The Wisdom of the Conies
Proverbs 30:26 (Amp)
The conies are but a feeble folk, yet they make their houses in the rocks
The conies or rock badgers are in God’s book because they are weak and defenseless. In typical fashion, God reveals wisdom through those recognized for their weakness! Yet how often do we try to hide ours? We strive to look strong, capable, on top and rising. We live in a world that celebrates victory and rewards the strong yet overlooks the different and discards the inept. This is not so with our Lord. He heals the brokenhearted, strengthens the weak and champions all who turn to Him.
Often however, when we feel weak and afraid, we run to all the wrong places. Adam and Eve headed for the bushes to hide their nakedness. Peter grabbed a fishing net. Jonah bought a ticket and headed to the open sea. Running to the comforts of the flesh or the safety of solitude will not suffice to ease our pain or remove our fears. There is only One who can calm the storm and provide rest for our souls. He is our Rock, our strong tower, and our deliverer (Psalm 61:3). Yet, the choice is ours as to where we run when the battle rages and our soul is overwhelmed.
David declared that God longs for truth in the inward parts (Psalm 51:6). In other words, He wants us to be honest and transparent about who we are and the weakness we struggle with. Pretense does not cut it. Paul declared, “When I am weak then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). This seeming contradiction is the reality of a conie lifestyle. It is the wisdom of knowing that though there is weakness and inability in our life, we are hidden in the Rock. There, He will be for us what we are not. He is our shelter, protector, and the One who will provide and empower.
Psalm 61:2 declares:
From the end of the earth, I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.
Those who acknowledge their weakness, seek shelter in the Rock, for they know where their help comes from. The Lord is our refuge and strength, our help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1), and we often find ourselves in troubled times. Yet our prayers typically focus on being stronger, capable, confident and secure. Sadly, these very things fuel our independence and pride. We long for the Lord to remove difficulties and make life easier, allowing us to cope with our own level of strength and competence. This however is not the reality of the Kingdom. Life is often beyond what we can navigate with our reasoning or endure in our own strength.
Colossians 3:3 reminds us that our life is hidden with Christ in God, our heavenly abode even while we reside on earth. Our salvation came from a simple “yes,” and it is also a “yes” that brings us His strength. God gives grace – His empowering strength – to those who are humble (1 Peter 5:5). It is those who are willing to live in Him and for Him that are hidden in the Rock and safe from the one who seeks to devour (v.8). It is not complicated, but it is not always easy. It is learning the wisdom of the conies and running to the Rock to build our home in Him.
