Twins

Chapter VII

           

-Morning, Thea.-Ben greeted, giving her a bowl of oatmeal. Thea smiled at him.

-Good morning, Benny.-She said.-Are you ready?-She asked.

He nodded. She put on her Nikes and went outside with him, not forgetting her Bible. They came to the river log and sat down.

-So...?-He asked uneasily. Thea smiled lightly.

-How about we'll start with something simple?      
-She asked. -Proverbs?

-Uh, yeah...sure?-He asked not sure.

Thea began reading the first chapter of Proverbs.                                                   "The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, To perceive the words of understanding,                         To receive the instruction of wisdom,                      Justice, judgment, and equity;                                                    To give prudence to the simple,                                                   To the young man knowledge and discretion- A wise man will hear and increase learning,

And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel, to understand a proverb and an enigma, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. My son, hear the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother; for they will be a graceful ornament on your head, and chains about your neck. My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. If they say, "Come with us, let us lie in wait to shed blood; let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause; let us swallow them alive like Sheol, And whole, like those who go down to the Pit; We shall find all kinds of precious possessions, We shall fill our houses with spoil; Cast in your lot among us, Let us all have one purse"-My son, do not walk in the way with them, Keep your foot from their path; For their feet run to evil, And they make haste to shed blood. Surely, in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird; but they lie in wait for their own blood, they lurk secretly for their own lives. So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain; it takes away the life of its owners. Wisdom calls aloud outside; she raises her voice in the open squares. She cries out in the chief concourses at the openings of the gates in the city She speaks her words: 'How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge. Turn at my rebuke; surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded, because you disdained all my counsel, and would have none of my rebuke, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes, when your terror comes like a storm, and your destruction comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. 'Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord, They would have none of my counsel and despised my every rebuke. Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled to the full with their own fancies. For the turning away of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil.'."

Ben was quiet.

                                                       
-Could you explain some verses?-He asked.

-I'll try to.-Thea nodded.

-Did the verses about not going to do evil with people...um, do they...um, count to non-Christians?-He asked.

-Yeah, why?-Thea asked.

-Just wondering.-Ben shrugged. Thea raised her eyebrow. -What do the last verses mean?-He asked, slightly changing the subject.

-Let me explain it how my mum did. -She started.

-Wisdom is something everybody can get if they try hard enough. As you study Proverbs deeper, you see that it talks how wisdom is given by God, and foolish people don't really get to, much in life.-Thea said.

-Basically, wisdom is saying that you need her in life. Something in the lines of, I will be laughing at your stupidity, if you don't have me.-She groaned.-I'm sorry, this probably doesn't make any sense.-She said.

Ben shook his head.

-So it just means that wisdom beats foolishness, that is the way she is going to laugh at it?-Ben asked.

Thea swayed her head lightly, left and right, left and right.

-Something like that.-She said.-I began to study this book a month ago with my mum, but we stopped after the fifth chapter; she had too much stuff going on.

-Okay.-Ben simply said. -Can you pray?-He asked. Thea bowed her head.

-Dear Heavenly Father, thank you so much for waking us up this morning, thank you for being there for me all this time, guiding me and protecting me. I thank you so much that You are a true God, who stays true to His promises. Thank You for Ben, that he is showing interest in You. Please help and guide him as he has his own problems in his life. You know them all, and I ask you to help him rely on you, and I beg You that whatever happens, please make it be good as it is in Your will. Please bless this day, and give us strength to do what we have to do today.

Also, please give us wisdom to do right, and to do what You want. I ask you for Olivia, Alex, Thane...and Kai; please keep them safe as well, and that they may find a way to come to You. In Your Name I pray. Amen.-Thea opened her eyes, as Ben repeated her last word.

-Do you want to head back?-She asked. Ben shook his head.

-You can go; I need to think.-He said. Thea nodded. -Oh, can I hold on to your Bible? I want to reread the verses you read.-He said.

-Of course.-She smiled. -Just don't forget to bring it back, alright?-She teased lightly, being serious. Ben nodded and Thea left. She wondered what was going in his life, but nevertheless, prayed again for him.

***

-Where were you, and where is Ben?-Kai asked. Thea stopped, her thoughts flying away.

-Ben and I went to the river to read the Bible and pray. He is still there. Why?-Thea asked.

-Nothing. -Kai said coldly.-Get ready, the lessons start in ten minutes.-He said.

-Yes, sir.-Thea saluted and left him in his own thoughts.

***

Alex went to the river and found Ben sitting on the log.

-You OK?-He asked him. Ben looked up.

-Just have a lot of stuff going on to think about. Why are you here?-Ben asked standing up.

Alex looked at Ben strangely. Where did his bubbly friend go?

-Kai asked to find you.-He said.-Let's go?-He asked.

Ben smiled cheerfully, but it didn't seem genuine like always.

-You know you can talk to me if something is going on, right?-He asked. Ben nodded, not looking in the eye.

-Stop being mushy.-He whined. Alex laughed.

-Good, I thought aliens changed you.-He said. Ben laughed.

-They don't exist, stupid.-He said.

The men went back to their "camp" and started training.