Reality

I'm reading Tim Keller's book The Reason for God. As I was reading it I was reminded of the book of Proverbs (which we are studying right now at EverGreen). Keller writes, "In ancient times it was understood that there was a transcendent moral order outside the self, built into the fabric of the universe. If you violated that metaphysical order there were consequences just as severe as if you violated physical reality by placing your hand in a fire. The path of wisdom was to learn to live in conformity with this unyielding reality." Proverbs is a book that is all about learning the path of wisdom in light of God's transcendent moral order. I've been struck in the study of this book how much pain people would avoid if they learned the wisdom of Proverbs and put it into practice. On an almost daily basis I hear a story on NPR or listen to someone speaking or check out my own life and then read Proverbs and think, "if only they had/I had learned this wisdom and lived it--how much pain would have been avoided.
Along with Keller's book I'm reading Culture Matters a book that is looking to find a place where Christians can gather to engage the culture. Part of his book argues that we need not only to critique culture but we need to create healthy culture--something that reflects the wonders of Augustine's City of God As I read his call for healthy cultural creation my mind again went to Proverbs as an excellent place to start. Proverbs 31 especially is helpful in this as we are introduced to the perfect wife who in reality is the perfect picture of how a wise person lives out a life of cultural engagement that flows from the fear of the LORD.