3 Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;
bind them around your neck;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 So you will find favor and good success
in the sight of God and man. (Proverbs 3:3-4)
Let not faithfulness and love leave you saint. When the world thinks of the Church, I worry that they would never define us in these terms. When those around you – your sphere of influence – see you, do they see these qualities? It is interesting how Scripture unpacks this. We cannot wear something around our neck without others seeing it clearly. The bigger the trait, the more clear it is to others. Anger, humility, greed, or love, all seen by others who are looking for a reason to discredit the works of Christ.
This reminds me of Flavor Flav. When I was a kid, believe it or not, I loved Public Enemy. Their lyrics of justice and protest spoke to me as a angsty pubescent raised in rural, cow-tipping America. Within this group was Flav who was known for his humor and the huge clock he wore around his neck. Honest to God, it was so recognizable, that you would fail to pick him out in a crowd if one morning he woke up and said “I don’t feel like wearing a giant timepiece today”. And while this is a trivial illustration (honestly, the last 5 years have been a struggle to bring Flavor into my public ministry. Today, I have found God’s favor), it illustrates how we are to live.
We find favor with God and man, when we portray characteristics that are foreign to the masses.
The world stands amazed when faithful love is unleashed. Historical figures like Mother Teresa and MLK capture our collective imagination because they are an oddity within the walls of a fickle world. And so today, choose to be different. Push your core of being toward a hurting world. Love differently, love like Flav.
Matt simon blog 