I spoke to young folks recently, high-schoolers. They cherish “friends,” popularity, and “feel good” relationships.
In Prov 8:31 Wisdom’s “delight” centers on the sons of men.
Logic concludes: “young people and wisdom connect.” Both want relationships.
Youth need “cool” to hold friends.
So, young vie for acceptance.
- Cool people have life by the tail,
- they build social skills.
- They can handle most any situation,
- but the problem nags;
Where get we the love?
Enter Wisdom’s plan:
- Tear down — Walls erected social-skill-wise,
- They are phony.
- Masks must melt off.
- Catchy phrases explode in face.
- All veneer goes ca-phooey.
How done?
God commences work, He specializes here.
First, He teaches suffering’s true meanings.
- Christ became poor, that we, through His poverty might become rich.
- He became sin, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
- He purchased salvation with His blood.
- Our suffering enables understanding of His suffering.
- Ours promotes meaningful relationships and identification with others.
Job teaches us about men suffering: in chapter 17: New Jerusalem Bible
“My breathing is growing weaker and the gravediggers are gathering for me.
Scoffers are my only companions, their harshness haunts my nights.
…My days are over, so are my plans. My heart strings are broken.
…To the Tomb, I cry, ‘you are my Father!’ –to the worm, ‘you are my mother’ –you my sister.
But Job has joy again! Chapter 42.
“Yahweh gave him double what he had before. And all his brothers and all his sisters and all his friends of former times came to see him.
Over dinner in his house, they showed their sympathy and comforted him for all the evils Yahweh had inflicted on him.
Each of them gave him a silver coin, and each a gold ring.
Yahweh blessed Job’s latter condition even more than his former one.”
Men’s suffering produces for us:
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A big God “Before I knew you only by hearsay, but now, having seen you with my own eyes…”
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A family reunion of friends and family.
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Sympathy and comfort.
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a silver coin- redemption’s glory
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a gold ring- rewards for eternity.
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a new family
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140 more years alive
Dr Todd Hall lists 8 ways suffering can help you grow: at drtoddhall.com
- A deeper appreciation of life.
- Positive change in priorities.
- renewed strength and Spiritual vitality.
- increased personal strength
- deeper appreciation of vulnerability
- acceptance of limitations.
- Increased emotional expressiveness and self-disclosure.
- Compassion, empathy,and intentionality in relationships.
“…in recent years, psychologists have become aware of phenomenon known as ‘post-traumatic growth” … “In Tedeschi and Calhoun’s terms, they experienced ‘positive life changes.’ They gained a new inner strength, and discovered skills and abilities they never knew they possessed. They became more confident and appreciative of life, particularly of the ‘small things’ that they used to take for granted. They became more compassionate for the sufferings of others, and more comfortable with intimacy, so that they had deeper and more satisfying relationships.”…”In Tedeschi and Calhoun’s words, their suffering led them to a ‘deeper level of awareness.” https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/out-the-darkness/201111/can-suffering-make-us-stronger
Finally, Wisdom’s delights were with the “son’s of men.” So delight we. Lifted up, Jesus drew all men unto himself. His suffering gathered a family.
“Our light affliction, but for a moment, worketh in us a far and exceeding eternal weight of glory.” “Delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.”–Family, friends, relationships, love and security.
These things so define our Heart’ desire. love ya
