hierarchy, I think they got the point.
 
When we looked for Jesus, we saw that He showed us a different Way.  In this world and in many cultures, the rich do rule over the poor, but in the Kingdom of God, Mathew 5:1-12 gives us a different understanding of a different economy.  In His Kingdom, it is not to the rich that inherit anything, but to the poor, humble, and meek who shall inherit the earth.  In His Kingdom, we are all the ‘borrowers’ of Jesus’ righteousness, Romans 3:23.  And though we, like Paul in Romans 1:1, are servants to such a glorious Lender, in His Kingdom, He calls us sons and daughters, 2 Corinthians 6:18.
 
So, suffice to say, yes this Proverb is right.  It is an accurate description of how things work, but Jesus fulfilled that economy on the cross and paid all our debts.  He provided a way for us to be free of its burden- meant to oppress, and He lifts up the downtrodden- meant to bless and reinstate us as citizens of His Kingdom.
 
It’s hard for the rich to even enter His Kingdom, Matthew 19:23.

Spiritfire- Proverbs 22:6 “The Cup of Wrath”

“Train a child in the way he should go,
     and when he is old he will not turn from it.”
 
There were many questions at the beginning of this proverb:  “What does it mean?”, “Is that what Spiritfire is?”, “It says ‘child’ and ‘old’, does that mean ‘middle-aged’ people will leave ‘the way they should go?’”  We spent some time trying to navigate these and others as we examined the seed of wisdom this proverb contained.
 
This proverb has been used over the years to calm the fears of generations of parents who do their best to raise their wayward children ‘in the way’ they should go.  As we have read and witnessed throughout this journey, there are many traps and pitfalls along the paths of this life.  Arming our kids with the discernment they’ll need to traverse these paths is key to gaining wisdom.  The warnings of traveling the path to Folly’s house have been quite clear for those who hear them.  Yes, it is the ‘hope’ and ‘goal’ of Spiritfire to help my children understand the paths, to know where they lead, and to hear what’s been done by Jesus to fulfill them beyond our ability to obey.  This is the Good News Jesus came to give us which makes the ‘old ways’ new, and gives us the hope to be made into new creations according to His work within us, 2 Corinthians 5:17.
 
When we began thinking about Jesus and how He fulfilled this proverb, we saw Him as a youth, Luke 2:40-52.  He was ‘filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was upon Him,’ verse 40.  The explanation Jesus gave to Mary and Joseph mapped out ‘the way He should go’.  It was for Him to be at His Father’s house, the focus, and definition of Wisdom’s house.  This journey led Him to many traps and pitfalls, beginning with Satan’s temptations, Matthew 4:1-11, to His time in the Garden of Gethsemane, Matthew 26:36-56.  We again see Psalm 91:11-12, the very verse Satan used to tempt Jesus with, to show us the battle that was truly being waged, verse. 53.  Though He prayed that this cup of wrath be taken from Him, Matthew 26:39, it was the way in which He was trained to go.  He fulfilled our salvation by not turning from it.

Spiritfire- Proverbs 22:5 “The Cost of the Path of the Wicked”

“In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares,
     but he who guards his soul stays far from them.”
 

One can imagine the wicked person barreling down such a path, legs scratched through their hole-torn pants, snagged by the thorns and snares that should hold them back but are disregarded because of the foolishness that drives them on.  Folly’s house is their destination and the stench of death is the mesmerizing aroma that they cannot resist.  This terrible place is where their soul is captured and begins to rot in the blinding darkness of worldly desire.

The righteous person is one who values his soul like a treasure and is repelled by such a path.  Even if they naively wander down this path they quickly turn away at the first prick of the thorns.  Wisdom’s house is their destination and the waft of a blessed life is the captivating aroma that invites them in.  This wonderful place is where their soul is free to thrive.

So, where is Jesus?  Because He is the Righteous One, He saved our souls not by avoiding the path of the wicked but by paying its price and redeeming those at its end!  Its thorns were placed on His head as a crown, and its snares lashed out at His body and tore His innocent flesh.  He cleared the path by taking the sins of the world on His own shoulders, carrying the punishment of death to the place of destruction, and crucifying it with His own body.

Jesus gave us a new path.  It broke the old paths of fear and shame by giving us Himself.  “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.”  (John 14:6).  This path is straight, narrow, and direct to the eternal inheritance that is free to all who confess Him.

-Betsy