Proverbs 26:2. Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, a curse that is causeless does not alight.
Are you superstitious?
In 2018, Pew Research found that 26% of professing Christians also believed in astrology and consulted their daily horoscope. It gets worse: 29% of Christians believe in reincarnation, and 40% believe in psychics. Far more Christians hold to less formalized forms of superstition. Rosary beads hanging on the rear view mirror for protection. Attending church to ensure a blessed life. Infusing good or evil into objects, good luck charms, or theological talismans (the altar, the communion elements, even the Bible).
Proverbs 26:2 addresses a very common form of superstition in the ancient world: cursing others. In general, ancient people believed that a curse could change reality. If a person cursed you, watch out! It will come true. Even something like the “evil eye,” was believed to bring bad luck to the person who was its victim. A gaze or a simple look, could suck the life out of someone, literally.
Paul will go as far as to equate the Galatians legalism with the superstitious evil eye.
Galatians 3:1. O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched (evil eye) you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.
What was happening here? The Galatians were using law keeping as a form of superstition. They have been bewitched by a sorcerer, Paul says. Not literally, but the legalistic Jews were treating obedience as a superstition – obey to be blessed. Disobey to be cursed.
But is this really how the Christian life works? No. The Christian life is grace, gospel, and union with Christ, not superstitious law keeping – a curse that is causeless. In Christ, we are no longer underneath ANY curse. Christ became the curse for us so that we might become his blessing.
Galatians 3:13. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.
Proverbs is warning us not to believe in curses. New Age curses. Astrological curses. The evil eye. These superstitions are all baseless. They are like birds that can’t fly. This also includes the curse of the law itself. Our blessing and cursing is found only in our faith in Christ. Receive Christ by faith – blessed. Reject Christ and his grace – cursed. In Christ, we no longer move back and forth from blessed to cursed based on our efforts.
Our piety doesn’t prevent problems. Our theological knowledge apart from faith in Christ doesn’t produce true change. We don’t confess sin to avoid punishment. We don’t believe in Jesus to become “lucky,” or so that we can avoid harm and have the best life possible. We trust in Christ because he alone is worthy. He alone is true. He alone is lord and master of all things.
Christian, don’t let your faith be replaced with superstitions. Especially the superstition of law keeping. There is no divine evil eye looking to zap you with a curse for messing up. Only the loving eyes of Christ looking with compassion and grace upon you, so that you might cast your eyes on him, looking to his cross alone as your source of blessing.
You: Are you superstitious in any way?
You in Christ: How does our union with the death and life of Christ free us from belief in all superstitions?
Christ in you: How can you replace your superstitious legalism with real faith in your union with Christ?
Pray: Father, I don’t want to manipulate you with my superstitions anymore. Teach me real faith in your son, Jesus. Amen.
To Live is Christ 