Chapter 2: Halloween Extra Content

John 14: 6

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Moose pours himself a steaming cup of tea and settles in at the helm.  The mug warms his hands, the faint scent of caramel curling into the recycled air.  Outside, the stars drift by in slow procession—silent witnesses to the ship’s long journey.  CS01 hums quietly, her systems content, still in steady transit to the First Last Stop.  It’ll be a while yet.

Moose flips open a few of his Bibles—one marked, one worn thin, one new enough to smell like paper and ink—and spreads them across the console.  He pulls his hat brim low, rubs his eyes, and lets out a deep breath.

“So. Proverbs 8. Art-bot, you with me?”

“Always, Captain,” Art-bot replies.  Her voice is smooth and steady, calm.  Light ripples softly along the cyan seams of her frame as her mechanical fingers tap across a keyboard, summoning a digital Bible onto her display.  “Proverbs chapter eight,” she reads, “—the call of wisdom.”

Q-bot swivels from her console, optics blinking twice in acknowledgment.  “Brerer,” she chirps, the sound soft and curious, a purr.

“I know, Q-bot.” Moose smiles, flipping a few switches to open the shipwide comms.  His voice carries easily through the static, warm and sure.  “Crew,” he begins, “we’re going to be studying in Proverbs 8 tonight—the call of wisdom.  Let’s go ahead and turn there, then read through.”

The hum of the engines deepens, a low harmony under his words. Somewhere in the commissary, Ms. Coffee clicks softly.

“I’ll be using the King James Translation and New King James translations tonight with a NASB, New American Standard, ready just in case.”

Proverbs 8: 1-8

“Doth not wisdom cry? And understanding put forth her voice?  She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.  She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.  Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.  O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.  Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.  For my mouth shall speak truth: and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.  All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing forward or perverse in them.”

Wisdom starts with a question in our passage, as it does in James 1.  A rhetorical question.  The definition of rhetorical can be found in the X feed.  All the words of wisdom’s mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.  The definition of froward can be found in the X feed as well.

If the last line is True, and we believe it is because….

2 Timothy 3: 16-17

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

If the last line we are looking at is True, then every Word placed in this first Scripture is there for a reason, carefully chosen.  And meant to be read by us.  At this moment, together now.

Proverbs 8: 9-11

“They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.  Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.  For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.”

“Let’s think on that for a bit.”  Moose wrinkles his nose and pulls his hat brim low.