Recently I saw a program on DIY TV about secret rooms and compartments. There was one man who had some valuable jewelry that he wanted to keep nearby, so he had a secret compartment built into a wall of his home. It was a very elaborate setup that required him to move certain objects on a shelf in a predetermined pattern. Doing this would cause the secret compartment to open in his wall. He then had to enter a combination which would cause another compartment to rise up from within the wall and give him access to his valuables.
Proverbs 4:23 says, "Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." I wonder how many of us really regard our hearts as a treasure of such value that we would go through elaborate measures to guard it. The words of a popular song say,
Guard your heart, Guard your heart
Don't trade it for treasure
Don't give it away
Guard your heart, Guard your heart
As a payment for pleasure
It's a high price to pay
For a soul that remains sincere
With a conscience clear
Guard your heart
(Listen to entire song, http://youtube.com/watch?v=0k8TEGidlGA)
The heart is the seat of our emotion, will, and intellect. All of these are important in shaping and distinquishing our personalities. Some of us are emotional by nature, some of us are strong willed, and some of us are intellectuals. Yet all of us are succeptible to being lead astray if we are not aware of the methods of seduction.
Let's not cheapen ourselves by following the vainity of this present age. Remember, for most of us there will be many more tomorrows and the decisions about what we allow to influence us will shape those tomorrows.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Reckless Abandonment
Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. (Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT) Trusting God is quite different from trusting man. God is totally reliable and absolutely capable of whatever He choses to do. He is also completely right, just, moral, and good. To put my trust in One of such character is sensible, logical, and practical. Since the heart implies something within us, our core, our minds must reflect upon the nature and character of God, our emotions must rest upon the constancy of God, and our wills must submit to the faithfulness and wisdom of God. This is reckless abandonment to the absolute sovereignty of the almighty, all wise, ever present God. This is the only kind of abandonment that makes sense. In such yieldedness our understanding does not become the measure but our trust in the Person of God does. He is utterly trustworthy and able.
The Protection of Wisdom
In Proverbs 2:10-22 wisdom and knowledge are not passive but active -- active means of protection when I open myself to their power. Wisdom brings discretion, knowledge brings understanding and both protect me. From what do I need protection? I need to be delivered from evil men and seductive women. Men craft vices without number and snares along with them. The bartender, the pusher, the smut peddlar, the prosperity pimp, the leizure lord-- these all and more make evil good and would lead me from the straight path into the crooked paths. Women also have left good guidance to corrupt themselves by inappropriate dress, flurtatious conversations, men chasing, and inordinate affections. Misery loves company and those who follow the path of darkness are more than happy to share their misery with me. But wisdom and knowledge will deliver me from such so that I may walk in righteous paths. Thus will I be preserved and inhabit the place God has established for the upright.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
What do I care about?
To know, to perceive, to receive, to give, to understand; these are the purposes expressly stated in Proverbs 1:1-6. None of these has as it's subject carnal things. Wisdom, instruction, understanding, justice, judgement, and interpretation of wise sayings are the subjects. Do I care at all about these things? Is it not better to get ability, craftiness, shrewdness, street wisdom, etc? Aren't these more useful in dealing with this world's affairs? The wisdom and methods of this world only lead to what this world has to offer: fame and fortune. Though these may seem to be what I want, in the long term they do not bring what I most want. Peace and prosperity are what I want, and they reach far beyond fame and fortune. They are qualities of a life that have little to do with my popularity or money. They come as a result of learning what is important and making the important things the priority. Getting this straight is no accident; it takes seeking the things described in these verses and applying the fruit of obtaining them. One has well said, "Any fool can learn from his own mistakes, the true wisdom is learning from other's mistakes." This crosses all boundaries, but is especially true of spritual truth. Yet there is futility and folly in seeking these things apart from the desire to be in close fellowship with God. All ends and purposes in the life of the believer should be to have close fellowship with God. Jesus said, "Abide in me...he that abideth in me...bringeth forth much fruit...herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit."
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Why Be A Fool?
For most people being called a fool would be an insult.To say someone is a fool implies that he/she lacks common intellectual, moral, spiritual, and/or emotional falculties. It also implies that choices have been made by the individual that have deprived him of those falculties.
In the proverbs the word fool and foolish are used numerous times. There are three types of fools of which the proverbs speaks. Understanding the distinctions will give the reader a better grasp of how to apply the message that is given. For simplicity sakes, we will call the three: the simpleton, the scoffer, and the scorner.
First, let's look at the simpleton. This fool is he of whom Proverbs 1:7 speaks when it says he despises wisdom and instuction. This is the naive, inexperienced person. "Foolishness is bound in the heart of " such an one. (Proverbs 22:15) The cure for this kind of fool is listening to the wisdom that is all around him.
Next, there is the scoffer. This fool is of the opinion that his lot will be different from all others. Even though others have done what he is doing with detrimental results, his outcome will be different. He is wiser than his teachers. The cure for this kind of fool is a rod on his back, i.e., the harsh consequences of his behavior.
Last, there is the scorner. This fool has no regard for authority, law, or propriety. Neither his life nor the life of others are of any value to him. He has no boundaries to his desires nor to the means by which he fulfills them. There is little hope for him.
In any case, being a fool can be avoided. Listen to the words of the sage in Proverbs 9:6, "Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding." There is no profit for the fool, only embarrassment, trouble, and death. Why be a fool?
In the proverbs the word fool and foolish are used numerous times. There are three types of fools of which the proverbs speaks. Understanding the distinctions will give the reader a better grasp of how to apply the message that is given. For simplicity sakes, we will call the three: the simpleton, the scoffer, and the scorner.
First, let's look at the simpleton. This fool is he of whom Proverbs 1:7 speaks when it says he despises wisdom and instuction. This is the naive, inexperienced person. "Foolishness is bound in the heart of " such an one. (Proverbs 22:15) The cure for this kind of fool is listening to the wisdom that is all around him.
Next, there is the scoffer. This fool is of the opinion that his lot will be different from all others. Even though others have done what he is doing with detrimental results, his outcome will be different. He is wiser than his teachers. The cure for this kind of fool is a rod on his back, i.e., the harsh consequences of his behavior.
Last, there is the scorner. This fool has no regard for authority, law, or propriety. Neither his life nor the life of others are of any value to him. He has no boundaries to his desires nor to the means by which he fulfills them. There is little hope for him.
In any case, being a fool can be avoided. Listen to the words of the sage in Proverbs 9:6, "Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding." There is no profit for the fool, only embarrassment, trouble, and death. Why be a fool?
A Mother's Advice
Mothers are wise! Such is the case of the mother of Lemuel in Proverbs 31. Much is said of the description of the virtuous woman in the chapter, and rightly so. The woman that is described in the latter verses of the chapter is truly remarkable and worth emulation. But note that the person from whom this description originates is a woman. This is not the fabrication of some sexist male trying to create the mold for the super mom. It is the instruction of a wise mother to her son about the kind of woman that will make a good wife. Yet prior to advising her son on the matter of wife selection, she warns Lemuel against three pitfalls that are common to youth in all ages. (Proverbs 31:1-9)
The first pitfall is infatuation. Some might call it love, but it is indeed infatuation. This is that sweaty palm, palpitating heart, whirling mind feeling you get when you become interested in someone of the opposite sex. There is nothing wrong with the attractions between the sexes, but Lemuel's mother warns him of the damage that misguided relationships can cause. In her words, "it destroys kings." What does she mean by this? It is simple. Relationships can so occupy your being that they distract you from what you should be doing for your future. The choices one makes at these times can literally destroy their aspirations and dreams.
The second pitfall is intoxication. Lemuel's mother warns him against drinking. Drinking has always been a problem. It is a problem today because it has become a fad to get drunk. Drinking mars our judgement and makes us feel we are more in control than we really are. The fact that recent research shows that some of us are genetically more susceptible to alcoholism is a good reason not to drink at all. But, drinking to get drunk is just plain dumb, not to mention immoral. This can also be extended to any substance that impairs us, so taking drugs to get high is just as dumb--nope, that's even dumber!
The final pitfall is injustice. Lemuel's mother warns him to defend the defenseless. Few of us will ever have an official capacity to make judgements on legal matters such as a king might. On the other hand, all of us make choices on how we will treat others every day. The greatest reflection on the kind of person we are is how we treat those who are of less fortune than ourselves. Standing up for that person no one likes, that everybody avoids, that no one talks to, etc., does not necessarily mean challenging others about it. It can simply mean that you notice them, talk to them, and/or like them yourself.
The first pitfall is infatuation. Some might call it love, but it is indeed infatuation. This is that sweaty palm, palpitating heart, whirling mind feeling you get when you become interested in someone of the opposite sex. There is nothing wrong with the attractions between the sexes, but Lemuel's mother warns him of the damage that misguided relationships can cause. In her words, "it destroys kings." What does she mean by this? It is simple. Relationships can so occupy your being that they distract you from what you should be doing for your future. The choices one makes at these times can literally destroy their aspirations and dreams.
The second pitfall is intoxication. Lemuel's mother warns him against drinking. Drinking has always been a problem. It is a problem today because it has become a fad to get drunk. Drinking mars our judgement and makes us feel we are more in control than we really are. The fact that recent research shows that some of us are genetically more susceptible to alcoholism is a good reason not to drink at all. But, drinking to get drunk is just plain dumb, not to mention immoral. This can also be extended to any substance that impairs us, so taking drugs to get high is just as dumb--nope, that's even dumber!
The final pitfall is injustice. Lemuel's mother warns him to defend the defenseless. Few of us will ever have an official capacity to make judgements on legal matters such as a king might. On the other hand, all of us make choices on how we will treat others every day. The greatest reflection on the kind of person we are is how we treat those who are of less fortune than ourselves. Standing up for that person no one likes, that everybody avoids, that no one talks to, etc., does not necessarily mean challenging others about it. It can simply mean that you notice them, talk to them, and/or like them yourself.
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