“My child, when you come to serve the LORD, prepare yourself for trials.” (Wisdom of Ben Sirach 2:1)
The opening verse of Chapter 2 was an immediate eye-opener. I, myself, have had many trials. While I was able to know the difference between what was right and what was wrong, I refrained from it. However, there were other trials that because of the “norm of society” and wanting to fit in. Even though knowing it was wrong, I lacked the discipline to say “no”.
"Be sincere of heart and steadfast, and do not be impetuous in times of adversity. Cling to him, do not leave him, that you may prosper, in your last days. Accept whatever happens to you; in periods of humiliation be patient." (Wisdom of Ben Sirach 2:2-4).
Most of all, just as it states in chapter 2:6, TRUST in God, and he will make your way straight, and hope in him. While I am patient in many ways, becoming more disciplined in God’s eyes also meant and required a different form of patience that I was not accustomed to. With verses 7-9, You that Fear the LORD, wait for his mercy, do not stray lest you fall. You that fear the LORD, TRUST in him, and your reward will not be lost. You that Fear the LORD, hope for good things, for lasting joy and mercy. Reward, you mean, I get a reward, for becoming more patient, disciplined, and faithful. If I go and put forth all of my TRUST in him, I will get a LORD, who is compassionate and merciful. And he forgives sins and saves in time of trouble, (Chapter 2:11).
Chapter fifteen of Ben Sirach showed me the choices of what God expects. Right from the Beginning in verses 1-4, he says, “Whoever Fears the LORD will do this. Whoever practiced in the law will come to wisdom. She will meet him like a mother, like a young bride, she will receive him. She will feed him with the bread of learning and give him the water of understanding to drink. He will lean upon her and not fall; he will TRUST in her and not be put to shame.” Although the United States of America gave us the free will to make choices of right from wrong, based on the law, God gave us the free will to choose right from wrong long before the United States was even thought of as a country. In fact, going back all the way to the beginning of when he created us human beings, God made us the subject to our own free choice (Chapter 2:15). Out of the ground, the LORD God made grow every tree that was delightful to look at and the good food, with the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis Chapter 2:8-9). And so keeping with what is mentioned in the Book of Ben Sirach, also in Chapter 15, verse 15 states. “If you choose, you can keep the commandments, loyalty is doing the will of God.” However, as with Adam and Eve, in the beginning, in Genesis Chapter 2:15-18, the LORD God gave to Adam his first order(commandment) and choice, “You are free to eat from any of the trees in the garden, except from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. From that tree you shall not eat, when you eat from it, you shall die.” Just like when Adam blamed Eve for having him eat the fruit from the tree, and Eve blamed the snake for tempting and convinced her that it would be ok, thinking that it would give her wisdom in Genesis 3:6. While Adam and Eve did not die, when God confronted both of them and the snake, there were consequences for all three for the free choice of choosing to disobey God’s command. Jumping back to Ben Sirach, Chapter 15:11-12, Do not say, “It was God’s doing that I fell away,” for what he hates he does not do. And do not say, “He himself has led me astray,” for he has no need of the wicked. Immense is the wisdom of the LORD, mighty in power, he sees all things, The eyes of God behold his works and he understands every human deed. He never commands anyone to sin, nor shows leniency towards deceivers (Chapter 15:18-20). What the LORD wants is for us to take responsibility for our own decisions and the actions we take upon the choices we have made. Should it merit a reward, in time, he will give us. By the same token, if the choice we have chosen, constitutes a consequence, we should be prepared for whatever is given to us. Above all else, TRUST IN THE LORD!
In keeping with how reading the Book of Ben Sirach helped and taught me how to put my Trust in the LORD above all else. Let us move on to Chapter 17 and the Appeal for a return to God. First, though let us look at the beginning of Chapter 17. Sirach reminds us that when God created the human race, God created us in his likeness. So naturally, one would assume that he had no reason to believe that we humans, whom he just created from dust, would disobey him because God is good all the time, and all the time God is good! Thus, no visible boundaries were set around the tree of good and evil. Instead, he just told us, do not eat from the tree of good and evil. God also gave us strength like his own. He gave Man dominion over beasts and the birds. Discernment, tongues and eyes, ears and a mind for thinking, he also gave us. With knowledge and understanding, he filled Man, also showing him good and evil. God put the fear of himself in the hearts of Man to show the grandeur of his works. So that they might describe the wonders of his deeds and praise his holy name. Throughout, God gave the covenant to his people and revealed his commandments that one would go by (chapter 17:3-12) The LORD also goes on to tell us, that to his majestic glory their eyes behold, his glorious voice their ears heard. And mentions to all, “Avoid all evil”, to each of them he gave precepts about their neighbor. Their ways are ever known to him, they cannot hide from his eyes (verses 14-15). Simply put, God hears all you say and sees all that you do whether it be good or bad. But no matter how bad we may feel our “wrong” was, through the compassion and love which God provides, he offers us a way back. In verses 24 -26, “But to the penitent, he provides a way back and encourages those who are losing hope.” He says, “Turn back to the LORD and give up your sins, pray before him and make your offenses few.” And then go on to also mention to us “Turn again to the Most High and away from iniquity and hate intensely what he loathes.” How great is the mercy of the LORD and his forgiveness for those who returned to him!
Chapter 30:21-24, hit me square in the nose. Do not give in to sadness or torment yourself deliberately. Gladness of heart is the very life of a person, and cheerfulness prolongs his days. Distract yourself and renew your courage, drive resentment far away from you. For grief has killed many and nothing is to be gained from resentment. Envy and anger shorten one’s days and anxiety brings on premature old age. And in Chapter 32:14, I was once again, reminded that “Whoever seeks God must accept discipline, and whoever resorts to him obtains an answer.”
No evil can harm the one who fears the LORD, through trials again and again he is rescued. Verse one of chapter thirty-three is when a light bulb began to light over my head, albeit it was a dimly lit bulb because I was beginning to understand and I wasn’t going to let this light burn out! Not this time!
This is when it was said to me, “Trust in the LORD and not in Dreams. As I read Chapter 34. The dim light that I spoke of, began getting brighter as I began to focus on the “how”. In verses 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 put a lot of my thoughts into perspective. Empty and false are the hopes of the senseless, and dreams give wings to fools…. What is seen in dreams is a reflection, the likeness of a face looking at itself…. Divination, omens, and dreams are unreal, what you already expect the mind fantasizes…. For dreams have led many astray…. A much-traveled experience speaks sense…. And after reading this, it dawned on me that all of the bad dreams that I have had throughout my life, I had let come true because I was focusing on said bad dreams too much and not focusing enough on how I had overcome these bad dreams. God was with me then, just as he is with me now and as he will always be with me. And verses 2, 4, 6, and 8 tell why it is important to let God be your focal point and put your TRUST in the LORD! Like one grasping at shadows or chasing the wind, so anyone who believes in dreams… How can the unclean produce what is clean? How can the false produce what is true? Unless they are specifically sent by the Most High, do not fix your heart on them…. Without such deceptions of the Law will be fulfilled, and in the mouth of the faithful is complete wisdom.
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