What's That on Your Neck?

I love the book of Proverbs, it seems that I am just drawn to the wisdom that it holds. It might be because it seemed like growing up this was my Dad's favorite book. At least he quoted it to me all the time. I remember hearing the phrase "a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands…so shall poverty come on you…" all the time. It is funny as I look back, but at the time it was not at all. I did not want to hear that as I was asked to take out the trash or mow the lawn. I now realize though that it greatly shaped my work ethic. The wisdom from Proverbs has been a significant voice in forming my life. Let's look at a little bit of enlightenment from the Proverbs:

Let not mercy and truth forsake you;

Bind them around your neck,

Write them on the tablet of your heart, Proverbs 3:3

There are two things that stick out to me about this proverb, mercy and truth. These are so important to our lives that the Bible uses the metaphor of binding them around our necks and writing them on our hearts. To bind something to our neck is a similar picture to what the Jews would do with the Torah with making it a frontlet to the eyes (basically tying it to their heads). This refers to the outward expression of the mercy and truth. Writing it on our hearts is taking something to heart, allowing it to change our heart. We know from what Jesus said that our works that are seen are to flow from the inward change in our hearts.

Truth

You can know truth- Truth is a person. Jesus said that I am the way, the truth and the life. We get to know the truth through spending time with Him and spending time in his word. Romans says that we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

Truth is transparent- When our minds are renewed by the truth it causes us to live a life of honesty. We no longer work to deceive, or hide what we do. We are freed to be transparent with everyone around us. This is because we have been purified by the truth.

Mercy

Mercy is loyal- When we think of the word mercy it is easy to think of compassion or forgiveness, we think of it in the context of having compassion on someone who has done wrong. We tend to associate it with not giving someone what they deserve. The Hebrew word that is used here can also be translated as loyal love. God's love is with us through thick and thin, no matter what. It's not based on us, but on who he is!

Mercy is expressed- Mercy, the loyal love of God, can be seen in our actions. I like what the Life Application Study Bible says about love in its commentary on love. It says that we have learned to pretend to love through speaking kindly and not hurting feelings, but real love goes far beyond that. Love requires concentration and effort and will place demand on us and our resources. That demand is not up to us to fulfill in our own strength, we are not responsible to carry this burden in our souls (mind, will, and emotions). It is a demand on the loyal love of God that resides in us, are we going to choose to walk in it?

We in the church have got to have mercy and truth change our hearts and expressed in our actions now more than ever before. These are hallmarks of the lifestyle of integrity that Christ has called us to.

Remember, as HE is so are WE in this world!