Creatures of Habit (2nd Quarter 2023) by Jason Caywood
We are “creatures of habit.” Our habitual patterns were learned over time, usually without our being cognizant that we were learning them. These aid us in keeping on top of our day to day, week to week, month to month and year to year tasks and responsibilities—that which is either desired or necessary for us in this life. These habitual patterns in our mortal existence help us to retain a sense of place and a sense of belonging, as well as helping to motivate us to act and do things.
Our habitual patterns for living are expressions of our beliefs—both stated and unstated, known and unrecognized. We declare our convictions to ourselves and to others about the purpose of this life through our habitual actions. Put another way, they are the outworking of our theology—the actual theology of our hearts. Thus we often observe in others and ourselves incongruities between what is stated and how one actually conducts himself or herself.
The truth that we are “creatures of habit” explains why our choices and the process by which we learn is so crucial for understanding God’s exhortations to us in Scripture. For God speaks through wisdom to all people day to day, as the book of Proverbs boldly asserts. The Lord makes his appeal through lady wisdom with clarity and persistence.
Lady wisdom speaks thus: Learn of the Lord’s ways and you will live! The hard work of turning your will toward listening and progressively pursuing the practice of prudence, self-control, and anything that will be costly to you is necessary; without this you cannot become wise and will not be able to receive from God the blessing’s he wants to impart. (See Proverbs 8.) “I have good advice and sound wisdom; I have insight; I have strength.” (Proverbs 8:14, NRSVue)
The alternative path is that of evil and confirmation of our inwardly bent sickness of self. Wisdom warns us to not take that path for our own good. This is the mercy of God to be warned to avoid the corrupt path that merely confirms our self-oriented and warped perspectives. The Spirit of God speaks through lady wisdom: “For whoever finds me [wisdom] finds life and obtains favor from the LORD, but those who miss me [wisdom] injure themselves; all who hate me love death.” (Proverbs 8: 35-36, NRSVue)
What mercy it is that God would speak to us all. For he never leaves himself without a witness. His truth goes forth and his love is offered to all. Yes we must choose—this is part of the dignity of bearing the image of God. Truly it is a mercy to us that he shows us the path of learning to turn and walk in the Lord’s ways into his life, starting in this mortal life.