relationships (Ecclesiastes 2:1-26) Purpose vs Pointless

(Ecclesiastes 2:1-26)

I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself.” And behold, it too was futility. 2 I said of laughter, “It is senseless,” and of pleasure, “What does this accomplish?” 3 I explored with my mind how to refresh my body with wine while my mind was guiding me wisely; and how to seize foolishness, until I could see what good there is for the sons of mankind to do under heaven for the few years of their lives. 4 I enlarged my works: I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself; 5 I made gardens and parks for myself, and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees; 6 I made ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves, and I had slaves born at home. I also possessed flocks and herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. 8 I also amassed for myself silver and gold, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself male and female singers, and the pleasures of the sons of mankind: many concubines.

9 Then I became great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me. 10 All that my eyes desired, I did not refuse them. I did not restrain my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor; and this was my reward for all my labor. 11 So I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold, all was futility and striving after wind, and there was no benefit under the sun.

12 So I turned to consider wisdom, insanity, and foolishness; for what will the man do who will come after the king, except what has already been done? 13 Then I saw that wisdom surpasses foolishness as light surpasses darkness. 14 The wise person’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that one and the same fate happens to both of them. 15 Then I said to myself, “As is the fate of the fool, it will also happen to me. Why then have I been extremely wise?” So I said to myself, “This too is futility.” 16 For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise, along with the fool, since in the coming days everything will soon be forgotten. And how the wise and the fool alike die! 17 So I hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was unhappy to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind.

18 So I hated all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored by acting wisely under the sun. This too is futility. 20 Therefore I completely despaired over all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun. 21 When there is a person who has labored with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and then gives his legacy to one who has not labored for it; this too is futility and a great evil. 22 For what does a person get in all his labor and in his striving with which he labors under the sun? 23 Because all his days his activity is painful and irritating; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is futility.

24 There is nothing better for a person than to eat and drink, and show himself some good in his trouble. This too I have seen, that it is from the hand of God. 25 For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him? 26 For to a person who is good in His sight, He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is good in God’s sight. This too is futility and striving after wind.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

If anyone could have had the resources to test all these things out to the max, it was Solomon, who has been deemed the richest man in the world, as well as the smartest (even more than Elon Musk!).  With this, Solomon decided to seek out all the things of life that the world strives after:  all kinds of leisure activities, entertainment, partying to the extreme, and pleasures, including promiscuous sex.  It might seem pleasing for a while, but he discovered that all of this was empty, senseless, foolish and a waste of time.  

Solomon also chased after the "god" of work, wealth, power and possessions, but found that this too was futile.  And, so what if one has amassed a legacy!  We die, and it will all go to someone else, who will either carry on the futility, or they will squander it.  Therefore, all your hard work, pain, worry and sleepless nights will be for nothing, because you cannot take it with you.

As well, Solomon pursued gathering more knowledge, but realized that this in itself can also be foolish.  It is said that "ignorance is bliss".  Kids are learning and hearing about things through social media, etc., that are age inappropriate.  Without having answers or solutions that are satisfactory, it then has the potential to bring about temptations, depression and/or anxiety, especially when one is privy to how evil and cruel the world can be.  All things are done in darkness, when it is void of light.  Even laughter and joy will be void of real joy.  And whether smart or not, whether rich or poor, it all leads to death and despair - unless one turns to the Lord.

Real wisdom is when a person opens their eyes to the light of Jesus, and makes the decision to follow after Him.  We were created to enjoy working and serving one another, but we need a real and greater purpose, which only the Lord can provide.  Only what we build, with the help of the Lord, will last forever.  Jesus invites us to the table of salvation, to eat, drink and fellowship with Him, so we can be nourished and strengthened by Him, and experience His everlasting joy.  

All good things come from God.  And while here on earth, everyone is able to experience and enjoy these things.  The key is not to make these good things our god and our idols, but to make the Lord Jesus Christ our God and personal Savior.  This is the most purposeful relationship we could ever have.  And then through Him, we will learn to have more meaningful relationships with others.

So as God blesses us with His goodness, we should be thankful and give Him the praise and the glory, while applying and using everything He gives us, in the way that He intended.  THEN, and only then, we will find true happiness and satisfaction.  The Father of lights gives good gifts to His children, which includes wisdom, knowledge purpose, and joy...

(James 1:16-18)  Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers and sisters. 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. 18 In the exercise of His will He gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.

(Ephesians 2:8-10) For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

(Romans 8:28) And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

relationships (Ecclesiastes 1:1-18) Making Sense of LIfe

(Ecclesiastes 1:1-18)

1   The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

2   “Futility of futilities,” says the Preacher,
     “Futility of futilities! All is futility.”

3   What advantage does a person have in all his work
     Which he does under the sun?
4   A generation goes and a generation comes,
     But the earth remains forever.
5   Also, the sun rises and the sun sets;
     And hurrying to its place it rises there again.
6   Blowing toward the south,
     Then turning toward the north,
     The wind continues swirling along;
     And on its circular courses the wind returns.
7   All the rivers flow into the sea,
     Yet the sea is not full.
     To the place where the rivers flow,
     There they flow again.
8   All things are wearisome;
     No one can tell it.
     The eye is not satisfied with seeing,
     Nor is the ear filled with hearing.
9   What has been, it is what will be,
     And what has been done, it is what will be done.
     So there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Is there anything of which one might say,
     “See this, it is new”?
     It has already existed for ages 
     Which were before us.
11 There is no remembrance of the earlier things,
     And of the later things as well, which will occur,
     There will be no remembrance of them 
     Among those who will come later still.

12 I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom about everything that has been done under heaven. It is a sorry task with which God has given the sons of mankind to be troubled. 14 I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is futility and striving after wind. 15 What is crooked cannot be straightened, and what is lacking cannot be counted.

16 I said to myself, “Behold, I have magnified and increased wisdom more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge.” 17 And I applied my mind to know wisdom and to know insanity and foolishness; I realized that this also is striving after wind. 18 Because in much wisdom there is much grief; and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

Some biblical versions use the word "vanity".  Here the word "futility" is used.  And in the Spanish version that I'm reading, it uses "¡Pura ilusión!"  Pure illusion!  So very interesting.  And here we have the smartest, wisest person, ever known to mankind, writing this, because the all-knowing Lord God (Jesus Christ) blessed Solomon with tons of wisdom.  So in this book of the Bible, Solomon is logging his journey of discoveries regarding life, human nature and purpose.

Since we are social beings, most of what people do is done to protect oneself from others, manipulate others, and/or win people over.  But whatever we work towards, or however we try to disguise or glam up our bodies, it will all whither and erode and come to an end.  So what is the point in all of that?  

We talk about how we can learn from hindsight, yet, we forget all too quickly.  How people think on their own is pure illusion.  They create their own belief system and values in order to support whatever illusion/s they are trying live in, to suit their personal desires.  And because life can become mundane, people are continuously looking for ways to entertain themselves, or try to create drama (good or bad) in their lives.  But even that becomes "old", and never fulfills or satisfies a person, and so the expeditions of the all-elusive  will continue.

Then if and when we hear anyone talking about a new way of thinking - think again!  It will just be a somewhat clever way to disguise something old.  As verse 15 says, whatever is crooked cannot be made straight.  Yet that is what we sometimes do in attempts to justify wrong behaviors.  We try to come up with "new and clever" ways to disguise the problems and issues.  

The biggest problem is that the world is not interested in hearing that they are sinners in need of saving, or in God-of-the-Bible.  In fact, the world prefers to either redefine Him into some kind of god or gods (created in their own image), or they try to explain Him away altogether, like with the theory of evolution, which says that everything is just an accident.  

Without God in our lives, everything is wearisome and futile.  Even seeking after wisdom and knowledge, if it is without God, it is foolish, empty and pointless.  And one will very quickly realizes that the more we know, the more we know there is to know.  And this can definitely bring one into despair, because it causes us to face our own limitations and shortcomings compared to all the issues in the world!

Meanwhile, we have God's truth, written out for us to clearly understand that the Lord has a plan and purpose.  The all-powerful and all-knowing Lord created us and everything for a reason!  He also loves and cares about us and desires that all have a personal relationship with Him.  Therefore, we can choose to go to Him to be saved and receive eternal life.  

Then we can do things in His perfect way, with His help, with joy and purpose!  And then, in His will, with His wisdom, life will make sense!  We will have clear direction, with purpose.  And with His help and guidance, we will be able to find and develop purposeful relationships in our lives, to go through life together, with unconditional love, edification and encouragement, which will circle back to the Lord.  At least this cycle makes sense and is the very opposite of futility!

relationships (Proverbs 31:10-31) The Perfect Power Couple!

(Proverbs 31:10-31)

10 An excellent wife, who can find her?
     For her worth is far above jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
     And he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil 
     All the days of her life.
13 She looks for wool and linen,
     And works with her hands in delight.
14 She is like merchant ships;
     She brings her food from afar.
15 And she rises while it is still night 
     And gives food to her household,
     And portions to her attendants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
     From her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She surrounds her waist with strength 
     And makes her arms strong.
18 She senses that her profit is good;
     Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
     And her hands grasp the spindle.
20 She extends her hand to the poor,
     And she stretches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
     For all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for herself;
     Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates,
     When he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
     And supplies belts to the tradesmen.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
     And she smiles at the future.
26 She opens her mouth in wisdom,
     And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the activities of her household,
     And does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and bless her;
     Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
29 “Many daughters have done nobly,
     But you excel them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
     But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her the product of her hands,
     And let her works praise her in the gates.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

This passage isn't just about the excellent wife, it is about the excellent husband and wife!  In fact, here we find a very relevant and very amazing "power-couple"!  We can learn a lot of valuable things from both of them.  Just as Jesus is our perfect example to follow... except that Jesus is real, and He is God (part of the trinity).  Now, we know, and obviously God knows, that we cannot be perfect (yet), but it helps us to get a visual on the things we should be striving towards.

Both husband and wife are believers, who put the Lord first in their lives.  Loving God first, this couple clearly applies God's agape love towards each other.  The two of them are one flesh and are living it, both working together as a team, in unity.  Both are being intentionally good and loving towards each other, saying and doing all things with the best intentions.

What is most noticeable in these verses are the attributes of the perfect wife:  

She is God-fearing, and so, does not fear the future or times of struggles.  She is joyful, loving, kind, caring and generous in helping those in need.  She is supportive, wise, confident and strong in the Lord.  She is always ready to help and to teach.  She is trustworthy, and hardworking.  

Being entrepreneurial, with integrity, the wife is good with money, and pays her employees fairly.  She does not selfishly squander money, but with delight, tackles all types of jobs, and even works outside of the home (buying, selling and investing).  And while her focus is on her internal beauty, she does not neglect her or her family's external appearance.  She is not vain or self-centered, and does not flirt or use feminine charm to get her way.  Being faithful, she does not ever neglect or abandon God, her husband, children and household (in that order).

What is not as noticeable are the attributes of this perfect husband:

He is God-fearing and serves as one of the elders.  He is also hardworking, as he "sits" (works) at the gate where business negotiations and court hearings take place.  Yet, he values his wife more than any worldly possessions, and speaks well of her in public.  He trusts his wife with finances, and trusts that she has a healthy balance between work and family life.  He encourages her and praises her, and allows her to enjoy the fruit of her labor.  

Now let's look at the perfect couple and their household: 

This household has servants, because both are working diligently and managing their finances wisely.  Well, most of us do not have servants, and that's okay!  This is where teamwork continues to step up!  Just as it's okay for a woman to work outside of the home, it's more than okay for a man and the children to help out around the house.  Notice that the children are well-behaved and respectful, because both parents are pouring into them love, kind instruction and discipline.

It actually all comes down to a very simple thing.  While the rest of society is centered around "me" and "myself" and "what do I get?"... as believers, just as Jesus came to serve, we all should be striving to do just that - serve!  Serve God and serve each other!  And in our service, use God's strength and guidance, and have God's love as our motive in all that we say and do.

relationships (Proverbs 31:1-9) Getting vs Giving Strength Away

(Proverbs 31:1-9)

1   The words of King Lemuel, the pronouncement which his mother taught him:

2   What, my son?
     And what, son of my womb?
     And what, son of my vows?
3   Do not give your strength to women,
     Or your ways to that which destroys kings.
4   It is not for kings, Lemuel,
     It is not for kings to drink wine,
     Or for rulers to desire intoxicating drink,
5   Otherwise they will drink and forget what is decreed,
     And pervert the rights of all the needy.
6   Give intoxicating drink to one who is perishing,
     And wine to one whose life is bitter.
7   Let him drink and forget his poverty,
     And remember his trouble no more.
8   Open your mouth for the people who cannot speak,
     For the rights of all the unfortunate.
9   Open your mouth, judge righteously,
     And defend the rights of the poor and needy.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

Whether we are of royalty or not, we should not be controlled by wealth, power, sex or alcohol.  As Christians, we are children of God, so we do have this higher calling to be above reproach... to be more like our heavenly Father.  And because of this, our treasures are in heaven, and our strength and power come from God Himself in order to help us live as we should, in His will and to His glory.  Let nothing else distract us from making and keeping our walk with the Lord the most important relationship in our lives, for He is the one who has forgiven and saved us, He provides and protects us, and He gives us our peace, hope and joy.

relationships (Proverbs 30:1-33) Being Satisfied and Fulfilled

(Proverbs 30:1-33)

1   The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the pronouncement.

     The man declares to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:

2   I am certainly more stupid than any man,
     And I do not have the understanding of a man;
3   Nor have I learned wisdom,
     Nor do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.
4   Who has ascended into heaven and descended?
     Who has gathered the wind in His fists?
     Who has wrapped the waters in His garment?
     Who has established all the ends of the earth?
     What is His name or His Son’s name?
     Surely you know!

5   Every word of God is pure;
     He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
6   Do not add to His words 
     Or He will rebuke you, and you will be proved a liar.

7   Two things I have asked of You;
     Do not refuse me before I die:
8   Keep deception and lies far from me,
     Give me neither poverty nor riches;
     Feed me with the food that is my portion,
9   So that I will not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the Lord?”
     And that I will not become impoverished and steal,
     And profane the name of my God.

10 Do not slander a slave to his master,
     Or he will curse you and you will be found guilty.

11 There is a kind of person who curses his father 
     And does not bless his mother.
12 There is a kind who is pure in his own eyes,
     Yet is not washed from his filthiness.
13 There is a kind—oh how lofty are his eyes!
     And his eyelids are raised in arrogance.
14 There is a kind of person whose teeth are like swords 
     And his jaw teeth like knives,
     To devour the poor from the earth 
     And the needy from among mankind.

15 The leech has two daughters:
     “Give” and “Give.”
     There are three things that will not be satisfied,
     Four that will not say, “Enough”:
16 Sheol, the infertile womb,
     Earth that is never satisfied with water,
     And fire that never says, “Enough.”
17 The eye that mocks a father 
     And scorns a mother,
     The ravens of the valley will pick it out,
     And the young eagles will eat it.

18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me,
     Four which I do not understand:
19 The way of the eagle in the sky,
     The way of a snake on a rock,
     The way of a ship in the middle of the sea,
     And the way of a man with a virgin.
20 This is the way of an adulterous woman:
     She eats and wipes her mouth,
     And says, “I have done no wrong.”

21 Under three things the earth quakes,
     And under four, it cannot endure:
22 Under a slave when he becomes king,
     And a fool when he is satisfied with food,
23 Under an unloved woman when she gets a husband,
     And a female servant when she dispossesses her mistress.

24 Four things are small on the earth,
     But they are exceedingly wise:
25 The ants are not a strong people,
     But they prepare their food in the summer;
26 The rock hyraxes are not a mighty people,
     Yet they make their houses in the rocks;
27 The locusts have no king,
     Yet all of them go out in ranks;
28 The lizard you may grasp with the hands,
     Yet it is in kings’ palaces.

29 There are three things which are stately in their march,
     Even four which are stately when they walk:
30 The lion, which is mighty among animals 
     And does not retreat from anything,
31 The strutting rooster or the male goat,
     And a king when his army is with him.

32 If you have been foolish in exalting yourself,
     Or if you have plotted evil, put your hand on your mouth.
33 For the churning of milk produces butter,
     And pressing the nose produces blood;
     So the churning of anger produces strife.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

To humble ourselves is to understand that our knowledge doesn't even compare to the Lord's wisdom.  Not only did the Lord create all things, and knows all things, He gave us the Bible for us to study and know.  Every word of God is pure.  And while there are very profound details contained within, He very clearly explains the things we absolutely need to understand.  As a perfect, loving God who desires to have a personal relationship with us, why would He just leave us in the dark, to stumble around, trying to figure out life all on our own?!  

Because the Lord desires that all come to know Him personally, and because the Lord cares that we have purpose, peace and joy, He tells us exactly how to do this.  And because He wants all of this for each and everyone of us, He wants to do it FOR us!  Only the Lord God, Jesus Christ is able to forgive, save and protect us.

Once we are a child of God, even though we cannot lose our salvation, we will still make mistakes.  These tend to happen when we become arrogant, thinking that we know better than God, and start misinterpreting and changing His word in attempts to justify our fleshly desires.  When we become self-righteous, we stop recognizing the sins that are taking over our lives.  When we take God's goodness for granted, we will start taking credit for the things that we do and have.  When we stop being thankful for what God has done, is doing, and will do, we become discontent, envious and greedy.  Or when we stop depending on the Lord, and start depending on our own strength, we very well might find ourselves anxious or desperate enough to commit crimes, hurting others and ourselves.

The Lord knows that we are going to struggle with these things.  This is why He gives us His grace.  And this is why we need to daily seek after Him, and ask Him for His help, guidance and strength... To keep deception and lies far from us... To have integrity and be diligent at home, school or work... To provide whatever it is that we need... To help us be generous towards the building up of God's kingdom and helping those in need... To be respectful, kind and loving to all... To watch what we say and do so that we are not agitators, but rather peacemakers who live and spread the gospel message... To cherish our spouse and remain faithful and selflessly loving towards them...  To be confident in our Lord and His ability.

We can be content in the Lord.  Because He is all-powerful, generous and loving, He is able to provide us with whatever it is that we need.  What is more, He will satisfy our souls and fill our hearts, so no matter what amount of wealth or position God gives us, we will be thankful and it will be enough.  Only our relationship with the Lord can complete us, which will help us with life and all other relationships.

relationships (Proverbs 29:1-27) Solution vs Problem

(Proverbs 29:1-27)

1   A person often rebuked who becomes obstinate 
     Will suddenly be broken beyond remedy.
2   When the righteous increase, the people rejoice,
     But when a wicked person rules, people groan.
3   A man who loves wisdom makes his father glad,
     But he who involves himself with prostitutes wastes his wealth.
4   The king gives stability to the land by justice,
     But a person who takes bribes ruins it.
5   A man who flatters his neighbor 
     Is spreading a net for his steps.
6   By wrongdoing an evil person is ensnared,
     But the righteous sings and rejoices.
7   The righteous is concerned for the rights of the poor;
     The wicked does not understand such concern.
8   Arrogant people inflame a city,
     But wise people turn away anger.
9   When a wise person has a controversy with a foolish person,
     The foolish person either rages or laughs, and there is no rest.
10 People of bloodshed hate the blameless person,
     But the upright are concerned for his life.
11 A fool always loses his temper,
     But a wise person holds it back.
12 If a ruler pays attention to falsehood,
     All his ministers become wicked.
13 The poor person and the oppressor have this in common:
     The Lord gives light to the eyes of both.
14 If a king judges the poor with truth,
     His throne will be established forever.
15 The rod and a rebuke give wisdom,
     But a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother.
16 When the wicked increase, wrongdoing increases;
     But the righteous will see their downfall.
17 Correct your son, and he will give you comfort;
     He will also delight your soul.
18 Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained,
     But happy is one who keeps the Law.
19 A slave will not be instructed by words alone;
     For though he understands, there will be no response.
20 Do you see a person who is hasty with his words?
     There is more hope for a fool than for him.
21 One who pampers his slave from childhood 
     Will in the end find him to be rebellious.
22 An angry person stirs up strife,
     And a hot-tempered person abounds in wrongdoing.
23 A person’s pride will bring him low,
     But a humble spirit will obtain honor.
24 One who is a partner with a thief hates his own life;
     He hears the oath but tells nothing.
25 The fear of man brings a snare,
     But one who trusts in the Lord will be protected.
26 Many seek the ruler’s favor,
     But justice for mankind comes from the Lord.
27 An unjust person is an abomination to the righteous,
     And one who is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

A life of crime and perversion is dangerous and problematic, affecting all areas of life, including relationships.  And a life without the Lord, is a slavery to sin which leads to eternal death.  So while unbelievers are driven by pride to depend on themselves, believers know to keep their hearts humble and depend on the Lord.  

While unbelievers try to control, manipulate and incite riots, hate and anger, believers are to avoid dissentions and divisions, but with self-control and love, be peacemakers.  While unbelievers prefer lies, deception and corruption, believers should be seeking after truth.  While unbelievers befriend and work with the wicked out of fear, believers trust and fear the Lord, because He cares and will protect.  

While unbelievers try to figure out ways to get away with more, believers will recognize where they went wrong, confess, and mature.  While unbelievers live as they please, believers understand and happily embrace the Lord's instructions.  While unbelievers live for themselves, believers should be concerned for others, especially for the rights of the poor, widows and orphans.

Even though the poor have nothing to offer us, Christians are to still help them, and desire that they become believers.  The same goes for unbelievers who hate Christians and don't understand us.  As we look to the Lord's goodness, fairness and justice, He will protect, guide and provide for us.  And because God desires that all come to know Him, and because He asks that we share the good news as opportunities present themselves, God will equip and help us accomplish His will.  

There is absolutely no need to argue or debate, as it is the choice of each individual to accept or reject Jesus.  In God's love and guidance, we are simply to share the gospel message.  It is the Lord who convicts and works on hearts.  And it is only in the Lord that hearts are changed, comforted and delighted.  Therefore, we should not fear or worry... at all.  

Even if we only have the opportunity to plant a tiny seed, or do a bit of watering, no matter the outcome, God will be very pleased with our humble obedience.  Our purpose is to reach out to family, friends and society with the light of Jesus.  In this dark and hateful world, there is hope and love.  In our broken societies, there can be healing and unity.  In human despair, there can be peace and joy.  And this is only possible through Jesus.  Our choice is to either be part of the problem, or be part of the solution, all to God's glory!

relationships (Proverbs 28:1-28) Build vs Destroy

(Proverbs 28:1-28) 

1   The wicked flee when no one is pursuing,
     But the righteous are bold as a lion.
2   Due to a wrongdoing of a land its leaders are many,
     But by a person of understanding and knowledge, so it endures.
3   A poor man who oppresses the helpless 
     Is like a driving rain which leaves no food.
4   Those who abandon the Law praise the wicked,
     But those who keep the Law strive against them.
5   Evil people do not understand justice,
     But those who seek the Lord understand everything.
6   Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity,
     Than a person who is crooked, though he is rich.
7   He who keeps the Law is a discerning son,
     But he who is a companion of gluttons humiliates his father.
8   One who increases his wealth by interest of any kind,
     Collects it for one who is gracious to the poor.
9   One who turns his ear away from listening to the Law,
     Even his prayer is an abomination.
10 One who leads the upright astray in an evil way 
     Will himself fall into his own pit,
     But the blameless will inherit good.
11 The rich person is wise in his own eyes,
     But the poor who has understanding sees through him.
12 When the righteous triumph, there is great glory,
     But when the wicked rise, people hide themselves.
13 One who conceals his wrongdoings will not prosper,
     But one who confesses and abandons them will find compassion.
14 How blessed is the person who fears always,
     But one who hardens his heart will fall into disaster.
15 Like a roaring lion and a rushing bear 
     Is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
16 A leader who is a great oppressor lacks understanding,
     But a person who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.
17 A person who is burdened with the guilt of human blood 
     Will be a fugitive until death; no one is to support him!
18 One who walks blamelessly will receive help,
     But one who is crooked will fall all at once.
19 One who works his land will have plenty of food,
     But one who follows empty pursuits will have plenty of poverty.
20 A faithful person will abound with blessings,
     But one who hurries to be rich will not go unpunished.
21 To show partiality is not good,
     Because for a piece of bread a man will do wrong.
22 A person with an evil eye hurries after wealth 
     And does not know that poverty will come upon him.
23 One who rebukes a person will afterward find more favor 
     Than one who flatters with the tongue.
24 He who robs his father or his mother
     And says, “There is no wrong done,”
     Is the companion of a person who destroys.
25 An arrogant person stirs up strife,
     But one who trusts in the Lord will prosper.
26 One who trusts in his own heart is a fool,
     But one who walks wisely will flee to safety.
27 One who gives to the poor will never lack anything,
     But one who shuts his eyes will have many curses.
28 When the wicked rise, people hide themselves;
     But when they perish, the righteous increase.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

It doesn't matter if you appear to be good or religious, God looks at the heart.  He will only save those who confess their sins.  And as verse 13 points out, after confessing our sins, we should want to abandon our sinful ways.  Wisdom is understanding that sin hurts and destroys us and others; while obeying the Lord, living in His will, and trusting Him and what He says, will satisfy and prosper us.

When we are doing things that are wrong, we are only adding to all the other woes and destruction of this world.  At the same time, we will also be cheering on and giving accolades to those who are also doing wrong, because misery loves company.  But even just hanging out with the wrong crowds can cause our parents to feel sorrow.  We might think that we are better than that and could never do any of these things, but it is possible, and these things will sneak in.  They usually start small and then get bigger.

One has to become more arrogant, shut their eyes, and harden their hearts even more in order to continue on with this type of lifestyle:  chasing after wealth, leisure and/or popularity while oppressing others;  manipulating people through flattery;  and/or stealing from one's parents and not thinking this is wrong...  Eventually, our own wrong actions will catch up to us.  Until that point in time, when we know we've done something wrong, we'll always be looking over our shoulder, afraid that we'll get caught;  and feeling alone because there is no protection or justification.  

Just so, there is no such fear when we have been living righteously.  When we, in God's strength, remain vigilant and avoid evil, and do things the right way, without prejudices, we will be helping to build healthier, stronger relationships with the Lord, our family, friends and society.  And we don't have to strive to earn lots of money in order to be "rich".  Having integrity, wisdom and discernment, and living righteously and generously is worth far more than financial wealth.  

In order to understand what and how things should actually be done, we should seek the Lord and His wisdom, always.  Part of this process, is knowing that our sins will impede our prayers.  The Lord has compassion on those who soften and humble their hearts to confess their sins and abandon them.  For those who love and respect the Lord, He honors and works things out for good and protects us!