...dispise not the Lord’s discipline*
As “of the earth”, and also “of the wind,
the breath or spirit of the very God”,
amphibious, or hybrid is not sin
depending on relationships we’ve got
with both the heavens* and the Earth beneath
our feet. For we could walk bowed down*, or crawl,
or lower still, could slither underneath
the legs of all, but we’re made to stand tall:
we walk, skip, jog, dance, even run erect,
yet need to bend our knees to move ahead.
These oft repeated practices* help set
our whole selves to the right spirit, as said
or maybe intimated, just before,
we didn’t make ourselves (nor all the Earth).
We are not over all, we’re under more
than just the God who gives us breath since birth..
the other sons of God, not of the Earth,
right now are ruling us, until we grow
up big enough to come out* (a new birth?)
and then be ruling/ judging them; or so
we’re told in bits that slip out now & then*.
But habits* where we prostrate ourselves here
before the only wise God, help defend
us from that kind of pride that has no fear,
respect of God’s word to declare his will;
and listen carefully, to understand
but going that much more, & further still,
to act it out on Earth* - as is the plan*.
Footnotes
ne* - my son despise not the Lord's (your father’s) discipline, (fitness-regime, teaching, training)... (Proverbs 3:1-17 ff) and “Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts. [24] Never say anything that isn't true. Have nothing to do with lies and misleading words. [25] Look straight ahead with honest confidence; don't hang your head in shame. [26] Plan carefully what you do, and whatever you do will turn out right. [27] Avoid evil and walk straight ahead. Don't go one step off the right way.” (Proverbs 4:23-27 GNBUK)
ns* - “the heavens” seem to be the seed dimension where core attitudes and models hover, not (fully) embodied yet on Earth… but the plan is “as in heaven, so on Earth” and we are portals meant to carry out and help bring about that will, in that way (of HESED love).
wn* - remember that lady who walked bent over who came into the Synagogue in front of Jesus, and what he did for her, and said about her? (Luke 13:10-17)
es* - it appears to me that oft repeated practices, become habits, of our whole selves (heart, soul, mind, and strength), trained body, trained emotions and thus trained mind… or in the words of a wiser one: “Without the aid of trained emotions the intellect is powerless against the animal organism.” C.S. Lewis in The Abolition of Man.
us* - Psalm 8; plus “the law” “given by angels” Acts 7:53), being a tutor to bring us to (and then help us to grow up to become like, the) Christ (Gal 3:23-4:11).
en* - “we will judge the angels” (Paul to early Christians - 1 Cor 6:2-3)
ts* - like those spoken of by Jesus (or by God, or by Jesus’ little brother, speaking about his big brother, to his other dear brothers) to his disciples (disciplined ones) “watch & pray”, and “when you fast…”; “when you give alms”; “This is my beloved son; Listen to him”; “be slow to speak”; “be slow to anger” (Mark 8:31-9:13; James 1:19-27), … etc…or see Peter’s ladder (2Pet1:3-11) etc..
th* - again “as in heaven, so on Earth”... our longing, requests, and our own actions (in partnership with God as our senior partner) are to be that the reign of God might come on Earth, as it is in heaven..
an* - “the plan”, might well be summarised in the 4 words of the title of a Christian Ethics text-book which I read bits of years ago. Its “thesis” - that the basis of what some might call Christian Ethics, others might say it is the direction all the narratives, commands, pointers, reminders & encouragement are trying to take us (by hook or by crook). It could even be said to be an inexorable “Law” [{given Jesus’s use of it to both enemies and family when he said “you are just like your father, the devil, he was a murderer from the beginning…” (John), and “be … just as your father in heaven is …”(Matthew)}. I say inexorable, but this doesn’t preclude either that there is an off-ramp or an on-ramp, these two ramps are… existential facts (which are also metaphors for existential choices), and they are… ? (hint: Jesus mentioned one to Nicodemus)]. The four words are: “like father, like son”. Other idiomatic phrases that communicate something like this might well be “a chip off the old block”, or “the spitting image of his/ her old man/ woman”.
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