Wednesday, October 24

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 56 & 57; Proverbs 9:1-12; Luke 20:1-8; Romans 8:18-25

What a difference a day makes! Yesterday, I struggled greatly with the language and imagery of the Proverbs (Proverbs 7:1-27 to be exact). For within that passage, once again feminine imagery was used to represent those things that spiritually gets one off track. For instance, Proverbs 7 warned of the “loose woman” or “adulteress” who “comes toward him, decked out like a prostitute, wily of heart. She is loud and wayward; her feet do not stay at home; now in the street, now in the squares, and at every corner she lies in wait.” (Proverbs 10:11-12 – NRSV) Just as I was about to write off the Proverbs for its misogynistic approach, along comes today’s passage from Proverbs that extols the virtues of Lady Wisdom, who cries out to those searching for understanding, “"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" (Proverbs 9:4-6 – The Message). I appreciated today’s Proverb greatly - not just because it restored a long overdue sense of balance around feminine imagery, but because it presented a wonderfully invitational approach about how to get our lives on track. Today, in the midst of the scattered demands that contribute to the confusion in our lives, I invite you to slow down and listen for the call of Lady Wisdom. For if we listen closely to her call, perhaps we too can “walk up the street to a life with [new] meaning”. Hope to see you up the street a bit! Til next time…