Monday 20 September 2010

Background

The book of Proverbs is a collection of wisdom sayings andteaching, some quite salty! It is not just a list of 'thou shaltnots' but is as concerned with how to dothings as much as what to do. Theproverbs are meant to instruct people in a way of living that willlead to health and well-being for self and community.

Traditionally, the Proverbs are associated with King Solomon, whoasked for wisdom (1 Kings 3:9) when God offered him any gift hedesired. The material in today's passage however was probablycollected in the 3rd or 4th centuries before Christ, when theexiles in Babylon had returned to Jerusalem. Some of the sayings inProverbs are thought to be much more ancient however, and werepassed down for hundreds of years in the Jewish community throughoral tradition.

Today's passage is part of a longer speech given by 'Wisdom' -usually given a female persona - in the broad category ofinstruction to the young. It is spoken by someone well used to theways 'good' people cut corners in the way they treat each other.Often reading the Proverbs can give the sensation of being 'foundout' by the text. The point of today's passage is that fullness oflife does not just come from appearing to do the right thing, butfrom really doing it. It advises gentleness and peace betweenneighbours, even when the temptation is to return bitterness withbitterness.

In a time where the practise of faith and moral living are mostlyseen as individual matters, Proverbs remind us that for much ofhuman history moral living has been a community enterprise.Fullness of life is not about any one person doing or believing theright thing, but about the whole community having healthyrelationships. This could be a challenge to both liberal andconservative approaches to moral choices today.

To Ponder

Which of the sayings or teachings in today'spassage seems to speak to you right now? Why? What can you drawfrom them?

Which one do you think is most important forpeople in your community to hear? Why?