Proverbs 7-9 Discipline is at the heart of the story

Proverbs 7 covers the now familiar story of the man being seduced by the temptress. If the repetition of this theme in the first 7 chapters of this book is any indication, this must be one of the most important things that Solomon wanted to get across to men! Again, as a woman, this doesn't resonate with me, but I do need every day to look at the things that seduce me away from the path of seeking what is pure and right.

To me, it all boils down to discipline and holding on to what is right. My graphic today is supposed to represent a treadmill. It is a little tough to see in a thumbnail view of the art, but to me, a treadmill embodies discipline.

I am in Colorado on business today and when the wakeup call came at 645a, I had to decide whether to embrace discipline and get up and go to the gym or whether to sleep another half hour. Fortunately discipline won out and I worked out for 30 minutes and before my meeting, am getting my blog done (although I somehow missed that we started on September 1 with a Proverb a day, so I'm catching up here!).

In Proverbs 8 Solomon says that discipline is a good thing!

32-36 "So, my dear friends, listen carefully;
those who embrace these my ways are most blessed.
Mark a life of discipline and live wisely;
don't squander your precious life.
Blessed the man, blessed the woman, who listens to me,
awake and ready for me each morning,
alert and responsive as I start my day's work.
When you find me, you find life, real life,
to say nothing of God's good pleasure.
But if you wrong me, you damage your very soul;
when you reject me, you're flirting with death."

Chapter 9 begins with an invitation to a magnificent banquet. Verses 5 and 6 say:

"Are you confused about life, don't know what's going on?
Come with me, oh come, have dinner with me!
I've prepared a wonderful spread—fresh-baked bread,
roast lamb, carefully selected wines.
Leave your impoverished confusion and live!
Walk up the street to a life with meaning."

I am happy to be invited to this table. I yearn for a life with meaning, even more so as each year passes. The mundane holds much less interest for me and small talk is as noise.

Verses 9-12 of Chapter 9 talk about how true wisdom is in the fear of God and that our lives will get deeper and richer if we embrace and know God.

Save your breath for the wise—they'll be wiser for it;
tell good people what you know—they'll profit from it.
Skilled living gets its start in the Fear-of-God,
insight into life from knowing a Holy God.
It's through me, Lady Wisdom, that your life deepens,
and the years of your life ripen.
Live wisely and wisdom will permeate your life;
mock life and life will mock you.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!". I want the rich, deep life and I want wisdom to permeate all that I do and say.

Have a super Saturday.

Chicke Fitzgerald
Chicke Fitzgerald