relationships (Proverbs 6:1-19) Honest Dealings and Better Relationships

(Proverbs 6:1-19) 

1   My son, if you have become a guarantor for your neighbor,
     Or have given a handshake for a stranger,
2   If you have been ensnared by the words of your mouth,
     Or caught by the words of your mouth,
3   Then do this, my son, and save yourself:
     Since you have come into the hand of your neighbor,
     Go, humble yourself, and be urgent with your neighbor to free yourself.
4   Give no sleep to your eyes,
     Nor slumber to your eyelids;
5   Save yourself like a gazelle from the hunter’s hand,
     And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

6   Go to the ant, you lazy one,
     Observe its ways and be wise,
7   Which, having no chief,
     Officer, or ruler,
8   Prepares its food in the summer 
     And gathers its provision in the harvest.
9   How long will you lie down, you lazy one?
     When will you arise from your sleep?
10 “A little sleep, a little slumber,
     A little folding of the hands to rest,”
11 Then your poverty will come in like a drifter,
     And your need like an armed man.

12 A worthless person, a wicked man,
     Is one who walks with a perverse mouth,
13 Who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet,
     Who points with his fingers;
14 Who, with perversion in his heart, continually devises evil,
     Who spreads strife.
15 Therefore his disaster will come suddenly;
     Instantly he will be broken and there will be no healing.

16 There are six things that the Lord hates,
     Seven that are an abomination to Him:
17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
     And hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that devises wicked plans,
     Feet that run rapidly to evil,
19 A false witness who declares lies,
     And one who spreads strife among brothers.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

We see here that part of having healthy relationships with those around us, is to be honest and wise in business and financial dealings.  What definitely helps with this is to not love money, but love the Lord ahead of everything and everyone else.  If money comes first, one is more likely to fall into the trappings of selfish "me-times" and/or "get-rich-quick" thinking!  So if we find ourselves heading down any of these dangerous paths, we are to quickly humble ourselves and go make things right.

While money is necessary to live, we should work with integrity and consistency, and manage our money in a way that also prepares us for the future.  When we are living and working in His will, and honoring God with our resources and finances, He will honor our prayers, protect us and see to our needs.

And while it is necessary to take some time to enjoy life and have times of rest, especially honoring the Sabbath, we should not be lazy.  A life of leisure might sound grand, but many people will struggle with lack of purpose, which often leads to debauched lifestyles and/or depression.

In either scenario, putting money or leisure time ahead of all else, we make ourselves vulnerable to those wanting to take advantage of us, use and abuse us.  Therefore, staying wise and alert will help us recognize and avoid people with evil intentions.  And keeping our hearts humbly relying on the Lord will keep us from becoming (haughty) self-righteous and/or entitled, which can happen even when one wants to come across as spiritually mature.  

Therefore, even our growth and maturity in Christ requires a committed and consistent walk with Him.  We cannot earn our way to heaven or even earn our way to being "righteous".  The world doesn't owe us anything, nor does God, for that matter, but the Lord does desire that we all come to know Him, and He will bless those who do, and who choose to walk closely with Him.  Only He can save us, and clothe us with His righteousness, and then we still need Him always to help us live abundantly in His grace, love, joy and peace.  We can then work, establish and prepare a life that is founded in the Lord's will, which will satisfy us beyond anything this world has to offer.

relationships (Proverbs 5:1-23) Being Single and Being Married

(Proverbs 5:1-23) 

1   My son, pay attention to my wisdom,
     Incline your ear to my understanding,
2   So that you may maintain discretion 
     And your lips may comply with knowledge.
3   For the lips of an adulteress drip honey,
     And her speech is smoother than oil;
4   But in the end she is bitter as wormwood,
     Sharp as a two-edged sword.
5   Her feet go down to death,
     Her steps take hold of Sheol.
6   She does not ponder the path of life;
     Her ways are unstable, she does not know it.

7   Now then, my sons, listen to me 
     And do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
8   Keep your way far from her,
     And do not go near the door of her house,
9   Otherwise you will give your vigor to others,
     And your years to the cruel one;
10 And strangers will be filled with your strength,
     And your hard-earned possessions will go to the house of a foreigner;
11 And you will groan in the end,
     When your flesh and your body are consumed;
12 And you say, “How I hated instruction!
     And my heart disdainfully rejected rebuke!
13 I did not listen to the voice of my teachers,
     Nor incline my ear to my instructors!
14 I was almost in total ruin 
     In the midst of the assembly and congregation.”

15 Drink water from your own cistern,
     And fresh water from your own well.
16 Should your springs overflow into the street,
     Streams of water in the public squares?
17 Let them be yours alone,
     And not for strangers with you.
18 Let your fountain be blessed,
     And rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19 Like a loving doe and a graceful mountain goat,
     Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;
     Be exhilarated always with her love.
20 For why should you, my son, be exhilarated with an adulteress,
     And embrace the breasts of a foreigner?
21 For the ways of everyone are before the eyes of the Lord,
     And He observes all his paths.
22 His own wrongdoings will trap the wicked,
     And he will be held by the ropes of his sin.
23 He will die for lack of instruction,
     And in the greatness of his foolishness he will go astray.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

We are to be in the world but not of the world, so there is a line of discretion to consider, for both the single and the married, since God's will is that sex should be reserved for a man and woman who are married.  Take note that it was always intended that there only be ONE wife.  And for Christians, it is God's will that a believer only date and marry another believer.  Marriage is difficult enough, even when a couple is in complete agreement on all the very important aspects of life.

Here are a few things I learned and put into practice back when I was single.  Firstly and most importantly, I worked on my personal relationship with the Lord, and asked Him to help me, and protect me - which included protecting me from myself!  As well, I prayed for Him to already be working in the heart of my potential future spouse.  Since I had no idea when or if I would even get married, I also asked God to give me peace, fulfillment and contentment.  

Being content in all things is so very important - even in being single!  There is less of a chance that one becomes desperate and makes a lifelong stupid mistake and ends up living in a desperate and/or miserable situation.  This is also good practice for if and when one does get married.  If you think marriage is going to complete you, or fulfill your life, or be the answers to a lot of your problems - NOT TRUE!!!  When we put our spouse in place of God, with unreasonable expectations, they will let us down... because, guess what, they are NOT God!!!  They are not perfect.

Another thing that helped me as a single (and I did this in middle school, already) was to write out a list of all the pros and cons as to why I should save myself for marriage.  The only thing in the con-column was "temporary satisfaction".  And even that is not a guarantee.  And if there is temporary satisfaction, there are so many ramifications that go along with this.  The biggest thing is that sex is an emotional and spiritual "marriage".  God created us this way, so that when a man and woman make their vows and then consummate that covenant, the two become one flesh.  If you ever wondered why everyone will remember "the first one", this is exactly why.

My pro-column included many things like: no STDs, no unwanted pregnancies, there wouldn't be any basis to compare my future spouse with anyone else...  because the most important sexual organ that we have - is our minds.  Whatever we do before marriage is what we will take into our marriage.  Even looking at pornography!  Don't think for one minute that this is harmless.

Now, think of the most beautiful gift you can give your spouse.  Saving yourself for marriage means that you have remained faithful to your spouse your entire life, even before you knew them.  This is so honorable and attractive.  If your spouse has done this for you as well, how much more can you trust them to remain faithful.  We will know someone is a believer when we see fruit of the Spirit, and one of those fruits is self-control.

Therefore, whether single or married, avoid temptation and stay away from it, as far as possible.  It is not a sin to be tempted, but it is a sin to become obsessed with the idea of it, and most certainly it is a sin to act on it.  Women, we are not exempt!  Not just pornography or watching strip dancing, but even romance novels and movies will lead anyone astray.  One might think that because this is all in the mind and only in one's imagination that it will not be evident.  But besides God knowing about it, it does become obvious in a relationship when the other person is having an emotional affair, even if "the person" is fictitious or unobtainable.  

Lust is a sin, and it will create a division.  Other people can seem far more alluring when you are not around them that much, or they are unobtainable fantasies.  Our minds can so very easily build up people and put them on a pedestal to be worshipped and adored.  This isn't healthy to do that with one's spouse, so it most certainly isn't healthy to do that regarding another person.

A strong prayer life will help us stay on the path of discretion and honor.  I would even put this forward as a healthy challenge.  Instead of just asking God that He remove a certain temptation from our hearts, it is important to confess any sins, even those of the heart.  Then ask God to help us focus on what is pure and honorable.  If we just keep asking God to help us avoid acting on a certain sin, a certain sin, a certain sin... We will remain hyper-focused on that certain sin.  Let's say, for example, that you have a weakness for chocolate, and then you are told NOT to think about chocolate... this will suddenly be all you think about.

We can ask God to help us remain focused on Him, and keep us looking to Him to satisfy us, fulfill us, and complete us, which will bring peace to our heart and mind.  When we are content in the Lord, we will not be so apt to covet the world or think that we are missing out on something.  Even though something wrong looks good or feels good... It helps to know that it is deceptive and only leads to destruction.

In summary, if one is single, in order to find the "right one" for marriage - it is most wise - to NOT be looking!  Live in God's will and work on having a strong relationship with the Lord (so that you know how to work on having a strong relationship with others).  Stay on this path, walking with the Lord, and then if and when someone is walking beside you in the same direction - introduce yourself!

If one is married, not only are we to keep sex within marriage, but God commands us to continue enjoying sex with our spouse.  When we have saved sex for marriage, that saying "sex stops after marriage" does NOT apply, because it's only getting started!  And - it will continue to get better and better and better...  If there are issues at any time (or to read just before your wedding day), there are excellent Christian books like "The Act of Marriage" by Tim and Beverly LaHaye.

Other things that will help in this department is when both spouses desire to please the other.  As well, a strong, healthy relationship with each other is very necessary!  Therefore, continue dating each other.  Treat your spouse as you want to be treated.  Treat your spouse as more important than yourself.  Think about how you are respecting, understanding, serving and encouraging your spouse.  Don't ask what you are getting out of the marriage, but ask yourself what you are putting into the marriage.  Pray together, study the Bible together, or at least discuss with your spouse the things that God has been teaching you.

It takes a lot of work to have a marriage that works, because even when we don't want to, we will still sin, and we will still hurt each other.  When we are wrong, quickly apologize, whether the other person forgives or not.  When the other person is wrong, quickly forgive, whether the other person apologizes or not.  As soon as there are issues, work towards reconciliation.  

All of this requires that we continually keep God and our relationship with Him as our top priority.  And then with His love, strength and wisdom, continue to work on the marriage.

relationships (Proverbs 4:1-27) Who Can We Trust?

(Proverbs 4:1-27) 

1   Listen, my sons, to the instruction of a father,
     And pay attention so that you may gain understanding,
2   For I give you good teaching;
     Do not abandon my instruction.
3   When I was a son to my father,
     Tender and the only son in the sight of my mother,
4   He taught me and said to me,
     “Let your heart take hold of my words;
     Keep my commandments and live;
5   Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding!
     Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
6   Do not abandon her, and she will guard you;
     Love her, and she will watch over you.
7   The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom;
     And with all your possessions, acquire understanding.
8   Prize her, and she will exalt you;
     She will honor you if you embrace her.
9   She will place on your head a garland of grace;
     She will present you with a crown of beauty.”

10 Listen, my son, and accept my sayings,
     And the years of your life will be many.
11 I have instructed you in the way of wisdom;
     I have led you in upright paths.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
     And if you run, you will not stumble.
13 Take hold of instruction; do not let go.
     Guard her, for she is your life.
14 Do not enter the path of the wicked 
     And do not proceed in the way of evil people.
15 Avoid it, do not pass by it;
     Turn away from it and pass on.
16 For they cannot sleep unless they do evil;
     And they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness,
     And drink the wine of violence.
18 But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn 
     That shines brighter and brighter until the full day.
19 The way of the wicked is like darkness;
     They do not know over what they stumble.

20 My son, pay attention to my words;
     Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 They are not to escape from your sight;
     Keep them in the midst of your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them,
     And healing to all their body.
23 Watch over your heart with all diligence,
     For from it flow the springs of life.
24 Rid yourself of a deceitful mouth 
     And keep devious speech far from you.
25 Let your eyes look directly ahead 
     And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.
26 Watch the path of your feet,
     And all your ways will be established.
27 Do not turn to the right or to the left;
     Turn your foot from evil.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

There is an advantage to having solid Christian parents who give solid, truthful, godly advise.  And, although they are still human and make mistakes, when they do, they will apologize and seek reconciliation.  So it is much easier to love, honor and respect these types of parents.  But if someone has parents who are not at all like this, while we are told to still love, honor and respect our parents, it is up to us to go to our heavenly Father and His word in order to find our wisdom.  Even with solid Christian parents and spiritual leaders, they should be encouraging us to not just believe what they are saying because they said so, but encouraging us to go to our heavenly Father and His word to find our wisdom.  

The Lord is the final authority, and it is to our benefit that we believe and trust in the Lord and His word.  Because, as we get older, there is more and more influence from the rest of the world, which can sometimes confuse us or lure us into their way of thinking.  God actually wants us to stay clear-headed in order to think and decide for ourselves.  God allows us to doubt and question things, as long as we don't just stay stuck in that state, but continue searching for truth and wisdom.  And we can certainly ask the Lord for wisdom in order to see things clearly!

I'm very cerebral.  Things have to make sense and be logical and practical.  So in my spiritual walk with the Lord, I did go through periods of doubt and questioning, but I always came back to God's common sense-wisdom!  The more I trusted in God's wisdom and instructions, the more I saw that things worked out for good.  Even in times when something didn't make complete sense, I knew enough to just trust what God says in His word - only to figure it out later just how much sense it actually makes!!!  The things that can get in my way of understanding - is - my own "wisdom" and ideas... or other people's "wisdom" and ideas.  Therefore, now, as I come across any teachings, I study the scriptures to make sure that it aligns with what God teaches.

To hear and embrace God's truth, one must stop deceiving themselves, and avoid devious and misleading information.  There is a LOT of information out there, now more than ever, and some of it can sound really "good."  So, in order to avoid the trappings of the enemy, we do not have to learn or know everything about every cult, religion or manipulative scam.  This would be a never-ending task of futility.

There is a simpler and much better way.  To recognize evil, deception and lies, we need to know and recognize God, His goodness, and His truth.  This is true wisdom and understanding.  As verse 25 advises, it is looking to God and remaining focused on Him and His will.  The Bible is our source of God's inerrant truth!  And the beginning of wisdom and understanding is to study the Bible, to know God and His words, and have a personal relationship with Him.

relationships (Proverbs 3:27-35) Doing Good With Right Motives

(Proverbs 3:27-35) 

27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
     When it is in your power to do it.
28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back,
     And tomorrow I will give it to you,”
     When you have it with you.
29 Do not devise harm against your neighbor,
     While he lives securely beside you.
30 Do not contend with a person for no reason,
     If he has done you no harm.
31 Do not envy a violent person,
     And do not choose any of his ways.
32 For the devious are an abomination to the Lord;
     But He is intimate with the upright.
33 The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked,
     But He blesses the home of the righteous.
34 Though He scoffs at the scoffers,
     Yet He gives grace to the needy.
35 The wise will inherit honor,
     But fools increase dishonor.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

If someone has done some work for us, we need to pay them what is due.  Or if we have borrowed money or some item from someone, we need to repay them and/or return their item.  I do try to do this as soon as possible, because I do not want to forget.  Typically, I write these things down, simply because even when we have good intentions, we can so very easily forget.  

Back in Junior High, I lent a book to a friend.  After a few months, I asked if I could have it back, but she didn't even remember me giving her the book.  Well, she SAID that she didn't remember.  I was a little heartbroken.  It was such a great book!  Plus, I had saved up my allowance to buy it, and there wasn't any way I could find and buy that book again.  What was even sadder, was that, even though I wasn't mad at my friend, she still decided that we were not going to be friends anymore.

I've also been on the opposite side of such scenarios, where people had given me things or done things for me.  Some never said that I would have to pay them back, and some said that I didn't have to pay them, because they were only doing something out of the goodness of their heart.  But guess what?  They actually expected something in return.  And if you don't figure that out, you'll learn the hard way when you start feeling their wrath and/or avoidance.  And in cases where you don't pay someone for their services, you will probably find yourself in court.

While people can be unreasonable, this should not prevent us from doing good to others - without expecting anything in return!  We should truly do good when we can, with the pure motive of showing them God's lovingkindness, which is sacrificial and unconditional.  So now, if and when I lend anything out to someone, I do so with the understanding that I might not see that money or item ever again.  And I try to do things without any expectations of getting anything in return, not even a "thank-you".  Who knows, that person might be so deep in despair that they could be a state of just grasping for straws to survive, so, we shouldn't judge or be hurt.

I do want to point out verse 30, because it is very important for us to see the logic.  "Do not contend with a person for no reason, if he has done you no harm."  This does not mean that we should never pursue justice if someone has harmed us.  When someone has committed a crime against us, we most certainly should forgive them, but we should not enable them to go out and hurt more people.  If anyone hurts us in a way that is not illegal, we can have a conversation with them in efforts to reconcile or find a peaceful resolution.  But even if the situation isn't sorted out, we should still forgive them, or we will become the very thing that we hate.

God sees and knows.  But our motive for doing good certainly should never be out of fear of punishment, because the Lord does not want that for us.  Remember, for those who fear the Lord, we are not to fear or worry about anyone or anything!  And while He promises us rewards and an inheritance in heaven, and graciously sees to our needs and blesses us here on earth for the things we do in His righteousness, this shouldn't be the reason why we do good.  But as verse 32 says, He is intimate with the upright!  Therefore, our motive should come out of having this personal relationship with God, because we desire to follow after Jesus and be Christ-like.

Even with this in mind, it can be easy to stumble and get sidetracked.  We can find ourselves living fairly comfortably and start taking God for granted, thinking that we have what we do because what we have done, and soon we want more.  This is when we start envying others who seem to "have it all".  If and when we start putting the love of power and money ahead of the Lord, this is when we will be tempted into devious, divisive and even destructive behavior.  For so many reasons, this path only leads to many problems.

The answer and solution is to continue in our intimate relationship with the Lord.  We become whatever it is that we love, admire and honor.  Therefore, when we love, admire and honor the Lord, our desire will become, more and more, to be like Him.  Every day, we can ask the Lord to lead us to do things, in His wisdom, strength and love, allowing Him to work in and through us, all to His glory.  It is in this that He takes great pleasure!  And it is in this that He works things out for good!

relationships (Proverbs 3:1-26) Taking Things to Heart

(Proverbs 3:1-35) 

1   My son, do not forget my teaching,
     But have your heart comply with my commandments;
2   For length of days and years of life 
     And peace they will add to you.
3   Do not let kindness and truth leave you;
     Bind them around your neck,
     Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4   So you will find favor and a good reputation 
     In the sight of God and man.
5   Trust in the Lord with all your heart 
     And do not lean on your own understanding.
6   In all your ways acknowledge Him,
     And He will make your paths straight.
7   Do not be wise in your own eyes;
     Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
8   It will be healing to your body 
     And refreshment to your bones.
9   Honor the Lord from your wealth,
     And from the first of all your produce;
10 Then your barns will be filled with plenty,
     And your vats will overflow with new wine.
11 My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord 
     Or loathe His rebuke,
12 For whom the Lord loves He disciplines,
     Just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights.

13 Blessed is a person who finds wisdom,
     And one who obtains understanding.
14 For her profit is better than the profit of silver,
     And her produce better than gold.
15 She is more precious than jewels,
     And nothing you desire compares with her.
16 Long life is in her right hand;
     In her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are pleasant ways,
     And all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,
     And happy are those who hold on to her.
19 The Lord founded the earth by wisdom,
     He established the heavens by understanding.
20 By His knowledge the ocean depths were burst open,
     And the clouds drip with dew.
21 My son, see that they do not escape from your sight;
     Comply with sound wisdom and discretion,
22 And they will be life to your soul 
     And adornment to your neck.
23 Then you will walk in your way securely,
     And your foot will not stumble.
24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
     When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Do not be afraid of sudden danger,
     Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes;
26 For the Lord will be your confidence,
     And will keep your foot from being caught.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

The heart is central - literally - to everything.  And the condition of our heart will impact our body, our thinking, our emotions, as well as all of our relationships.  The key to "healthy" living begins with having in a personal relationship with the Lord, which can only begin with a humble heart.  And in moving forward, when we strive to keep our hearts humbled and looking to the Lord, we can lean on His wisdom and strength for everything.  

Understand that humility is not humiliation, but a cognitive recognition that the Lord is great - greater than us, wiser than all of earth's wisdom put together, and more powerful than all powers put together - and - we need Him in our lives!!!  Also understand that being humble is not based on feelings, but on knowing the Author of truth and lovingkindness!  As with any relationship, when we love someone, our hearts are very much involved!  We long to talk with and hear from those loved ones, and we embrace what they say - "taking it to heart".  How much more then should our hearts interact with the Lord?

It also helps to understand that God's agape love is a choice - to love sacrificially and unconditionally.  So, because this love involves action within relationships, let's zero-in on verse 1 for a moment.  Since God is love as well as sovereign, our minds need to see the reasons as to why our hearts should comply with God's commandments, as David encourages his son to do.  This is to embrace and do what He instructs and to trust Him unequivocally.  

In this most trusting and loving relationship that we could ever have, we should want to choose to sit at the table with the Lord everyday and ingest His every word, knowing that His truth is good and that it works, and THEN put it to work in every aspect of our lives.  If we only periodically think on these things, and maybe do some things out of obligation, there is more chance for us to get off track.  But, God's truth and lovingkindness go hand-in-hand, otherwise why bother?

Some people say, "I'm going to live and speak my own truth no matter what!"  In this free-for-all "sensibility", there will be misunderstandings and collisions with style preferences and desires.  People will also say, "I just say it like I see it!"  But, it doesn't matter how "honest" one is if they are only seeing it from their side of things, with limited parameters of what truth is.  Even if they say something with kindness, people will be offended.  And if there isn't any kindness attached to it, people will be hurt and/or angry, and things will go terribly wrong.  

People tend to become defensive when their self-centered truths are called into question.  Doing things our way with our own understanding can lead us into so much trouble because we are selfish, self-centered, and have very limited knowledge.  We do not have all the details, we cannot see into the past or the future, and we cannot know what is in other people's hearts or minds.  Right?  We cannot control anyone else.  We sometimes cannot control even ourselves!  

What is so super interesting is that - even though God is sovereign and in control, He chooses not to control us.  He has given us a free will, with options and the freedom to act on those options.  So... it all comes down to our choices!  And the best choice we could ever make is to become a child of God.  Then, because of His grace, we can never lose our salvation, but we can still choose to be unwise, disobey and stray.

Therefore, we should be so very thankful that God loves and cares so much that He would discipline us, to get our attention, and help get us back on track.  He only desires that we continue on in our walk with Him, on His path, which leads to His riches and blessings  Straying from God's will, which includes His kindness, truth, wisdom and discretion, will lead us to divisions, destruction, disappointment, discontentment, unhappiness, guilt, shame, fear and sleepless nights.  If one is unkind, lies, acts foolishly and acts out unwisely, we will create enemies who will seek out retribution.  I don't know about you, but I have never lost sleep after I have wisely helped someone while showing them love and kindness.

Our goal should not be about becoming famous or popular, but rather, to live in such a way that we find favor and have a good reputation among others, which is accomplished by knowing and always keeping God's lovingkindness and truth together!  Seeing how things work for good when we do this will help deepen our faith and trust in the Lord.  And the Lord will bless us with His peace, confidence and security, which is far, far better than all the fame and fortunes of this world.

relationships (Proverbs 2:1-22) Gleaning Wisdom in Truth

(Proverbs 2:1-22)

1   My son, if you will receive my words 
     And treasure my commandments within you,
2   Make your ear attentive to wisdom;
     Incline your heart to understanding.
3   For if you cry out for insight,
     And raise your voice for understanding;
4   If you seek her as silver 
     And search for her as for hidden treasures;
5   Then you will understand the fear of the Lord,
     And discover the knowledge of God.
6   For the Lord gives wisdom;
     From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7   He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
     He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
8   Guarding the paths of justice,
     And He watches over the way of His godly ones.
9   Then you will discern righteousness, justice,
     And integrity, and every good path.
10 For wisdom will enter your heart,
     And knowledge will be delightful to your soul;
11 Discretion will watch over you,
     Understanding will guard you,
12 To rescue you from the way of evil,
     From a person who speaks perverse things;
13 From those who leave the paths of uprightness 
     To walk in the ways of darkness;
14 Who delight in doing evil 
     And rejoice in the perversity of evil;
15 Whose paths are crooked,
     And who are devious in their ways;
16 To rescue you from the strange woman,
     From the foreign woman who flatters with her words,
17 Who leaves the companion of her youth 
     And forgets the covenant of her God;
18 For her house sinks down to death,
     And her tracks lead to the dead;
19 None who go to her return,
     Nor do they reach the paths of life.
20 So you will walk in the way of good people 
     And keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright will live in the land,
     And the blameless will remain in it;
22 But the wicked will be eliminated from the land,
     And the treacherous will be torn away from it.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

The world will say they appreciate those with integrity, yet their ideas of what that looks like can get very twisted, especially where they themselves are concerned.  And things can get twisted by the most innocent-looking sources.  Just yesterday, there was a country singer advertising herself on television, and this young woman declared, "Right or wrong, I'm just going to live my truth."  I suppose to many, this sounds awesome.  It certainly does take the pressure off of anyone trying to live with integrity.  Somehow, we can just make up our own truth, in order to not do or do exactly what we want?!  Right or wrong - whatever we do - is "right" for us?!

I'm the kind of person who likes to know "WHY"!!!  If I'm going to do something, there has to be a really good reason.  It has to make sense!  And this is not based on my own feelings or thinking - because - I do not determine truth.  God is truth!  And we can even look at it scientifically.  Something is either true, or it is not.  And let's not confuse things by saying that there are "gray areas".  

I'll use the example of drinking alcohol.  God's word never says that drinking alcohol is wrong.  In fact, Jesus drank (Luke 7:34).  The truth is, as God says in His word, it is wrong to be controlled by drinking (or anything else, for that matter).  We are told to have self-control while being Spirit-led.  As well, we are to submit to the laws of our land, so if you are under the drinking age, it would be wrong for you to drink.  For those of age who struggle with portion-control, drinking will be wrong for them.  This is not a contradiction, but rather a practical and logical discipline of choice that God gives us.  

So, we see God's truth in the Bible.  His word includes true historical events (which lend valuable information of how things were and how things unfolded, some events being examples of what NOT to do, and some as examples of what to do).  There are prophecies, most of them already fulfilled.  The ones remaining will be fulfilled in the future.  We can study all of these in order to keep the entire Bible in context, in order to understand His plan and purpose for all ages.  Plus of course, God's truth includes doctrines, commandments (instructions) and guidelines, which are there to help guide us through life while finding, having and enjoying a close, personal relationship with the Lord God.  

The Holy Spirit will help us understand all of these things, as well as help us put these into practice.  For some guidelines (like whether or not we should drink), these require wisdom in order to apply these appropriately to ourselves.  And when we teach God's truths to others, we better be handling His word accurately... NOT to manipulate people into behaviors that suit our preferences or thinking, but rather, studying and teaching what God actually says.

While raising our children, we tried to have a lot of teachable moments all along the way in order to equip them for life.  For example, instructing them to look before crossing the street - BECAUSE - there could be a car coming and you could get hurt very badly.  And even with something as simple as telling them that they cannot go outside to play (right now).  When they ask "why" (and they probably will), don't just reply with a "Because I told you!";  give them your reason, which might be, "Because we'll be leaving soon and you need to be ready.".

It helps to give instructions along with appropriate explanations in order to develop good reasoning skills, and instill a healthy respect towards God, people and life.  Another lesson that should go hand-in-hand with this is that God, and we as parents, teach them these things because we love them and care for them.  Also as important, it is not wise for parents to burden a child with many do's and don'ts.  And equally frustrating is when parents are inconsistent with the rules.  If we read through the Bible and take notes on all of God's instructions, they are consistent, and there are not that many!  If we give our children too many rules, especially rules that verge on being unreasonable, a child will begin to ignore and disregard them.  It's very difficult to respect anyone or the rules when they are unreasonable and/or inconsistent - and/or don't practice what they themselves preach.

Once a child understands that they can trust the instructions that come from God, and parents, they will be more likely to listen and obey.  Continuing on with the example above... if we have taught our children the whys and the importance of heeding our advice, then if and when we yell out to them, "STOP!" when they are about to cross a street, they will be less likely to disregard us and charge straight ahead into the face of death.

Now let's consider the instructions that come from the Lord God - our heavenly Father - who loves us and cares for us, and has a much better way for us to follow.  When He gives us commandments that maybe don't make sense to us at the time, it is to our benefit to simply trust that He knows what He is talking about, and just do it!!!  Then, proceed to continually search and study God's word, and pray and ask for wisdom and understanding.  The more we know and understand God, the more things will make sense!  The more we put our faith into practice, the more we will see God working in our lives.  The most important thing to keep in mind is that with God, there is always a good reason, and it is always for good!

relationships (Proverbs 1:1-33) The Wise Relationship

(Proverbs 1:1-33) 

1   The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:

2   To know wisdom and instruction,
     To discern the sayings of understanding,
3   To receive instruction in wise behavior,
     Righteousness, justice, and integrity;
4   To give prudence to the naive,
     To the youth knowledge and discretion,
5   A wise person will hear and increase in learning,
     And a person of understanding will acquire wise counsel,
6   To understand a proverb and a saying,
     The words of the wise and their riddles.

7   The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
     Fools despise wisdom and instruction. 

8   Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction,
     And do not ignore your mother’s teaching;
9   For they are a graceful wreath for your head 
     And necklaces for your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice you,
     Do not consent.
11 If they say, “Come with us,
     Let’s lie in wait for blood,
     Let’s ambush the innocent without cause;
12 Let’s swallow them alive like Sheol,
     Even whole, like those who go down to the pit;
13 We will find all kinds of precious wealth,
     We will fill our houses with plunder;
14 Throw in your lot with us;
     We will all have one money bag,”
15 My son, do not walk on the way with them.
     Keep your feet from their path,
16 For their feet run to evil,
     And they are quick to shed blood.
17 Indeed, it is useless to spread the baited net 
     In the sight of any bird;
18 But they lie in wait for their own blood;
     They ambush their own lives.
19 Such are the ways of everyone who makes unjust gain;
     It takes away the life of its possessors.

20 Wisdom shouts in the street,
     She raises her voice in the public square;
21 At the head of the noisy streets she cries out;
     At the entrance of the gates in the city she declares her sayings:
22 “How long, you naive ones, will you love simplistic thinking?
     And how long will scoffers delight themselves in scoffing 
     And fools hate knowledge?
23 Turn to my rebuke,
     Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you;
     I will make my words known to you.
24 Because I called and you refused,
     I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention;
25 And you neglected all my advice 
     And did not want my rebuke;
26 I will also laugh at your disaster;
     I will mock when your dread comes,
27 When your dread comes like a storm 
     And your disaster comes like a whirlwind,
     When distress and anguish come upon you.
28 Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;
     They will seek me diligently but will not find me,
29 Because they hated knowledge 
     And did not choose the fear of the Lord.
30 They did not accept my advice,
     They disdainfully rejected every rebuke from me.
31 So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way,
     And be filled with their own schemes.
32 For the faithlessness of the naive will kill them,
     And the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 But whoever listens to me will live securely 
     And will be at ease from the dread of evil.”

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

I was very blessed to have parents who were both solid Christians, who taught us what God said in His word, and lived it as well.  But I do remember a time when I thought that maybe this was a bit old-fashioned, as some of my "friends" were advising me.  Eventually, those "friends" viciously turned on me.  I definitely learned the hard way, there.  Once I got back on track in my relationship with Jesus, I experienced the RADICAL difference.  Light vs the darkness.  Love vs selfishness.  Unity vs shallow, unfair, contentious judgments.  Freedom vs the slavery to sin.  Peace vs guilt, shame and fear.  DEFINITELY I could see, first hand, the difference between God's wisdom vs the world's foolishness!

The one who rejects the wisdom and knowledge of the Lord is foolish.  As verses 18-19 says, the decision to live for oneself only leads to one's own death.  It actually requires a lot of effort to ignore, drown out and numb oneself to God's truth, because it is right there in front of everyone, and even within everyone's own conscience.  Wisdom screams at us from every direction, so there isn't any excuse.

I was taught in a theology course that knowledge is receiving and absorbing information, while wisdom learns and knows how to apply the information we glean while realizing we should continue to seek for more and more valuable knowledge.  Wisdom recognizes valuable information and realizes that it works and should be used.  The valuable information is the Lord's truth, and we are wise when we desire to listen and live obediently in His will.  The valuable information is that God wants to help us with everything, and we are wise when we ask for His help and allow Him to work in our lives.