Raven Principles
When we began this nine week journey we talked about how the Raven is a scavenger, a forager who searches, collects and lives their lives in freedom but not free from struggle. Similarly, we have been searching, foraging, and collecting principles and concepts, to us help learn to experience living our lives in freedom. Not freedom from struggle, but rather freedom in spite of struggle.
Scripture is filled with teaching regarding how we can live in this kind of freedom. In the Proverbs, King Solomon, gives us principles that are like “treasures”, that when embraced, lay a solid foundation for us to build on that can lead us to joy, contentment, peace, purpose and freedom. Within the context of this study, we will call them: “The Raven Principles.”
Six Raven Principles (from Proverbs).
Principle 1.
Submit to God’s will and authority.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Proverbs 1:7
What does this mean: “fear the Lord is the beginning of knowledge?”
One answer to that question is: Reverence and awe for God expressed in submission to His will and authority. We are told it is foolish and irresponsible for us not to pursue wisdom and understanding. There is a connection between submitting to God’s will and authority and pursuing wisdom and discipline.
Some of the staff at Door of Hope shared their responses to the question; “What does it mean to “fear the Lord?”
“It means to be in awe of God, and not wanting to hurt his heart.”
“Deep reverence of God”
“Worship of His holiness. It is the beginning of our understanding of everything: God’s love, His character, His sovereignty.”
“The more I want to be close to Him, the more wisdom I gain, and as I gain wisdom from Him, I cross over from me to Him.”
“He loves me enough to not let me have anything between my heart and His heart.”
Question 1: What does “fear the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” mean to you?
Principle 2.
Seek wisdom and understanding as if you knew there was a hidden treasure in the ground, all you needed to do is look for it. This will increase your intimacy with God
Turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord.
Proverbs 2:4-5
Solomon compares the search for wisdom like a search for silver. How does someone search for silver? First, it takes a man under ground. There may be dangers in this search, but when you run across a vein of silver there is abundant wealth in the finding. The famous “Comstock Lode” found in the Nevada region in the late 1800’s, is thought of as the largest find of silver ever. It started when two miners were searching for gold. At that time, silver was much more valuable than gold. What they discovered as they searched was just a small vein of silver. Yet when they continued to search areas adjacent to that area – a lode of silver of phenomenal proportions was discovered.
Their search took great effort, but do you think they ever considered not continuing their search? Of course not! Once they realized that the silver was there, there was no way they were going to stop digging and searching for it. This is how a search for silver goes. It’s not like searching for gold simply by finding a rock with a piece of gold in it. You research and study an area and search at great length to discover even a small vein of silver in the earth. But as you follow that vein, there is the possibility that you will find the “mother lode” which refers to the largest portion of the valuable silver ore.
Solomon is telling you to search for wisdom and apply your heart to understanding as if you are digging for silver. When you do – and seek for God Himself – He will allow you to find Him. The search may be long and arduous – but the “finding” is so glorious that all the hard work will seem as nothing.
Question 2: Think about the reality for the two miners. Once they knew the silver was there, they didn’t stop. Have you discovered or experienced that “God is there”? How is your search stalled?
For wisdom will enter your heart and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
Proverbs 2:10
Heart belief along with knowledge equals an experiential belief that can’t be swayed no matter the circumstances. This runs parallel with finding a vein or a sliver of silver. Once you truly experience God, His true riches will begin to manifest themselves in your life. The more you dig, the more you search, the more you find.
Question 3: Have you truly “experienced” God? If you have, did you notice how that experience gave you a glimpse of Him that made you want to find more?
Principle 3.
When your heart trusts God, no matter what the circumstances, or your abilities or lack of abilities, you don’t have to fear or worry.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6
When you apply your heart to understanding who God is for you, His love, His care, His grace, becomes sufficient. Under that kind of reliance, you can know that your life’s journey will always be straight, even though from your perspective or understanding…it may not feel like it.
The heart was seen as the center of a person’s will, mind, and feelings. When someone uses the phrase “with all your heart” it means there is no more room for anyone or anything else. That’s the focus of; “trusting the Lord with all your heart.” It means that we put our faith and trust alone in the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We have given Him His rightful claim to the throne of our lives and there is no room for anyone or anything else to have that place in our lives.
But whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear or harm.
Proverbs 1: 33
This is not a promise of a lack of trials. Only of ultimate safety and freedom from harm as the Apostle Paul suggests; “no matter the circumstance, I have learned the secret of being content.”
Question 4. What stands in the way of trusting God with all of your heart? Can you think of examples when you “lean on your own understanding” that results in a crooked path?
Principle 4.
When we choose not to submit to God’s authority or seek wisdom and understanding, out lives will be stressful and unproductive.
Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord, since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.
Proverbs 1:29-31
“They will eat of the fruit of their ways”….or in other words – remain tethered to the dock of self-reliance which are: my plans, done my way, (schemes), with its own set of consequences and outcomes (fruit).
Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned?
Proverbs 6:27
We are to have a close relationship with wisdom and understanding. When we do we will be kept from the things of this life that tempt.
Question 5. What seduces us in this world? It can be money, career, success, accomplishment, status, performance, food, drink, people, things, internet, porn, entertainment. Or it can be giving into overwhelming negative feelings brought about by fear, core-lies, emotions such as hopelessness or worthlessness. What keeps you from wisdom and understanding? Seduction from the world, idolatry, self reliance and our flesh?
Principle 5.
Our righteousness doesn’t come through our will power to be good, it comes by what Jesus did for us. However, our righteousness grows as our searching for God’s riches grows. Then as we find it, our righteousness needs to be guarded.
The fruit of righteousness is a tree of life…
Proverbs 11:30
| Our flesh = Death | Christ = Life |
| Wicked and foolish | Righteous and free |
My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you. Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of you heart. Say to wisdom; “You are my sister,” and call understanding your kinsman (your blood relations); they will keep you from the adulteress.
Proverbs 7:1-5
The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.
Proverbs 11:6
The righteous man is rescued from trouble…
Proverbs 11:8
Righteousness is a state of being. Our righteousness does not come from our efforts. It is not based on our performance. It is a gift from Jesus because of the cross. Because of what Jesus did for us, we are free from guilt and sin. We aren’t trapped by evil desires.
Principle six
Your heart belief will guide everything you do.
Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy.
Proverbs 14:10
As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.
Proverbs 27:19
A patient man has great understanding but a quick-tempered man displays folly. A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.
Proverbs 14:29-30
Our heart is our inner self, our soul, our conscience. Each person knows their own bitterness. No one can know what lies deep in your heart, only what can be seen on the outside. If bitterness lies deep in our heart, bitterness is what will be projected to others. If a lie-based belief produces envy for example, left alone, it will rot you from the inside.
Pride is taking deep pleasure and satisfaction in our own efforts and achievements. Wisdom says; hold onto pride lightly so you can hear the advice of others.
Preparing our Heart to “Hear”
We need to “position” ourselves before God so that we might “hear.” Unless we are positioned properly we will not be able to receive what God has for us.
God desires for us to know truth in our hearts. He wants to grant us a “spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him [and] . . . that the eyes of [our] heart may be enlightened, so that [we] will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” (Eph.1:17–18). However, often there are conditions that must be met before He will do this. In order to receive His truth, we must first be in the right position to “hear” with our hearts.
Consider the story of Mary and Martha in the Gospel narrative, both of these women were “positioned” differently, and therefore, received different things from the Lord. Jesus said to Martha in her hurried state, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part…” (Lk. 10:41-42).
Martha was busy about so many things that she missed the “good part” that Mary received while sitting at Jesus’ feet. Foremost, we must acknowledge those things we believe that are contrary to the truth that He wants us to know and take ownership of what we feel. Within this context of confession God will graciously pour out His truth within our hearts and thereby transform us into His image.
Question 6. How is your “positioning to hear God” working? What obstacles do you run into that distract or interfere with finding the “good part” from Jesus?
Consider the Raven 