Categories, Scattergories

"Scotch tape has never been known for its sturdiness; duct tape is waterproof." Caleb age 9.

   Categories make up our world. I think our brain naturally groups similar characteristics together and separates the differences. Just like God separated the light from the darkness. Then He filled in the environment around those separate entities. Our animal world is full of that - Families, Class, Order, Phylum, carnivore, herbivore, omnivore, web-footed, mammal, insect, etc, etc. It enters our human world too - personalty tests, spiritual gifts test, ADD/ADHD, smart, first born, genius, labels, and groups. We love to categorize people and situations in an attempt to "summarize" what's going on and hopefully maximize our strengths and minimize our weakness.

   My oldest son, Caleb, also loves to categorize, and has done this humorously and truthfully since he could talk! After working on a project that required tape, he declares, "Scotch tape has never been know for its sturdiness;duct tape is waterproof." Did you feel the wisdom of a skilled tape-master at work? Scotch tape does not belong in the sturdiness category; however, duct tape is waterproof! Rock, paper, scissors, Duct has "trumped" the Scotch!

    You know, the book of Proverbs has some categories and charts of its own. They usually have 2 common denominators. The fool vs the wise. Proverbs 13:1 says, "A wise son heeds his father's instruction, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke." Or try 10:9, "The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out." Proverbs abounds with opposites and it clearly shows what the path of each looks like and where it leads in the end. Check out what "woman Folly looks like:
"Folly is an unruly woman; she is simple and knows nothing. She sits at the door of her house, on a seat at the highest point of the city, calling out to those who pass by, who go straight on their way, “Let all who are simple come to my house!” To those who have no sense she says, “Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious!” But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead." (Prov 9:13-18)

   Contrast that with what wisdom looks like: "Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? At the highest point along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; beside the gate leading into the city, at the entrance, she cries aloud: “To you, O people, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind. You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, set your hearts on it. Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right. My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness. All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse.(Prov 8:1-8)

    There's a chasm between these two descriptions, and yet they both exist in our world, and they both speak out, and it's our job to figure out which one we will listen to and ultimately, follow. We have a choice which category our actions, words and motives fall under. Am I listening to wisdom's instruction daily, waiting at its doorway, searching for it as if its my next breath? Is it my very source of life itself? Or am I described more like the sluggard, which is like "vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes..." (Prov 10:26). Of all the categories in this life, this is the most important one! Of course we don't always walk in the way of the righteous, or we wouldn't need a Savior. It's in those times, I'm so thankful for God's grace that restores me and walks me back to His path. So the question that this quote from my son poses to me is this: How is my life categorized? Do people know me like the scotch tape, for my un-sturdiness, or does my faith in my Heavenly Father show that I'm waterproof to life's rain storms? "When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever." (Prov 10:25)To Him be the Glory!