My son, keep your father's commands and do not forsake your mother's teaching. Bind them upon your heart forever; fasten them around your neck.
Proverbs 6:20-21 NIV
Today we read where we are to bind and fasten commands and teaching, upon the heart and around the neck. Somehow we might have expected commands and teaching to be held in the mind, for that is were we store and process ideas, thoughts and information leading to knowledge via learning.
By binding and fastening teaching and commands in the heart and neck, we are involving more than the mind. We are involving our core, the seat of our personality, in what we do with our parent's commands and teaching.
It has been said that wisdom is an alignment of the mind and heart. By involving the heart and neck in storing commands and teaching we are, in a sense, called upon to be wise in applying those commands and teachings of our parents to our lives.
Wisdom may be needed in applying teachings and commands over time, life's circumstances, opportunities, technologies may change; but the underlying truths in parental teachings and commands remain. Wisdom is often needed to correctly apply teachings and commands to today's opportunities, challenges and other situations.
Remember, despite life's changing over time, God does not change. He remains the same from age to age, everlasting to everlasting, our Rock and Author of Salvation.
What does it mean to hold teachings and commands around the neck and in the heart?
How have you seen a persistant underlying truth applied differently over time? Was the truth applied consistently over time, or was there bending of the truth over time?
Give thanks that in this world of change, God's attributes do not change.
In Christ,
David P
No comments:
Post a Comment