Adages of Blessings and Troubles

Adages are short sayings intended to express some sort of truth, often shared as advice or encouragement. Overused adages carry some element of truth, but they warrant deeper reflection than they’re often given to discover what is actually true about them. This week we will consider adages that relate to our scripture readings, exploring what our scriptural heritage has to say about trust, growth, and healing. Jeremiah contrasts those who put their trust in themselves with those who trust in God. The psalmist encourages us to consider what feeds us as we grow. Paul’s letter to the Corinthian church calls into question the ways in which we live differently in light of the truth of the Resurrection. In Luke’s version of the Beatitudes, worldly success is not necessarily an indication of God’s blessing.

• Read Jeremiah 17:5-10. Examine your heart. In what ways do you place your trust in “mere mortals” instead of in the Lord?
• Read Psalm 1. How do you seek to meditate on God’s law day and night?
• Read 1 Corinthians 15:12-20. How has your understanding of the resurrection of the dead changed your living?
• Read Luke 6:17-26. How do you understand the paradoxes of Jesus’ blessings and woes?