Preach the Gospel, Die, and Be Remembered
Preach the gospel, die, and be forgotten.
-Nicolaus Zinzendorf
This pious saying was uttered by Moravian bishop Count Zinzendorf. It sounds so spiritual, doesn’t it? (It averages about 100 shares an hour on Christian social media.) Only problem is, it backfired. Royally. The poor fellow is mainly remembered for this quote! Ironic, eh? The wise words of Master Oogway come to mind: “One often meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it.”
Ol’ Zinzy has been long remembered, and well he ought to be. The missionary-minded man has left a good and worthy name to posterity. In fact, according to a wiser than Zinzendorf:
A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches.
-Proverbs 22:1
A good name means a good reputation. It is to be known and remembered. Turns out, it’s even better than wealth. Great Scott! A good name is a treasure all its own. How’s about we preach the gospel, die, and be remembered fondly by our families, friends, and acquaintances? Could be the move.
Sunset on Summer of Solomon
All good things must come to an end, the Summer of Solomon included. I’ve enjoyed meditating upon the Proverbs over these short months. And now, as the great orb wanes and the shadows of summer stretch, I’d like to end with one more word from the man himself:
Better is the end of a thing than its beginning.
-Ecclesiastes 7:8
We tend to romanticize the past. Perhaps we wish we could go back to the beginning of summer and have it all over again, but such a wish is foolish. In this life, the end is better than the beginning.
But that doesn’t sound right. How could it be? Because, for Christians, the end of all things in this life signifies their beginning in the wondrous world to come. As the seasonal guard changes, let us not get too nostalgic, but rather set our sights on the Prize to come.
Fake It Till You Make It?
Whenever we start something new, the recipe calls for a certain amount of fake it till you make it. But as a course of life, this is not the way:
A wicked man puts on a bold face,
but the upright gives thought to his ways.
-Proverbs 21:29
According to this proverb, one of the character traits of the wicked man is that he puts on a bold face. In other words, he pretends to be more than he is. He makes great boasts, even though he may deliver (and has delivered) very little.
The upright, on the other hand, is characterized by his thoughtfulness. He is guided by knowledge and carefulness, rather than open bravado. The gospel security we enjoy in Christ makes this possible (since we have nothing more to prove). With the help of his Spirit, we too can rightly consider our life and ways and walk in the freedom of simple honesty.
Work Smarter, Not Harder
Desire without knowledge is not good,
and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.
-Proverbs 19:2
Many of us grew up under the impression that if we wanted something bad enough we could get it, or be it, or whatever it may be. Sometimes we still think that if our passion is strong enough, it will drive us to inevitable success.
But Solomon stops this idea dead in its tracks. Desire alone is not good. Knowledge must guide it. Without understanding, we will miss our mark and lose our way, no matter how bad we want something.
Let us then seek God for wisdom, that we may move wisely as well as passionately in our pursuits. As the saying goes, Work smarter, not harder.
Imaginary Friends
A rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
and like a high wall in his imagination.
-Proverbs 18:11
It’s easy to trust in money. What could possibly go wrong if I can buy anything and everything I could ever need or wish? But the rich who trust in their riches are blinded to the harsh reality: money does not protect from everything.
Tragedy, heartbreak, sickness, and death strike the rich as well as the poor. And it’s not just money; we trust in all kinds of things to keep us happy and whole. But only the Lord is a true defense for now and forever:
The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
the righteous man runs into it and is safe.
-Proverbs 18:10
Starstruck
The world look’d upon him as a star of the first magnitude, nay as a Sun shining in the firmament, gilding the world with knowledge, scattering beams of light, sparkling out in wise and proverbial sayings.
This was written about wise King Solomon. It sheds light upon our innate desire for human stars to follow. We look up to them because they give us guidance in life, someone to imitate. But choose carefully!
The wild thing is, we are stars—leastwise, we shall be: “And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever” (Dan 12:3).
Let us cultivate the quiet wisdom of godliness and in due time we too will sparkle with Christ. Even now we shine as lights in the dark.
Summer of Solomon
This summer I’ve been meditating in the Proverbs. Solomon wrote some bangers. Here’s one:
A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
than a hundred blows into a fool.
- Proverbs 17:10
The wise heart embraces truth wherever it is found, even in a personal rebuke. The foolish person rejects reality, even when it smacks them in the face. Why? What makes the difference?
For one, the wise heart is aware of its sin. To hear that there’s sin they aren’t aware of does not surprise the wise. They believe it and search it out.
For two, the wise heart wants more wisdom and will get it wherever it can. It has already decided that the pain of reproof is worth the gain of growth.
For three, the wise heart is secure in Christ and can therefore handle personal correction and rebuke. It is at rest in the mighty gospel of God and free to develop from within God’s love and care.
Which person are you on this fine summer’s day?
When Hurting Helps
Our bodies have built-in sensors that tell us, among other things, when something hurts. They play this particular number in a key no one can ignore: pain. But even pain can be a good thing. Without it, we would harm ourselves to death without even knowing it. In this way hurt gives life.
In spiritual matters, we do not have the same system by nature. Instead, the Lord uses his word to alert us when something is harming us spiritually. And that word often comes in the form of reproofs and rebukes. In other words, it is a kind of spiritual pain. And it too gives life.
It’s what we do with these warnings that makes all the difference. If we play our cards right—by leaning into reproofs instead of plugging our ears against them—they can lead us to a better tomorrow:
The ear that listens to life-giving reproof
will dwell among the wise.
- Proverbs 15:31
How to Be Wise
Wisdom is more than knowing things; someone said it’s knowing what to do with the things we know. There may be a kernel there, but true wisdom is built upon a specific knowledge: the knowledge of God. Consider the words of Solomon on this point:
The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,
and humility comes before honor.
— Proverbs 15:33
That’s the key to real wisdom: fearing God. In other words, making all our decisions with him in mind, in regard to his existence, his glory, his commandments, his gospel…. Keep the Lord of hosts in mind and you will be well instructed in your decisions. Stay humble before him, searching and knowing his word, and he will guide you in all things, and honor you at the proper time.
The Reformed Doctrine of Being Sad
Reformed doctrine affirms and celebrates the sovereignty of God, which means he reigns and rules over all things. This matters for the Christian life: if God is in control, then whatever I go through is ultimately from him. James tells us that we will “meet trials of various kinds” in the Christian life (James 1:2). Sometimes those trials are exhausting, demanding, and discouraging; sometimes, they just make us downright sad. When we are struck with sadness, let us stop and ponder what we shall do. Here are three simple steps to take.
pray
James asks, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray” (5:13). Pretty straightforward. Suffering with sadness? Step one: pray. Tell your heavenly Father how you feel and ask him to help you see things as they are.
Ponder
Sadness is not always evil. A wise man said, “Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad” (Eccl 7:3). Sadness sobers us to spiritual realities and the brevity of life. In this way it can bring us wisdom, which gladdens in the long run.
Push Back
The gospel of Christ is the good news to gladden our sadness. “All the days of the afflicted are evil, but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast” (Prov 15:15). Once we begin to comprehend our sadness through prayer and word, let us combat it with the unbelievably spectacular news of salvation in Christ. Soon enough we will be making cheer before our God again.