With this Dedication...

BLOGGING ABOUT WHATEVER

ENTRY - 5

TITLE: "With this Dedication..."

AUTHOUR: J. William Bell

DATE POSTED: 2025-04-22

Believe it or not, but I am a Christian; and I sometimes get to teach Sunday School. Not as often as I prefer, but when you serve true Divinity, you figuartively; and literally; dance to the divine music when it plays-- and that is usually not at a time of your choosing.

One of the lessons I enjoy teaching, and would be glad to teach more often; is an exercise I call "WISDOM TRAINING."

In The Old Testament book of PROVERBS, starting at chapter 22; verse 17, and finishing at chapter 24; verse 21; you can find what most Bible scholars refer to as the 30 PROVERBS OF WISDOM or the 30 WISE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. What I like to do with my students is choose a few of these proverbs at random, and then challenge my students with these questions:

1. For what reason(s) would someone agree with this proverb?

2. For what reason(s) would someone disagree with this proverb?

3. For what reason(s) would someone take a neutral position with this proverb?

I am often astounded and delighted with the reactions, responses, and answers I get.

Let's try out the following; If the proverb being analyzed is this one:

Do not be envious of evil people, and do not try to make friends with them. Causing trouble is all they ever think about; every time they open their mouth, someone is going to be hurt.

1. For what reason(s) would someone agree with this proverb?

If the person in question is irredeemably evil, avoiding them is almost the kindest thing you can do for them. A habitual trouble-maker is always looking for accomplices.

2. For what reason(s) would someone disagree with this proverb?

This person might be ready to change their ways, which means you do have to risk getting hurt by interacting with them. You have to give this person enough time and attention to let them show you who and what they really are. The world we live in usually becomes a better place when a trouble-maker breaks their habit and becomes something better than they once were.

3. For what reason(s) would someone take a neutral position with this proverb?

Sometimes, the person who is the least qualified to help somebody else is you. You might think that you're helping them, when in fact you are just becoming this trouble-maker's next victim. But, if you have a conscience, and you can care about somebody other than yourself... You are going to have to make a potentially dangerous choice. It might be best to make this choice slowly.

And these are just a tip of the figurative iceberg when it comes to this exercise! Some people groan about how individualistic individuals can be, and that it is rare to figure somebody out with just a few questions over a short period of time. I celebrate this! And it also makes me a little sad. If you really wish to know somebody, you really do have to dedicate a significant amount of time to them.

Excelsior!