THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER

This classic movie, from the work of Stephen Vincent Benet, begins with a farmer not having much luck. Crops are bad, hailstorm hits his wheat crop, he loses precious seed he was going to help out a neighbor with. In the meantime, he and all his fellow farmers are being threatened with eviction because they cannot pay the mortgages. In a fit of frustration he says without thinking, “For two cents I would sell my soul to the devil for a bit of good luck!”

The devil immediately shows up in the person of “Scratch.” A bargain is struck where this farmer is promised 7 years of good luck, but it may take a couple of years for t hings to start rolling for him. During the 7 years he becomes a ruthless tyrant who began with a good heart, lending money to his fellow farmers. But at the end of the time allotted, he is driven by greed and money.

Almost too late he learns of the terrible price he paid to have 7 years of good luck. His wife and child leave him, and his friends forsake him. He has a huge mansion but no one to share it with him.

He renounces his hasty bargain. But Daniel Webster has to defend him to a jury of famous criminals (now deceased) but whose ghosts now comprise the jury. The likes of Simon Girty and Benedict Arnold make up the jury. With powerful persuasive words, Webster convinces the jury to give his client another chance at an honorable life, which they themselves chose not to take. After a long and arduous process, to Scratch’s surprise, the jury acquits the farmer of the bargain and he is free to go!

The final scene has Scratch looking in his ledger for another family in the area to strike a bargain with. Then with a sinister, toothy grin he looks at the TV screen and points a finger straight at the viewer with a wink. Though the question is never asked, it is left implicit and loud and clear: “What bargain can I strike with you today?” is what Scratch is asking.

We must run from the devil like the devil! We cannot entertain any thoughts of gaining advantage over others for our own “good luck and fortune.” That is not what life is about. Have we struck bargains with the devil in the past? Nothing is worth such a venture. Using Paul’s words: there should not even be a hint of such a bargain in our lives!

In Christian love, Curtis

PLENTY OF PROVERBS

As I begin preparation for teaching an adult Bible Class in June on the Proverbs, I am forced to go back and look at the basics. To begin with, the first question that comes to mind is, “What is a proverb?”

The Hebrew word that is translated “proverb’ is mashal. The text of Proverbs literally begins with “The Proverbs of…” So at the outset, as we approach this biblical book, we see that it is a collection of proverbs. But, what is a proverb?

In a broad sense mashal can refer to a “saying” of any variety of categories. Sometimes someone or something becomes a slogan for a warning. At other times it can be a blessing pronounced or a mocking song, with the object being a person or nation, and the purpose being to teach what one is not to do. It can also mean riddle, a maxim, a teaching parable.

In other places in the Old Testament a mashal can also be a lengthy discourse. Lessons about life, character and justice are included. Especially in Proverbs these are composed as instruction units, often where the author addresses “my son.” This raises the question as to what proverbs about life would we want to write down and pass on to our children?

Another perspective on what a mashal is might be helpful here. Think in terms of generally recognized truths about life that have been handed down. These are no less authoritative in our lives than, say for example, the commands of Jesus we deem applicable to ourselves. However, it would be safe to say, that we have not accorded the Proverbs nor proverbial sayings the status that we have other sections of Scripture in our lives. Think how often the Psalms are used for worship and devotional literature and practice. Compare this to the proverbs.

We all have plenty of operative proverbs in our lives that seem to daily guide us, but we have not usually named them and brought them the surface of our awareness. For example, “time spent sharpening a tool is not wasted.” We apply this to all sorts of situations, and truth of it has been tested time and again in our lives. We apply it to education, Sabbath-rest, research, training, etc.

This body of literature, the wisdom genre, helps us develop and recognize the truths about life. Sometimes, we do not have to learn lessons the hard way. If we honor the wise sayings that have been handed down, and recognize the wisdom and spiritual discernment contained in them, it will both equip and protect us. We do not have to repeat the mistakes of others. I would suspect that many of the wise sayings of the Proverbs were recognized after much blood, sweat and tears. May we appropriate this rich heritage to our faith!

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RESOURCES


Brown, Francis; Driver, S. R.; Briggs, Charles A. 1981. The New Brown, Driver, and Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Lafayette, IN: Associated Publishers and Authors, Inc.

Brueggemann, Walter. 1972. In Man We Trust: The Neglected Side of Biblical Faith. Atlanta, GA: John Knox Press.

Farmer, Kathleen A. 1996. Who Knows What is Good? A Commentary on the books of Proverbs & Ecclesiastes. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

Holladay, William L., editor. 1980. A Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

Murphy, Roland E. 1992. The Tree of Life: An Exploration of Biblical Wisdom Literature. New York, NY: Doubleday Dell Publishing Group.

WHO GETS THE CREDIT?

In our small group study Sunday night from Isaiah 26, we came across a concept that sparked a lot of vigorous and wonderful discussion. Here is verse 12 from that chapter:

“Lord, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.”

The prophet articulates what Israel has been so reluctant to see and acknowledge. But only after Judah has experienced desolation and ruin is she as a people ready to see the hand of the Lord.

Isn’t it amazing that the same seems to still be true today! Often we have to hit our heads up against a brick wall, have no where else to turn, and only then are we ready to see the hand of the Lord. Two things particularly are mentioned by Isaiah here: peace and accomplishment.

True, lasting, inner peace is a work that only God can establish. During my lifetime I have heard about so many peace talks, peace movements, peace marches, peace accords, and the list goes on. But the reason that none of this ever has a lasting effect is because it is not peace that God has established. True, lasting, inner peace is the work and hand of God. God alone gets the credit.

Accomplishment…it tends to be the soil for the seeds of human pride to sprout and take root. Even when Israel and Judah rebuilt after the exile, it was only because God was in the project. It was not something that was dreamed up by some savvy leaders and ingeniously orchestrated. My, how this realization convicts all of us relative to the church, the kingdom of God! God’s kingdom is divine work, in which we choose to participate. There are no grounds whatsoever for boasting and pride in what we have done.

So, who gets the credit? The work of peace and the accomplishment of kingdom ventures are all divine work. We collaborate and cooperate with God’s will and the movement of the Spirit. If we are experiencing inner and congregational peace, and enjoying the fruit of our labors…God gets the credit! Praise God for divine peace and accomplishment among us!

In Christian love, Curtis