Prov. 8-9
These two Proverbs focus on wisdom – “her” characteristics, benefits, and source. We learn in Proverbs 9:10 how to get started on the path to wisdom. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight”. And in looking back to Proverbs 8:13, we find what it means (or at least part of what it means) to fear the LORD. “The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate”. This gives us a starting point, but I get the sense that gaining wisdom is a lifelong pursuit. I also get the sense that if we are not actively pursuing wisdom, we tend to wander away from her.
What I find very encouraging, however, comes from Proverbs 8:5. “O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense”. If wisdom calls to the simple and the fool, imploring them to learn, I have to believe that there is hope for them to actually learn wisdom. That means there is hope for me. If I have been simple-minded, if I have done foolish things, if I have failed to fear the LORD and hate evil in my own life…I can learn prudence, I can learn sense. I can gain wisdom and I can change my ways.
John 21
Something was different about Jesus’ resurrected appearance. He must have looked like a man, because it doesn’t seem that He was freaking people out in an, “Eek! A ghost!” kind of way. But every time He appeared to those who knew Him best, they did not recognize Him. At least not by His appearance. I find that curious. They did, however, recognize Him by His actions. Okay – so many directions to go with that! One thought is that Jesus now dwells within each of us through the Holy Spirit so, though none of us likely look like Jesus, others should recognize Him by our actions. That’s a big thought!
Another thought is, I wonder what made the apostles, after a full night of fishing failure, listen to some stranger on the beach who told them to cast their nets on the other side? It doesn’t even record any protest here, just says that they cast it. Perhaps something in their minds triggered the memory of a very similar incident at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, back when He was gathering them and calling them to follow. They knew it was Jesus that time, and they protested even as they obeyed. Maybe that memory sparked some hope in them, causing them to obey the words of this man they did not recognize because, even though they did not recognize Jesus, they recognized His command. Interesting.
One last thing is that I’ve just gotta say – I love Peter’s impulsive passion. Not my style, for sure, but His reckless abandon for Christ is inspiring. As soon as he recognized that “it is the Lord!”, his enthusiasm caused him to go flying out of the boat and swimming to shore. While I don’t think such impulsivity is always a good thing (I believe it is generally best to think before one acts), this may be the one exception to that. When we recognize God, would that we all run to Him with such reckless abandon!