Take to heart what I'm telling you ...

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Good friend, take to heart what I'm telling you; collect my counsels and guard them with your life. Tune your ears to the world of Wisdom; set your heart on a life of Understanding. -Proverbs 2:1-2

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I love the way that The Message begins this chapter with the words "Good friend". In other versions it is rendered "My son". In either case the words denote a loving perspective towards the reader. Sometimes love is what is needed to communicate wisdom. Often a person cannot hear unless they sense a loving motive. It is why the apostle writes of speaking the truth in love. Sometimes the intentions of our heart speaks louder than the words of our mouth.

When I read this passage the word humility comes to mind. God has called us to be life-long learners - but not all are humble enough to learn. In some sense it is impossible to learn or even seek God if we are not a little humble. If we are filled with pride we will not seek out wisdom because we already see ourselves as wise. But if humility has entered our soul we will most certainly understand our need and seek out wisdom. And God promises to help the humble.

Help us, dear Lord, to take to heart what you say to us in the scriptures.

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