Disrespect of fathers--an old attitude

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TODAY'S SPECIAL: Proverbs 28-31; Psalm 7

TO CHEW ON: "This is a generation that curses its father, and does not bless its mother." Proverbs 30:11


I don't think I can recall a TV show or commercial lately where fathers are honoured. The message is more likely to follow along the lines of certain credit card promos, where the dud of a father books a flight (to his parents' home or a vacation spot) at an inappropriate time because his inferior credit card company has blocked all the good weeks.

What follows is scenes of the family in full sweaty costume celebrating all the year's holidays in the heat of summer, or on the beach besieged by storms, or the tennis court hassled by swarms of bugs. The camera segues to one of the kids who mutters, "Dad needs to get a ___ card," followed by him / her looking at the camera and asking, "What's in your wallet?" They're funny, but they do carry the message: Poor dad. He sure is stupid. His kid is way smarter.

This attitude is not new. In fact it's as old as Jacob deceiving Isaac to get the blessing of the firstborn (Genesis 27:1-29).

There are many ways we can dishonour our fathers (and mothers; the Bible usually talks in terms of both parents):

1. By living lives of disobedience, rebellion, stubbornness and sensuality (Deuteronomy 21:18-21).

2. By showing lack of respect (Deuteronomy 27:16).

3. By taking sides and promoting dissension and quarreling in the family (Micah 7:6).

4. By failing to provide for them when they are in need and we have the means (Mark 7:9-13).

The Bible teaching is clear in its stand supporting fathers and parents in general.
1. The command to honour parents is one of the ten, and accompanied with the promise of long life (Deuteronomy 5:16).

2. The child who treats parents disrespectfully is living dangerously (Proverbs 30:17).

3. Robbing parents of what is their due puts children in cahoots with the destroyer (Proverbs 28:24).

4. Children betraying parents is one of the unnatural family behaviors that will typify end times (Matthew 10:21; 2 Timothy 3:2).

The application to us cuts many ways.

• If you are a father, you will want to live in a way that earns the commanded respect.

• If you are the wife of a father, it's important to refrain from undermining your husband to your children by going behind his back with deceitful, underhanded speech or manipulations like Rebekah did.

• If you are a child and your father is still living, you can provide for him (time, attention and respect are provisions as well as financial help if he needs it and living support if he is elderly or failing).

• Whether your father is dead or alive, you can focus on the good in him, refusing to dwell on the hurtful actions or lacks that may be a part of your memories.

How will you honour your father, not just on Father's Day (which we celebrate this month) but every day?

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for earthly fathers. Thank You for the gift of my dad and his godly example. For those of us who don't have earthly fathers, thank You for promising to be a father to the fatherless. Amen.


PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 7

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Do you have an obedient ear?

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TODAY'S SPECIAL: Proverbs 25-27; Psalm 6

TO CHEW ON: "Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold
Is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear." Proverbs 25:12


Rebuke isn't a word we use often these days. It means to reprove sharply, reprimand, check or restrain by command. Its synonym reprove (to rebuke, censure, blame) is almost as rare.

Perhaps we don't use these words because we don't do much rebuking or reproving. When the news carries stories of people getting beat up for trying to check or restrain bad behaviour, can we be blamed for keeping our mouths shut?

Yet here Solomon praises the person who learns from a rebuke. Other references to rebuke in the Bible help us understand from whom rebuke might come and how to receive and give it.

• Sometimes it comes from unexpected sources. In the Old Testament, rebuke came to Abram and Sarah from an Egyptian Pharaoh and Abimelech, the king of Gerar, when they lied about their relationship - Genesis 12:18 and Genesis 20:16.

• Rebuke is valuable when it comes from a righteous, wise person. In Psalm 141:5 the psalmist calls it "excellent oil." Our focus verse likens wise rebuke to gold jewelry.

• Parents are expected to rebuke their children and wise children will respond with corrected behaviour - Proverbs 15:5; Proverbs 2:1-22.
  

• Rebuke is most helpful when it's "open" vs. hidden, as in not delivered - Proverbs 27:5.

• We demonstrate whether we are foolish or wise by how we respond to it - Proverbs 17:10.

• God, our heavenly Father, shows His care for us when He rebukes us - Hebrews 12:5.

Have you been rebuked by someone lately? Or by God Himself? How do you tend to respond to rebuke?

Instead of getting our hackles up, or objecting "Who are you to tell me I'm wrong?!" let's prove ourselves wise by valuing righteous, helpful, needed rebuke and responding to it with an obedient ear.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to be open to rebuke today and to respond with an obedient ear. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 6

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The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. - Used with permission.

Some do's and don'ts for a successful life

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Proverbs 22-24; Psalm 5

TO CHEW ON: "Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise,
And apply your heart to my knowledge;
For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you;
Let them all be fixed upon your lips,
So that your trust may be in the Lord..." Proverbs 22:17-19

Even though its wisdom is ancient, the advice in Proverbs is as relevant today as ever. The issues addressed in one chapter of today's reading (Proverbs 22) are wide-ranging—from bringing up children to having a good work ethic. Yet the theme of SUCCESS runs through them all. The writer is telling us, to have a successful life you must do some things and refrain from doing others.

DO:

• Seek to have a good reputation - Proverbs 22:1
• Understand your times and guard yourself against possible catastrophe - Proverbs 22:3.
• Live humbly and fear God - Proverbs 22:4,5.
• Train children from the earliest age - Proverbs 22:6
• Be generous and give to the poor - Proverbs 22:9
• Remove cynical contentious people as partners or associates - Proverbs 22:10.
• Love purity and speak with grace - Proverbs 22:11.
• Actively seek wisdom and knowledge - Proverbs 22:17,18.
• Trust in the Lord - Proverbs 22:19
• Work hard to be the best you can be - Proverbs 22:29.

DON'T:

• Live a wilfully sinful life - Proverbs 22:8.
• Be lazy - Proverbs 22:13.
• Ignore the foolishness that is found in your child's heart - Proverbs 22:15.
• Take advantage of the poor and downtrodden - Proverbs 22:23.
• Become intimate with angry people - Proverbs 22:24,25.
• Borrow money or underwrite someone else's loan - Proverbs 22:7, 26, 27.
• Move the borders of your property to increase the size of your plot - Proverbs 22:28

Though living by these do's and don'ts may sound like common sense, some are anti-intuitive—at least anti-intuitive to our 21st century minds. To put them into practice we need to have faith in God and that what He says through Solomon is really wise.
- Being generous makes you rich?
- Gracious speech has more impact than bullying, angry words?
- Borrowing and going into debt is bad?
- Innocent little children need correction and discipline?
Especially when God's wisdom clashes with our modern 'wisdom' we need to cling to Him as we resist going along with the crowd:

"Let them all be fixed on your lips
So that your trust may be in the Lord."

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to trust You and take seriously the wisdom in Your word, especially when it goes against what my peers think, believe, and live by. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 5

MORE: Are you foolish enough?

"When looking back on the lives of men and women of God the tendency is to say - What wonderfully astute wisdom they had! How perfectly they understood all God wanted! The astute mind behind is the Mind of God, not human wisdom at all. We give credit to human wisdom when we should give credit to the Divine guidance of God through childlike people who were foolish enough to trust God's wisdom and the supernatural equipment of God." - Oswald Chambers, from the October 26th reading of My Utmost for His Highest.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The power of words

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TODAY’S SPECIAL: Proverbs 16-18; Psalm 3

TO CHEW ON: “Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.” Proverbs 16:24 NLT*

Are you a person of many or few words?  Have your words ever you into trouble? Or perhaps your words helped get you out of trouble.

The three chapters of Proverbs in today’s reading deal with many subjects. A prominent one is the role of the tongue in everyday life. What wisdom can we learn about speech from these chapters?

• Our words reflect our thoughts and reveal who we really are.

“The wise are known for their understanding” - Proverbs 16:21.

“From a wise mind comes wise speech” - Proverbs 16:23.

“Anyone who loves to quarrel loves to sin…” - Proverbs 17:19.

“A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered.
Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut they seem intelligent” - Proverbs 17:27,28

“Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinion” - Proverbs 18:2.

“Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish” - Proverbs 18:13.

• Our words have power for good and bad.

“… pleasant words are persuasive… the words of the wise are persuasive” - Proverbs 16:21,23.

“Scoundrels create trouble; their words are a destructive blaze” - Proverbs 16:27.

“A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends” - Proverbs 16:28.

“Rumors are dainty morsels that sink deep into one’s heart” - Proverbs 18:8.

“The first to speak in court sounds right—until the cross-examination begins” - Proverbs 18:17.

• Our speech has consequences.

“The king is pleased with words from righteous lips; he loves those who speak honestly” - Proverbs 16:13.

“Those who mock the poor insult their Maker; those who rejoice at the misfortunes of others will be punished” - Proverbs 17:5.

“The crooked heart will not prosper; the lying tongue tumbles into trouble” - Proverbs 17:20.

“Fools’ words get them into constant quarrels; they are asking for a beating. The mouths of fools are their ruin; they trap themselves with their lips” - Proverbs 18:6,7.

“Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with bars” - Proverbs 18:10.

“The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences” - Proverbs 18:21.

• Rulers and those in authority have added responsibility to speak carefully.

“The king speaks with divine wisdom; he must never judge unfairly” - Proverbs 16:10.

“Eloquent words are not fitting for a fool; even less are lies fitting for a ruler” - Proverbs 17:7.

• Wise speech makes life better.

“Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy to the body” - Proverbs 16:24.

“Wise words are like deep waters; wisdom flows from the wise like a bubbling brook” - Proverbs 18:4.

“Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction” - Proverbs 18:20.

Let's watch our words today!




PRAYER: Dear Father, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer” - Psalm 19:14.
 
PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 3


*I used the New Living Translation [NLT] today. I like the way it simplifies ideas that are sometimes hard to get in the NKJV. The verses that appear on the website when you hover over the Bible reference reference quote the NKJV.

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Thanks for reading! This year we are using The Bible Project "Timeless Reading Plan" to read through the Bible in 2018. If you'd like to read along in your own Bible, you can download a pdf of the reading plan HERE.

When the wise speak

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Proverbs 7-9; Psalm 150

TO CHEW ON: "Listen, for I will speak of excellent things,
And from the opening of my lips will come right things." Proverbs 8:6

One of my favourite down-time activities is to watch reality shows on the Food Network. I love the contestants' ingenuity with food and seeing the amazing creations they come up with in limited time. But there is one thing I don't enjoy—the profanities used by many contestants. The beeper is busy and still some leak through.

These brilliant cooks may be wise about food but according to the writer of today's reading, could they be lacking in other wisdom? For wisdom here identifies herself largely by what comes out of one's mouth.

What does come out of the mouth of a wise person?

Right things, excellent things, truth, words spoken with righteousness, nothing perverse or crooked, plain understandable speech, instruction, knowledge.

The Bible speaks of speech in other places too:

• A wise person "spares his words"  and is "of a calm spirit" - Proverbs 17:27.

• Jesus advises us to make simple promise which are kept - Matthew 5:37.

• Paul tells the Colossians that their speech should be "always with grace" - Colossians 4:6.

• However, James reminds us that none of us is perfect in this department - James 3:2-18.

Oops! Maybe I'd better take a closer look at myself. What is my speech like when I get upset, am under pressure, on the offensive? Always gracious and excellent? Never perverse? I know too that unwise words nurtured in my thoughts may one day spill out. Perhaps I'd better attend to my own unwise thoughts and words before I point fingers at others.

What about you?

PRAYER: Dear God, help me with my pesky tongue. Actually, help me to go one step back and root out unwise thoughts that, if allowed to grow, will produce a harvest of unwise words. Amen. 

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 150

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The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. - Used with permission.

A heritage of wisdom

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TODAY'S SPECIAL: Proverbs 4-6; Psalm 149

TO CHEW ON: "Hear my children, the instruction of a father,
And give attention to know understanding." - Proverbs 4:1

Two weeks from today we celebrate fathers, on a day set aside as "Father's Day."

We can think of fathers in two ways: as children of fathers and as fathers of children. Solomon, the writer of Proverbs, has skillfully woven both viewpoints into our reading.

First he urges his kids to listen to his advice like he listened to his own father's words. His was a father who made a passionate case for his son's careful attention. Sample David's words as his son Solomon remembers them (New Living Translation):

“Take my words to heart. Follow my commands, and you will live.....Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you. Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do!....If you prize wisdom, she will make you great....She will place a lovely wreath on your head; she will present you with a beautiful crown” (excerpts from Proverbs 4:1-9)

Following that in verses 10-13 Solomon urges his children to follow this advice themselves. He names three reasons why:

1. Their lives will be prolonged (Proverbs 4:10).

2. Their journey will be swifter and smoother (Proverbs 4:11-12).

3. This instruction will be their life (Proverbs 4:13).

"Instruction" is an interesting word and not completely pleasant.

[Instruction (muwcar) means correction, chastisement, instruction, discipline, an admonition, rebuke or warning. Muwcar comes from the word yacar - "to reform, chastise, discipline, instruct." It encompasses chastening both by words and punishments (Proverbs 1:1-3; 22:15). Muwcar includes all forms of discipline intended to lead to a transformed life. - New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 809.]

Words of correction, rebuke, warning, or admonishment are harder for a child to take than words of praise, encouragement or affirmation. However, for fathers, they may be the easier, more natural words to give. Paul acknowledges this when he talks about fathers not discouraging their children:

"Fathers, do not provoke or irritate or fret your children [do not be hard on them or harass them], lest they become discouraged and sullen and morose and feel inferior and frustrated. [Do not break their spirit.]" - Colossians 3:21 - Amplified

And so fathers (and mothers) need a balance. For if correcting words are a child's life, a loving parent would not ever want to withhold them. But neither would that parent want to discourage, frustrate, or break the child's spirit.

In this every godly father and mother can be goaded and guided by the principal of love God applies when He scolds us. It's in Proverbs too - Proverbs 3:11-12

"My son, do not despise or shrink from the chastening of the Lord [His correction by punishment or by subjection to suffering or trial]; neither be weary of or impatient about or loathe or abhor His reproof, for whom the Lord loves He corrects, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights" - Amplified.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for my godly father. Though he has been gone a long time, his example still lights my life. As the wife of a father, help me to support my husband's fathering of our children. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 149
The Bible Project VIDEO: Wisdom (Wisdom series)





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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Wisdom's lens

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Proverbs 1-3; Psalm 148

TO CHEW ON: "The fear of the lord is the beginning of knowledge,
But fools despise wisdom and instruction." Proverbs 1:7

My first thought as I read this key verse at the beginning of Proverbs is 'worldview.' It seems that Solomon is saying that the knowledgeable, wise, educated-in-what-is-true person sees life through what we call a worldview of the fear of the Lord.

What is a worldview? Nancy Pearcey talks about it in her book Total Truth:

"... understanding how worldviews are formed, and how they guide or confine thought, is the essential step toward understanding everything else. Understanding worldview is a bit like trying to see the lens of one's own eye. we do not ordinarily see our own worldview, but we see everything else by looking through it. Put simply, our worldview is the window by which we view the world and decide, often subconsciously, what is real and important or unreal and unimportant" - Nancy Pearcey, Total Truth, Kindle Location 425.

What does it mean to have a 'fear of the Lord' worldview? Leslyn Musch describes it well in her "Truth-In-Action-Through Proverbs" article:

"Learning to walk in the fear of the Lord is learning to live in awe and reverence of God. It is foundational to our walk of faith. God is loving and full of grace and mercy, but He is also all-powerful, awesome, holy, righteous and sovereign over all things" - Leslyn Musch, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 842.

We can test whether or not we have a fear-of-the-Lord worldview by looking at the way we live our lives, and answering questions like:
- Who are we more concerned about pleasing, the people around us, or God?
- Which road do we choose when the path of following God splits from the path of pleasing self or others?
- On what do we spend our time and money?

Is it possible that we don't fear God as much as we think or say that we do?

PRAYER: Dear God, please open my eyes and inform my understanding in the things that offend You and please You. Help me to see where I am kidding myself, saying I fear You but living differently. Then help me to line up my attitudes and actions with the truths in the Bible. Amen.

MORE: Examples of Bible characters who feared / didn't fear God.

• DID: Nathan the prophet feared God as shown by his obedience to turn around and change his message to David when God told him he had said the wrong thing - 1 Chronicles 17:1-15.

• DIDN'T: David neglected to follow God's instructions when moving the ark, putting it on a cart instead of having the priests carry it on their shoulders in the way God had said. When a man touched the ark to steady it, he was killed - 2 Samuel 6:1-9

• DID: When the Jewish leaders told Peter and John to stop talking about Jesus and preaching in His name, they expressed their fear-of-God worldview clearly: "'We ought to obey God rather than man'" - Acts 5:29.

Can you think of more?

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 148

The Bible Project VIDEO: Proverbs (Read Scripture Series)






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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. 

Fathers, lead in right paths

 HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Proverbs 4:1-13

TO CHEW ON: "I have taught you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in right paths." Proverbs 4:11


"I have led you in right paths" says the father to his son in our reading today. There is probably no more persuasive teaching than that done by example. What are the "right paths" on which a father could lead his children? Are they still there for us to find today?

Right paths:

1. The wise father seeks out the paths of God - Psalm 23:3.

2. He goes to the "mountain of the Lord" to get instruction (Isaiah 2:3). For the Old Testament Hebrews this would have been the temple in Jerusalem. In our day instruction can come from many places—church, radio & TV, books and, of course, the greatest book for this is the Bible which we can access in our own homes (no traveling to mountains necessary, although spending time with God in His word is sometimes called a "mountaintop experience").

3. The paths of God are:
- life and joy and pleasure - Psalm 16:11.
- mercy and truth - Psalm 25:10.
- wisdom and justice - Proverbs 2:6-8.
- uprightness - Isaiah 26:7.
- righteousness - Proverbs 8:20; 12:28.
- shining - Proverbs 4:18.

4. He avoids the path to sin. The path specifically referred to here is the path to the  "seductress" i.e. an immoral, extramarital relationship - Proverbs 2:19.

5. If he goes astray he looks for the way back. Jeremiah tells us to find our way back to God via the "old path" (Jeremiah 6:16), and to look for the "signposts" and "landmarks" (Jeremiah 31:21). This picturesque instruction says to me, don't look for a new-fangled way back to God. Come by the way of the book. If you have backslidden, come remembering and revisiting your decisions and experiences from the past.

6. The writer to the Hebrews gives the last bit of path wisdom to fathers and all of us: "…make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed." We need such straight, honest living, not only for our own well-being but for the well-being of those who follow behind, calling us father (and mother).


PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for fathers. Thank You for my father who loved Your word and taught it to us in our home. Please give wisdom, grace, and joy to all fathers who read here this Father's Day. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

A model mother

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

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TODAY’S SPECIAL: Proverbs 31:10-31

TO CHEW ON: “Her children rise up and call her blessed. Her husband also, and he praises her.” Proverbs 31:28

What a gorgeous—and intimidating—passage to read for Mother’s Day.  This model of biblical womanhood has been both a shining beacon and a convicting searchlight for me. I think if I was in her presence, I would watch and listen as I tried to figure out—how does she do it all? I love her industriousness, creativity, wide-ranging abilities, and energy. And I love her family values.

Today, let’s focus on her qualities as a mother.

1. She is a good example of marriage to her, children, by her faithfulness and support of her husband - Proverbs 31:12.

2. She works hard and willingly - Proverbs 31:13,18,19.

3. She puts the needs of her household above her own as she gets up early and stays up late to ensure they are met - Proverbs 31:15,18.

4. She is a good example in her treatment of the poor and needy - Proverbs 31:20.

5. She looks ahead, plans, and works for the future - Proverbs 31:16, 21, 27.

6. She speaks with kindness and wisdom, always, and to everyone - Proverbs 31:26.

The reward for all this? She gets praise from her husband and blessing from her children.

Is all the above worth it for a few words of praise and affirmation from hubby and the kids?

I would say yes, despite how our modern society would insist a woman needs more. For the sense of well-being conveyed by the word “blessed” goes beyond a mere word.

[Blessed - ashar - means “Happy, blessed, prosperous, successful, straight, right, contented. Its original meaning is to ‘be straight’” - Dick Mills, Word Wealth, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 841.]

The fact that she is called “blessed” communicates this woman’s inner sense of rightness as she does what she was created to do. Her life is straight, plumbs with how she was made. As a result she experiences deep inner peace and contentment in living out her industrious, nurturing essence.

May us mothers and the mothers in our lives (our own mothers, mothers-in-law, daughters, granddaughters) be similarly blessed.

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for my mom, who was more like the Proverbs 31 woman than I will ever be. Be with the mothers in my life, rewarding them as only You can for their work and faithfulness. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Balanced prosperity

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TODAY’S SPECIAL: Proverbs 30:7-32

TO CHEW ON: “Give me neighbor poverty nor riches—
Feed me with the food allotted to me;
Lest I be full and deny You,
And say, ‘Who is the LORD?”
Or lest I be poor and steal
And profane the name of my God.” Proverbs 30:8,9

I love Agur’s balanced attitude toward possessions. Though he doesn’t use the words, “prosper” and “prosperous” come to mind. He describes someone who is prosperous in a balanced way.

A sidebar article in my Bible gives good insights on how this attitude might look in our lives:

“As we ask God to meet our needs, we grapple with how to ask Him to prosper us. Our goal is not to accumulate wealth (riches) or renounce it (poverty) but to faithfully oversee our individual portion from God and remain undistracted in our love for Him” - Clark Whitten, “Neither Poverty Nor Riches But Prosperity,” New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 838.

The Bible speaks often about people prospering. From a sampling of these references, we learn that prosperity:

• Allows us to be generous as Jacob was with Esau - Genesis 9:27.

• Can come to us even when we’re in sub-optimal circumstances. Potiphar observed that all that his Hebrew slave Joseph set his hand to prospered and was successful, and so Potiphar promoted Joseph - Genesis 39:2-6.

• Is promised to those who fashion and conform their lives to God’s word and the principles in it - Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:1-6.

• Was a consequence of seeking God wholeheartedly, as Judah’s King Uzziah discovered - 2 Chronicles 26:5.

• Is a promise for those who pray for and love Jerusalem (Israel) - Psalm 122:6.

• Can come to us in many areas. John prays for early Christians: “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health just as your soul prospers” 3 John 1:2.

I love how my Bible’s sidebar article details many-faceted prosperity:

“Prosperity is more than money. It is a lifestyle that includes spiritual fullness, physical well-being, mental soundness, social friendships, and financial well-being…. A prosperous person is one who is wealthy in all things that eternally matter” Charles Whitten, Ibid.

As I examine my life from this perspective, I see that it is flush with prosperity. I do well to be grateful.

PRAYER: Dear Father, please help me to recognize and be grateful for all that I have received so generously from Your gracious hand. I want to cultivate a lifestyle of seeing where I prosper and being content with what I have. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Duelling hostesses

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Proverbs 9:1-18

TO CHEW ON: "Wisdom ... cries out from the highest places of the city, 'Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!'
A foolish woman ... sits ... on a seat by the highest places of the city, to call to those who pass by, ... 'Whoever is simple let him turn in here.'" Proverbs 9:1, 3-4, 13-14, 16.


In Proverbs 9 we have two hostesses competing for guests.

Wisdom has prepared a banquet with meat and wine. She advertises a delicious and wholesome experience:

"'Come and eat of my bread
And drink of the wine I have mixed
Forsake foolishness and live,
And go in the way of understanding'" - Proverbs 9:5-6.

Foolish Woman's commercial has an intriguing undertone to it—an air of mystery mixed with naughtiness:

"'Stolen water is sweet,
And bread eaten in secret is pleasant'" - Proverbs 9:17.

Of course, this isn't really a story about two women and their banquets, but about choices we're faced with in life. Other places in the Bible express a similar idea:

• Jesus talked about people having a choice between two different roads—a wide one and a narrow one (Matthew 7:13-14).

• He also talked about building our house on two different foundations—sand or rock (Matthew 7:24-27).

How do we know which is the right banquet, the right road, the right foundation? Proverbs 9:10 gives us the answer:

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding" - Proverbs 9:10.

That choice may not have the sensual attractiveness of the other. We may need to ignore the clamoring of our human nature which finds stolen water, secret bread, the wide path, the easy foundation compelling. But such self-denial is a small price to pay for the final end: Wisdom's understanding and multiplied days, vs. Foolish Woman's scoffing, death, and hell.

PRAYER: Dear God, I recognize the voices that call out to me in these metaphors. Please help me to make the "fear of the Lord" choice in every situation. Amen.

MORE: Where to find the "fear of the Lord" choice

• Romans 8 from the Message Bible:

"'Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life' Romans 8:6 - Message.

• Rick Warren, from  The Purpose Driven Life:

I have read many books that suggest ways to discover the purpose of my life. All of them could be classified as 'self-help' books because they approach the subject from a self-centered viewpoint. Self-help books, even Christian ones, usually offer the same predictable steps to finding your life's purpose: Consider your dreams. Clarify your values. Set some goals. Figure out what you are good at. Aim high. Go for it! Be disciplined. Believe you can achieve your goals. Involve others. Never give up.

Of course these recommendations often lead to great success. You can usually succeed in reaching a goal if you put your mind to it. But being successful and fulfilling your life's purpose are not at all the same issue ....

How, then, do you discover the purpose you were created for? You have only two options. Your first option is speculation. This is what most people choose. They conjecture, they guess, they theorize....

Fortunately there is an alternative to speculation about the meaning and purpose of life. It's revelation. We can turn to what God has revealed about life in his Word" - Rick Warren, The Purpose-Driven Life, pp. 19,20.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Wisdom for creativity

Image: Pixabay

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Proverbs 8:22-36

TO CHEW ON: “The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way,
Before His works of old …
Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman;
And I was daily His delight,
Rejoicing always before Him,
Rejoicing in His inhabited world,
And my delight was with the sons of men.” Proverbs 8:22,31

Today in our continuation of the Lady Wisdom poem we began yesterday, my attention is snagged by one of her strengths or functions—to inspire and facilitate creativity.

- Wisdom speaks here as an eye-witness of creation - Proverbs 8:22, 27-30.
- She especially delights in God’s created humanity (“… and my delight was with the sons of men” - Proverbs 8:31).

The video about the book of Proverbs that was on yesterday’s devo emphasized that the wisdom Proverbs speaks of is not only head knowledge but help in developing practical skills for living well in God’s world.

One of those practical skills is the wisdom of creativity and skill to make things. It’s the wisdom that God bestowed on the craftsman Bezalel and his colleagues to make the worship accessories for the Tabernacle (God to Moses: “‘See, I have called by name Bezalel … And I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship to design… to work… and I have put wisdom in the hearts of all the gifted artisans that they may make all that I have commanded you…’” - Exodus 31:2-6, emphasis added).

Do you like to make things? No matter what your preferred medium—wood, paints, crayons, pens, fabric, metal, glass, precious stones, clay, words, etc.—wisdom to create is a divine gift to you. Use it. Develop it. Embrace it. Joy in it. Put it to work for its highest purpose—to reflect glory back to God.

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for the wisdom of creativity. As I seek to develop my interests in this area, help me to use any talents you’ve given me toward their highest purpose—glorifying You. Amen.

MORE: Bible Journaling
I recently reviewed the book The Complete Guide to Bible Journaling and got hooked on a new-to-me area of creativity—meditating on Bible passages through art. If you enjoy activities like doodling, lettering, sketching, drawing, scrapbooking, etc., this might be an avenue of creativity you’d like to explore.

Check out #biblejournaling on Twitter, Instragram, and Pinterest to see some of the amazing art people are creating in Bibles formatted especially for that purpose. 


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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Thought and speech along the grain of the universe

Image: Pixabay

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Proverbs 8:1-21

TO CHEW ON: “Listen, for I will speak of excellent things,
And from the opening of my lips will come right things;
For my mouth will speak truth;
Wickedness is an abomination to my lips,
All the words of my mouth are with righteousness,
Nothing crooked or perverse is in them.” Proverbs 8:6-8


During he last few months we’ve been studying Proverbs in our life group. As a result I’ve been on the lookout for information and study helps about this Bible book. The “Bible Books Simply Explained: Proverbs” video (embedded below) is most helpful.

From it I learned that Proverbs—the book with its many wise sayings—is not law or prophecy, but the accumulated insight of God’s people through generations. It is insight about how to live in a way that honours God and others.

Chapters 1-9 of Proverbs are a series of father-to-son speeches that include four poems by Lady Wisdom. These poems are, in the words of the video, a “… poetic way of exploring that we live in God’s moral universe. Goodness and justice are objective realities that we ignore to our peril.” When we follow Lady Wisdom’s advice we will be “living along the grain of the universe.”

Today’s focus verses are just a snippet from one of these Lady Wisdom poems. They contain advice about wise speech. What is to come from our mouths? Words that are ...

EXCELLENT,   RIGHT,   TRUE,   RIGHTEOUSNESS

What is not to come from our mouths? Speech that is...

WICKED,   CROOKED,  PERVERSE

[Perverse means willfully determined or disposed to go counter to what is expected or desired; contrary, wayward or cantankerous; persistent or obstinate in what is wrong; turned away from or neglecting what is right, good, or proper.]

Of course we know that speech has its beginnings in thought. And so another list comes to mind:

“Finally brethren, whatever things are TRUE, whatever things are NOBLE, whatever things are JUST, whatever things are PURE, whatever things are LOVELY, whatever things are of GOOD REPORT, if there is any VIRTUE and if there is anything PRAISEWORTHY—meditate on these things - Philippians 4:8.

My challenge to myself today (and maybe it's a challenge to you too) is to think and speak wisely—along, not against, the grain of God’s moral universe.

PRAYER: Dear Father thank You for these lofty ideals about thought and speech. Please poke me when my thoughts drift to what is wicked, crooked, and perverse. I want to live along the grain of your moral universe. Amen.

 MORE: Bible Books Simply Explained: Proverbs






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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Wisdom and the Creator

"He drew a circle on the face of the deep" 

Sand artistry by Valentina Beyard (V. Nesdoly photo)

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Proverbs 8:20-36

TO CHEW ON: "When He prepared the heavens, I was there,
When He drew a circle on the face of the deep …
Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman
And I was daily His delight
Rejoicing always before Him."  Proverbs 8:27,30

Have you ever watched a sand artist perform? Using a table which has a shallow layer of sand on it (and which is usually lit from the bottom so observers can watch her movements), the artist's deft fingers and hands create scenes that become faces, then symbols, back to scenes as she draws in the sand.

That's the kind of picture I imagine here as God creates, only on a massive and real scale. He "draws a circle on the face of the deep" and we have earth (attesting to its roundness long before Magellan's voyage or satellite photos). He goes on to settle the mountains in place, craft the fountains, make a boundary for the seas. All the while Wisdom looks on "as a master craftsman; and I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him."

Can't you just see it? The creative trinity (for Jesus, the Word [John 1:1-3,14] and the Holy Spirit were present [Genesis 1:2] at creation) feeding off each others ideas, adding their own, laughing in excitement, delight, and admiration at their ingenuity. In fact, some have suggested that "Wisdom" in Proverbs 8 is the Holy Spirit talking:

"She (wisdom) is speaking to God in Proverbs 8, on her own, and God is working through Wisdom in the creation of the world. They are one! The Father created the world through the Son in the power of the Spirit" - explains theologian Dr. Jurgen Moltmann (quoted by Trudy Beyak in The Mother Heart of God, p. 218. 

My Bible's commenter says about this section: "God's wisdom … has been likened to a woman, is identified as the Eternal One and the life-giver who, according to the New Testament, is Jesus (John 1:1,2; 11:25)" - John Garlock, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 813.

I take two things with me from today's reading:

1. We do well to explore and delight in God's creation.
One of the reasons I enjoy my camera so much is because it lets me capture images of this world's beauty. I have a photo blog where I share some of my photos. Come by sometime! Every aspect of God's creation we study—from the tiniest building blocks of matter to the vastness of outer space—demonstrates His wisdom and becomes reason to praise.

2. It's good to be creative.
When we are "creative," that is, organize images, words, and  matter in interesting ways (because we never truly create something out of nothing but reassemble things already made) we are demonstrating the image of God in us. I love the picture of Wisdom / Jesus beside God, "His delight" and "rejoicing before Him." Not criticizing or putting Him down but appreciating, enjoying, and cheering. It's an attitude we can cultivate toward the creative efforts of the people in our lives (and toward ourselves).

PRAYER: Creator God, I am in awe of You and Your creativity and wisdom in how You made this world teeming with life and beauty. You are AMAZING! Help me to nurture the creativity of those around me, and within myself. Amen.

MORE: Sand artist in action

Watch the sand artistry of Valentina Beyard. This is from a community Good Friday Service at our church on April 11, 2012.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. - Used with permission.

Shades of wisdom

Image: Pixabay.com

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Proverbs 8:1-19

TO CHEW ON:  "I love those who love me,
And those who seek me diligently will find me." Proverbs 8:17

This chapter, titled "The Excellence of Wisdom" in my Bible, is a poem about wisdom (actually by wisdom, for Wisdom speaks as if a person throughout).

In the part of Proverbs 8 that is our reading today, wisdom describes herself. Let's look through these 19 verses to compile a list of wisdom's attributes as stated and shown in them.

Wisdom is:

• Bold - The way this chapter starts out with wisdom crying out from hilltops, crossroads and city gates brings to mind another kind of woman. It's as if wisdom, knowing the importance of persuading people to her way is not above using the wiles of the loose woman (Proverbs 9:13-17).
• Prudent: "O you simple ones, understand prudence…" Proverbs 8:5,12.
• Understanding - "… you fools, be of an understanding heart" - Proverbs 8:5,15.
• Recognized and identified by speech - "Listen for I will speak of excellent things, And from the opening of my lips will come right things" - Proverbs 8:6.
• Truthful - "For my mouth will speak truth" - Proverbs 8:8.
• Righteous - "All the words of my mouth are righteousness - Proverbs 8:8, 20. Wisdom also is the fear of God that "hates … the evil way" - Proverbs 8:13,20.
• Not given to perversion - "… nothing crooked or perverse is in them" (the words of her mouth) - Proverbs 8:8, 13.
• A clear communicator - Her words are "… plain to him who understands" - Proverbs 8:9.
• Valuable - Wisdom's instruction is compared to silver, gold and rubies - Proverbs 8:10,11, 18, 19.
• Knowledge - "Receive … knowledge" - Proverbs 8:10, 12.
• Discretion - "I wisdom … find out … discretion" - Proverbs 8:12.
• Humble - "Pride and arrogance … I hate" - Proverbs 8:13.
• Good advice - "Counsel is mine" - Proverbs 8:14.
• Necessary for rulers, nobles and judges - Proverbs 8:15,16.
• A kindred spirit  - "I love those who love me" - Proverbs 8:17.
• Discoverable - "… those who seek me diligently will find me" - Proverbs 8:17.
• Just - "I traverse the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice" - Proverbs 8:20.
• A means to achieve success - "That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth" - Proverbs 8:18,21.

 What stands out for me in this list is that Wisdom—this amazing quality of the companion of the Creator and fellow crafter of the Earth (Proverbs 8:30) is available to those who seek it/her. Bible characters that were gifted with wisdom, like Samuel and Solomon, come to mind. But this gift of wisdom is also available to us moderns.

In reading Ravi Zacharias's memoir, Walking from East to West, I was shocked to discover that  all through elementary and high school Dr. Zacharias (known worldwide for his ability to understand philosophy and defend the Bible) was a miserable failure as a student. His despair at his inability to perform and his fear that he would be a failure in life and a great disappointment to his father were responsible for him attempting suicide as a teen.

But all that changed when he accepted Christ.  In his own words: "During those intense months (following his conversion), as I gobbled up every morsel of learning I could, something changed in my life, causing an about-face I never would have expected: I became a voracious reader" - Ravi Zacharias, Walking From East to West, p. 110.

I would submit that when Jesus entered Ravi Zacharias's life, one of the things he brought was wisdom.

I want to be wise—don't you? Let's take the words of Proverbs 8 and James 1:5-8 to heart and ask God for it.


PRAYER: Dear God, may I be a lover of true wisdom—one who lives wisely in thought, word, and action. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

When Wisdom is silent

Photo - RGBStock.com

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Proverbs 1:20-33

TO CHEW ON: "Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;
They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.
Because they hated knowledge
And did not choose the fear of the Lord."  Proverbs 1:28,29

Wisdom is speaking here. She addresses those who have turned their backs on their parent's instruction (Proverbs 1:8-9), got involved in crime (Proverbs 1:10-19), and persistently resisted her plea to go another way (Proverbs 1:20-25).

She warns, there will come a time when ignoring her—that is, refusing to choose the fear of God—will have consequences. One of them is wisdom's silence.

If we equate wisdom and the fear of God to God, we could say that indifference to God, ignoring His will as revealed in the Bible, is one of the reasons our prayers go unanswered.

James describes a similar frustration and God-silence:

"You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures" - James 4:2-3.

If we are in a time when God seems silent, when it feels like He's ignoring us, maybe one of the things we should examine our lives for is who or what we've really been fearing (showing respect to, in awe of, conforming our lives to get the approval and praise of, running after). Is it God? Or something / someone else?


PRAYER: Dear God, please show me the deceitfulness of my own heart—so resourceful at sneaking in its own idols and pleasures. Help me to understand what the fear of You looks like in each situation. Amen

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Wisdom = living the fear of God

Photo courtesy Pixabay.com

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Proverbs 1:1-19

TO CHEW ON: "The fear of God is the beginning of knowledge,
But fools despise wisdom and instruction." Proverbs 1:7

Here, very early in this collection of wise sayings, the main author of Proverbs, Solomon, clearly tells us the filter through which he will pass all that follows: The fear of God (not the fear of man, or the fear of political correctness, or the possibility of delivering pleasure, or even whether or not the thing is practical).

Tim Challies, pastor and author, gives a helpful description of the relationship between wisdom and the fear of God:

“Wisdom is the application of the fear of God to life; it is living in such a way that we esteem God above all else. A man who is wise is first a man who fears God. This is not a terrified, horrified fear, as in the fear of a child for a monster or an abusive father, but a fear based on a realistic understanding of the infinite gap between God and man in holiness and knowledge” – Tim Challies, The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment, p. 55 (emphasis added).

When I studied the fear of God for a Bible study last winter, here are some things I discovered. The fear of God:

• Sets apart those who fear Him. In the Old Testament, it set the nation of Israel apart from other nations. For them it meant getting rid of rival gods and worshiping God only (Deuteronomy 10:12; Joshua 4:24; 24:14).

• Has benefits. Those who fear God:

* are on the path to real wisdom and knowledge - Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7 (our focus verse).
* receive God's acceptance and a place in His book of remembrance - Acts 10:3; Malachi 3:16.
* have the promise of continuous instruction for life and light in dark times - Psalm 25:12; Isaiah 50:10.
* experience His goodness, pleasure, and pity or compassion - Psalm 31:19; 147:11; 103:13.
* are promised His mercy through generations nationally and personally - 1 Samuel 12:14; Luke 1:50.

• The consequences of forsaking the fear of God are their own rebuke in backsliding, wickedness, evil, and bitterness - Jeremiah 2:19.

So we're convinced. We want to live our lives in the fear of God. What does that look like for us personally? It may mean things like:

•  taking more responsibility for the education of our children instead of leaving it to the state.

• resisting the temptation to work for cash (to avoid paying tax), even though many in our line of work operate that way.

• continuing to identify ourselves with fellow believers (the church) even as those who practice the Christian faith are increasingly sidelined in public life.

• and a whole lot of other things.

Oh for the wisdom that not only says "I fear God," but understands how to live that out in daily life.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to build my life on the fear of You, and to understand what that means for my actions, situation by situation. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Ruled by kindness

Happy Mother's Day!

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Proverbs 31:10-31

TO CHEW ON: "She opens her mouth with wisdom

And on her tongue is the law of kindness." Proverbs 31:26

The Proverbs 31 wife is a domestic virtuoso. She is a paragon of energy, industry, thrift, creativity, entrepreneurship, good management, and family loyalty. But the quality of hers that stands out for me, above all the rest, is her kindness.

Here is an exceptional woman, famous for her consistently kind speech. I love how the Bible writer puts it: "On her tongue is the law of kindness." The Message paraphrases: "When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say, and she always says it kindly." What a model for us as women, wives, and mothers!

Of what does this law consist? A brief search of kindness in the Bible reveals:

• It is often reciprocal (Joshua 2:12 - Context: Rehab asks for kindness from the Israelites as repayment for her kindness to the spies - Joshua 2:1-21).

• It is related to graciousness, compassion (Psalm 112:4), mercy, humility, meekness, long-suffering (Colossians 3:12).

• It exhibits its feelings in "kindly affection" (Romans 2:12).

• It has a humble spirit that is considerate and "prefers" others (Romans 12:10).

• It involves forgiveness (Ephesians 4:32).

• Kindness is not something that just happens but something we "add" and work at with "diligence" (2 Peter 1:5-7).

I ask myself, if someone wrote about me in a Proverbs 31 way, would they say my tongue was governed by kindness? I know the answer. A little more adding and diligence is definitely in order. What about you?

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to work at kindness in deed and speech. May it be the law of my tongue. Amen.

MORE: Sayings about KINDNESS

"Life is short and we never have enough time for gladdening the hearts of those who travel the way with us. Oh, be swift to love! Make haste to be kind."
—Henri Frederic Amiel

"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless." —Mother Teresa

"Always be a little kinder than necessary."
—James M. Barrie

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Generation Gap

Generation Gap - Image from xdmag at flickr

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Proverbs 30:7-19

TO CHEW ON: "There is a generation that curses its father,
And does not bless its mother." Proverbs 30:11


Agur, author of Proverbs 30, is a great counter and list-maker. He'd be a wonderful blogger with provocative titles like:
- Two things I want before I die - Proverbs 30:7-9.
- Four things that are never satisfied - Proverbs 30:15-16.
- Four things that mystify me - Proverbs 30:18-19.

… and what we're going to focus on today: "Four things that bug me about young people these days" - Proverbs 30:11-14.

Well, we don't actually know whether Agur was talking about only young people here. He begins each beef with the words, "There is a generation" implying that he's going to be naming a characteristic of people in a certain age range, and the first one seems to apply to people younger than he is.

The four things that annoy him:
1. Their disrespect for parents - Proverbs 30:11.
2. Their self-deception - Proverbs 30:12.
3. Their pride and vaulted opinions about themselves - Proverbs 30:13.
4. Their cruelty and lack of mercy toward the unfortunate - Proverbs 30:14.

Each one of us could probably make up our own list like this. And we might add other titles: Four things that bug me about my parent's generation or old people or young children. Agur only notes these generation gaps but doesn't propose any ways of dealing with them. How do we?

Concerning the gap between children and parents, the Bible has good advice for parents and caregivers:

• Each generation is responsible for the spiritual training of the next one - Deuteronomy 6:7, 20; Proverbs 22:6.

• We are responsible to pray for the next generation - Lamentations 2:19.

• We are to model kindness to our children - Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21.

• It's a parental duty to control the home and household—not give that control to the kids - 1 Timothy 3:4,12.

• Parents are to correct and discipline their children - Proverbs 3:12; 13:24; 22:15; 23:13.

Another bit of advice that comes to mind as I think of dealing with various types of gaps between myself and others is from Paul in Philippians 2:2-3:

"Fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself."

PRAYER: Dear God, when I recognize gaps of understanding, sympathy, and love between myself and others, please give me Your heart of empathy and love. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

A life of balance

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Proverbs 23:15-25

TO CHEW ON: "Do not mix with winebibbers
or with gluttonous eaters of meat
For the drunkard and glutton will come to poverty,
And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags." Proverbs 23:19-20

There are lots of reality shows these days that expose peoples obsessions and the fallout from them. I usually avoid them. Perhaps that's because I don't like to face what people are (I am) capable of.

The Bible speaks a lot about two common human obsessions: drunkenness and gluttony—problems we still face today, along with many others.

One of our newer obsessions is with our electronic devices. Go to any place people gather and you'll most likely see a lot of people interacting with their smart phones or tablets instead of the folks around them. Some experts have described this new phenomenon as an addiction.

Naturally not all addictions are equal. But we can learn from the Bible's warnings about excess in any form:

• Amos describes how false trust leads to a preoccupation with satisfying oneself and losing sight of what's really important (Amos 6:1-6).

• Isaiah talks about a habit of excess (in his case drinking wine) becoming an end in itself, stealing ambition and drive (Isaiah 56:12).

• Isaiah also describes how drunkenness can make leaders ineffective by blurring vision and stumbling their judgment (Isaiah 28:7).

• Proverbs describes how drunken son brings shame on parents (Proverbs 28:7). 

• Jesus scolds the scribes and Pharisees for their obsession with living outwardly flawless lives while they neglect their inner thoughts and attitudes (Matthew 23:25).

• He also warns against being "weighed down" with drunkenness (and the cares of life) and so being unprepared for His second coming (Luke 21:34).

• The end of a life ruled by obsession is tragic. Further down in Proverbs 23, the writer lists the consequences of pursuing alcohol (which fit well with other addictions too) in a series of rhetorical questions: "Who has woe … sorrow … contentions … complaints … wounds without cause … redness of eyes? Those who linger long at the wine. Those who go in search of mixed wine" - Proverbs 23:29,30.

• In His story of the prodigal son, Jesus depicts how a life driven by appetite is vulnerable (Luke 15:11-14).

• Finally, Paul warns that some practices (drunkenness and revelry among them) will disqualify people from the Kingdom of God (Galatians 5:21).

It's a sobering picture. I myself have experienced how the virtual world of Facebook, Twitter, email, blog comments etc. can hijack my attention, demand increasingly more of it, as it takes my focus away from what's really important.

How much better to be obsessed and full of the Holy Spirit, leading to all things life-giving and lasting (Ephesians 5:18)!

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to heed the Bible's warnings about unbalanced living and avoiding things that will enslave me. Amen.

MORE: Wise use of technology

In his book The Next Story: Life and Faith After the Digital Explosion, author Tim Challies talks about the many aspects of technology and how it impacts modern life.  He says:

"Our task then, is not to avoid technology but to carefully evaluate it, redeem it, and ensure that we are using it with the right motives and for the right goals" - Tim Challies, The Next Story, Kindle Location 437.

If you are struggling with technology's hold on you, Challies' book would be a great one to read.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.