Outlandish Proverb of the Week #967

400 year old insight on materialism:

"Pains to get, care to keep, fear to lose."
Collected by George Herbert, 1630's

MORE ON: Submission

My definition of humility-to know and love our place in God's plan-is perfectly illustrated in the life and poetry of George Herbert, the same George Herbert who, as a young man, had big plans for a life in politics, and the connections to make it happen. But he hadn't planned on the King dying, which left Herbert with shattered dreams and no future. Fortunately, he listened to his mother, became a pastor/priest in a tiny country parish that was so small and quiet that he had a lot of time to write poetry. Ironically, whoever became the next Prime Minister of England has long since been forgotten, but you can walk into any good bookstore in the English speaking world, 400 years later, and buy the poetry of George Herbert.

Submission
But that thou art my wisdom, Lord,
And both mine eyes are thine,
My mind would be extremely stirr'd
For missing my design.

Were it not better to bestow
Some place and power on me?
Then should thy praises with me grow,
And share in my degree.

But when I thus dispute and grieve,
I do resume my sight,
And pilfring what I once did give,
Disseize thee of thy right.

How know I, if thou shouldst me raise,
That I should then raise thee?
Perhaps great places and the praise
Do not so well agree.

Wherefore unto my gift I stand:
I will no more advise:
Only do thou lend me a hand,
Since thou hast both mine eyes.

MORE ON (That's two words): Humility

Dottie asked a great question Sunday morning--"What's the relationship between submission and humility?"
Submission is a relationship word; it always has an object. You can't submit without a person or thing to submit to.
Humility is an attitude, a mind-set, an orientation, probably seen most clearly in Philippians 2:1-5.
Submission is humility harnessed and ready to work, work that will bear fruit because the worker knows and loves (and lives) his or her place in God's plan.

Let the Debates Begin! Outlandish Proverb of the Week #741

"The higher the ape goes, the more he shows his tail."
Collected by George Herbert, 1630s
(or could that be "tale", or both?)

Where would we be without cel phones?

The best reward in going to the woods
Is being lost to other people, and
Lost sometimes to myself. I'm at the end
Of no bespeaking wire to spoil my goods;

I send no letter back I do not bring.
Whoever wants me now must hunt me down
Like something wild, and wild is anything
Beyond the reach of purpose not its own.

Wild is anything that's not at home
In something else's place. This good white oak
Is not an orchard tree, is unbespoke,
And it can live here by its will alone,

Lost to all other wills but Heaven's--wild.
So where I most am found I'm lost to you,
Presuming friend, and only can be called
Or answered by a certain one, or two.

Wendell Berry, A Timbered Choir. 188