Inner Bounds

Jan 22

Daily Passage

Reflections

Beginning with verse 13 in chapter 22, there is a transition in today’s reading where we move from a section referred to as the “Proverbs of Solomon” to “The Thirty Sayings of the Wise." Scholars have noticed a similar pattern between this section of Hebrew literature to the Egyptian work known as the Instruction of Amenemope. Nothing exists in a vacuum. We influence and are influenced for sure.

With the transition, the text comes back to the words of the narrator speaking to his son, pleading with his son to listen and to follow his advice. The advice is how to act in the world. In verse twenty, the speaker asks rhetorically: “Have I not written for you thirty sayings of admonition and knowledge?”

There are many admonitions; a lot about what not to do. Starting with verse 22, the son is warned not to rob the poor of crush the afflicted because they are protected by God. In 24, the son is told not to make friends with those who get angry easily because he might begin to act like they do. With verse 26, the speaker urges his son to not enter into debt because if he does, even what he has might me taken away. Verse 28 is very detailed and perhaps is culturally specific: the son is told not to mess with the “ancient landmark.” In verse 29, knowledge is imparted: those who are skillful will work with kings. I am wondering if verse 28 and 29 are related. The previous verses fell into a pattern of do not do this because of this. With these last two verses in the chapter, the pattern seems to break. Do not move the boundary stone - look at the skillful, they will serve kings. I am missing something I am sure! Anybody else have an idea? If so, please leave it in the comments. Perhaps it is communicating, don’t not try to expand your possessions by illegal means, you don’t have to do that. If you develop your skills, you will have the wealth of kings thrown your way. That’s probably it!

For verse 28, I turned to my trusty IVP Bible Background Commentary and read about those boundary stones. According to this text, plots of land were marked with stones, one at each corner. Curses and symbols of God were marked on these stones forbidding anyone to move them. Historical texts such as The Book of the Dead, The Instruction of Amenemope, and Deuteronomy outlined the consequences for anyone who moved the markers.

Today’s passage pushes me at this moment to think about how I live in this world with others and the influence others have over me. I ask: what are my boundaries. It is always good to be aware of the fact that the Bible is full of writings influenced by other cultures of the ancient Near East. As I mentioned before, The Thirty Sayings are similarly structured to the Instruction of Amenemope which is Egyptian. One of the the traits that we have that sets us apart as being human as the way we learn. We imitate. We learn through our senses. We gather information from those who raise us and act accordingly. Think of the children who were raised by wolves. They grew up acting as wolves. Think of the story of the child who was raised by chickens. He mimicked the actions of the chickens. If you put a young chicken it a house to be raised by human, it will always act like a chicken. Humans are different from other animals, and this is a major aspect that sets us apart: it is human to see and to do. Our interactions with others creates our worldview. We are shaped by what we ingest through our senses.

When considering the topic of influence, we also can consider the advice of the father over his son (Remember to read this broadly as it was typical of that time for teachers to be regarded as fathers by their students. Here, the speaker is known to be King Solomon. So he is addressing his “son” which can be considered his people. The advice itself has to do with relationships. How to act with those who are less fortunate, who to avoid and why, to not rely on the money of others to live, and to respect the boundaries of others. I don’t know. That sounds like a modern construct: respect the boundaries of others . . . but could it be that we are not to read that literally? Is it a metaphor like in our winnowing passage from yesterday?

Boundaries are important. Every time I think of my personal boundaries and the influence of others over me, I think of the words of Walt Whitman in his grand work, Song of Myself. He writes “Trippers and askers surround me . . . apart…. . . stands what I am . . .” I ask myself, and I encourage you to ask this of yourself as well: When I sing the song of myself, how am I tuned? What notes are truly mine and what are the notes of my family, my friends, my culture? I go back to my reading and push deeper. The passage suggests that I do not need to expand myself by taking from others. The way to expand my boundaries and to live more abundantly is to develop my skills.

As we live in this world, we are influenced and we influence. There is so much swirling around in the society that we have created at this time that is toxic. To breath is to take it in. But there is a lot of beauty too. Remember today, as you interact, that what you associate with, you become. I think of the saying by tony Robinson, “Energy flows where attention goes.” Watch those boundaries. Imbibe the perfume of the roses and scents of cedar, sage, and pine and give thanks. Relish the taste of strawberries. Surround yourself with the harmonic sounds of the stars and give thanks. Feel the warmth of the gentle sunlight on your skin and give thanks. See the beauty in the smile of your closest faience and give thanks. Within the boundaries of love of life and gratitude, as we develop the skill to live the life we love, we receive the boundless gifts of kings.

protect

“Trippers and askers surround me,
People I meet, the effect upon me . . .
But they are not the Me myself . . . Apart from the pulling and hauling stands what I am . . . “
— Walt Whitman, Song of Myself

Eight Affirmations of Gratitude

I am grateful for the boundaries that I have placed in my life that protect me.
I am thankful for the guidelines that help me to navigate in this world.
An give thanks for all of my teachers.
I am thankful for my ability to learn.
I am thankful for all of the advice I have been given that has helped me.
I give thanks for where I am at this moment in my life.
I am thankful for who I am as I stand in connection with others.
I am grateful that as I Live the life I love, I can be a positive influence on those around me.

Questions to Consider

Am I being kind and considerate to those who are less fortunate than I am?
Who is in my close circle of friends and are they helping me or hindering me from being my true self and living my authentic life?
What skills am I developing as I live the life I love?

Blessings

Thank you for joining me. Love and light to you my friends. Namaste.

*Note: CHARMED, is an acronym that I have developed, related to abundant living. There are seven letters, one for each day of the week. While I encourage you to touch on all of the letters on a daily basis, one letter will be highlighted each day.

In CHARMED, M stands for move. Click on the M in the card posted above and go to a page full of ways to move your body. I encourage you to peruse the page and try one of the proposed practices to get your charm on as quickly as possible.

Amy Beasley