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February 2009
I'm a spirtual
schizo!
By John Maiden
The biggest problem in my Christian life has always been the same. I am a spiritual schizophrenic. While at church, or at cell-group or hanging out with other Christians I have no problem at all in living out my faith. Yet as soon as I leave these comfortable surroundings, for instance go to work or football training, I find myself distinctly un-spiritual. It sometimes feels as if God is irrelevant to me when it comes to normal, everyday life.
Well, I reckon that I'm in good company. My personal problem is actually an issue for most of the Western Church. We have separated the "sacred" and the "secular", the "spiritual" from the "earthly". As a result, it seems that Christianity has very little to say about our everyday lives as it is purely about how to get ourselves and others into heaven.
Yet, the bible has a lot to say about the ins and outs of life on earth. The Lord's Prayer says "your will be done on earth as it is in heaven". Any flick through the gospels will show that Jesus had more to say about life on earth than getting into heaven. The message of redemption is not just about us going to heaven, but our whole lives being transformed and the whole earth being restored. This is what the Hebrews called Shalom - everything being as God intended at creation. This is what Jesus called "the kingdom of God".
The Book of Proverbs is a manual for living, giving advice (for starters) on the workplace, sex, poverty, justice, animal rights, leadership, raising children and money. It is a book about practical wisdom and insight into life. It is not (as I thought growing up) a bunch of old wives tales. It is a book about healing spiritual schizophrenia, about bringing the peace of God's Shalom and allowing us to live full and fruitful lives.
This article is not a full study of the book of Proverbs, but hopefully it will encourage us to explore an often-ignored part of the Bible. Here are three guidelines:
1) Proverbs is a book about Wisdom: the knowledge of how to "do" life as God intended. In order to be wise, we must pursue and follow God "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge" (1:7).
Wisdom itself is a part of God's nature, His mind, His innate knowledge of life, creation and order. When we know and understand God, we can gain His Wisdom.
2) Proverbs chapter 10 22 shows that God's wisdom covers the practicalities of everyday life. One theologian has called it "Godliness in work-clothes". We are shown the importance of hard work and self-responsibility (ch 20 21) and the link between spiritual and physical and mental well-being (ch 14).
Proverbs has a lot to say about relationships, particularly about what we say to others. Gossip (16:28), arguments (17:9) and anger (15:1) are all dealt with in depth. Proverbs shows us that everyday life is about worship. This worship radiates out from our adoration of God to our everyday conduct.
3) A central theme to Proverbs is that God is unconditionally on the side of the poor, saying "he who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their maker"(14:31). The wisdom is specifically applicable to the here and now. Chapter 17 v 26, for instance, could be applied to businesses and corporations: "better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice".
God requires justice at every level of society, from ordinary people, to businessmen to politicians, social justice is at the heart of Shalom and God's plan for the redemption of creation.
In Proverbs God affirms life on earth and our humanity, drawing no distinction between the "spiritual" and the "worldly". We should not see it as a rule book, but a book of wisdom showing us how to live redeemed lives and bring the Kingdom of God on earth.
About the writer...
John is from Manchester. He has a PhD in something to do with church history and is writing a book on his findings... He's a very nice bloke indeed.
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