Serial Stupidity

Though you grind a fool in a mortar, grinding him like grain with a pestle, you will not remove the folly from him. (Pro 27:22)

In the Bible, being a fool is a moral failing. A fool is one who rejects God’s wisdom and makes evil, self-destructive choices. But, as this verse reveals, the very core of folly is the failure – or refusal – to learn from one’s mistakes. The book of Proverbs teaches us that sin has consequences. When I care so little about myself or others that I will continue to sin regardless of the consequences then I am truly a fool. My first reaction is to say, why would anyone do that? But then I realize I myself do it, over and over again. When I choose the pleasure of the moment I am being the fool. For a moment’s satisfaction I would trade a lifetime of consequences. I am thinking about gluttony here but it is just as true for anger, selfishness, pride or any other sin.  Lord, forgive me for my rampant foolishness. Teach me to walk in wisdom. Amen.

Don't Be a Hittite

Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I’m disgusted with these Hittite women. If Jacob takes a wife from among the women of this land, from Hittite women like these, my life will not be worth living.” (Gen 27:46)

I’ve always found this verse amusing. There’s more than a hint of cattiness to it. But there’s a serious side also. God’s will was for Abraham’s descendants not to intermarry with the pagan Canaanites. Yet Esau had married two local Hittite women. Gen 26:35 says “They were a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah.” How, exactly? The Bible does not say. No doubt it was partly their pagan religion. But I think this verse hints at more than that.

How do we treat our in-laws? Do we love them like our own flesh and blood? When Ruth went to live with her mother-in-law Naomi she said, “Your people will be my people, and your God my God.” (Ruth 1:16) The words of Rebekah suggest that this was not the attitude of Esau’s wives. How might they have grieved her and Isaac? Were they critical, disrespectful, rude or selfish? We don’t know. But we do know that God expects us to love our in-laws, to graciously accept them and to honor them by deferring to them. Lord, I don’t want to be a Hittite! Help me be like Ruth. Teach me to be loving and gracious to my whole family, whether by blood or marriage. Let your light shine in me and through me. Amen.

Give Him Your Heart

The lamp of the Lord searches the spirit of a man; it searches out his inmost being. (Pro 20:27) 

When we say that we have “given our hearts to Christ” these are not idle words. He is going to move in and take ownership, and the first order of business is spring cleaning. Sanctification is not always a pleasant process. If we continue to walk with him, drinking in his Word and seeking his will, he is going to shine the light of his truth on the dark corners of our hearts. Lord, sanctify me by your truth! (Jn 17:17) I know I often resist you, but my heart of hearts truly desires to be conformed to your image. (Rom 8:29) Forgive me when I pull back. I have given my heart to you, and it is yours forever. Amen.

Great Wives Need Great Husbands

He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord. (Pro 18:22)

What a blessing my wife has been to me! Thank you, Lord, for your favor. I cannot imagine what our lives would be like without each other. In this day when marriage is under attack and good marriages seem so rare, how blessed have I been to have such a wonderful wife! I think about how many people give up on marriage – men and women who are disappointed in the person they married. Especially, I am saddened by men who grow bored or disillusioned with their wives and leave them for what they think will be greener pastures. It seems to me a lot of men get the wife they deserve – one might even say the wife they have created by their mistreatment of her. If he is selfish she will be resentful. If he is lazy she will be a nag. If he is distant she will be cold. If he has a wandering eye she will be jealous. If he is not affectionate she will be emotionally needy. If he is irresponsible she will be insecure.

Lord, so much hurt and sorrow can be avoided if we are obedient to your commands! Forgive me for my failings as a husband. Thank you that I have a wife who is so much better than I deserve. Thank you for teaching us how to love each other. I pray that the men in our society, especially the Christians, will step up to the challenge of being loving and faithful husbands as well as wise and loving fathers. Comfort and encourage those women whose husbands have not fulfilled their vows. I pray that the church will lead the way in restoration of marriage to your God-given design. Amen.

A Teachable Spirit

Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge. (Pro 19:27)

One of the most important attributes of a humble Christ follower is a teachable spirit. At one level, it should be obvious that when you stop listening you stop learning. But the danger is deeper than that. The real danger is letting pride overtake my heart. If I think I have nothing to learn from others, I will soon find that I am not listening to God, either. “Professing to be wise, they became fools” (Rom 1:22 NASB) is how Paul described such men. My knowledge is always incomplete and imperfect in this life. I must continue to study God’s Word and to learn. And I must continue to read and listen to the teaching of godly men, as an important check against my own errors of interpretation. Lord, I want to have a teachable spirit. Convict me when pride raises its ugly head. Sanctify me by your Word – both to know it and to obey it. Amen.

Dishonest Scales

The Lord abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight. (Pro 11:1)

This is one of those verses that seem so foreign to us culturally. In Biblical times, every merchant would have a scale and a set of weights for measuring the goods exchanged. A dishonest merchant would keep two sets of weights – lighter ones for weighing his product and heavier ones for weighing your payment. This must have been a common scam because it is condemned many times in the Bible. In our day, everything comes prepackaged at the store and we pay whatever is rung up on the cash register. So in one sense this verse no longer seems to apply to us. But the sins of dishonesty and selfishness are still with us.

As I reflect on how this verse may yet apply to my life, I realize that I do indeed keep two sets of weights. With one I weigh what others do for me and with the other I weigh what I do for others. Like the dishonest merchant, I overvalue what I do to serve others and undervalue what others do to serve me. I am quick to be put out when others ask for my help and slow to show gratitude for the help I receive. Lord, forgive me for my selfishness, which I compound by my dishonesty and ingratitude. By your Incarnation and your death on the cross you gave us the supreme example of servanthood. Convict me when I fail to follow in your footsteps. Amen.

Soldiers of Christ

Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. (2 Tim 2:3)

Young people seek adventure and will endure hardship for the thrill of a great experience. But somehow as we get older we become more concerned with our ease and comfort. When Paul writes this admonition to Timothy, Paul is old and in prison, enduring hardship for the sake of Christ. Timothy is young and living an adventurous life as an itinerant evangelist and church planter. Paul reminds Timothy that we are soldiers of Christ. Soldiers endure great hardship, but always for the sake of others. When the thrill is gone, when the path ahead leads to danger, the soldier endures and presses forward, because he has given his life to a cause greater than himself. When I let myself become absorbed in the pursuit of ease and comfort, I am devoting myself to a shallow and selfish cause. Jesus poured himself out for us, and Paul followed faithfully his example. I must do the same.

Detestable Things

Again and again I sent my servants the prophets, who said, “Do not do this detestable thing that I hate!” (Jer 44:4)

Sometimes I imagine that God delivered his commandments with a sort of clinical detachment. “Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal. Let’s see, now where was I? Oh, yes! Do not bear false witness, do not covet.” Not at all! These commandments must have been delivered in a thunderous voice. God hates these things. They are an affront to his very nature. To him they are detestable, and so they should be to me as well. I must look long into his face, meditating on his nature and character, until all sin is detestable to me as well – until my sin is detestable to me. Lord, I want to be like you – to love what you love and hate what you hate. You are good and true and righteous. I love you for who you are. Train me in truth and righteousness, to be pleasing in your sight. Amen.

Turning Our Backs to God

They turned their backs to me and not their faces. (Jer 32:33a)

Ouch! How often am I guilty of this? I realized from this verse there are only two stances toward God. If I am not turning my face toward him I am turning my back to him. I want to think there is a middle ground. I want to think that sometimes, even though I am not turning my face to him, I’m still not exactly turning my back to him. But it is not so. Am I distracted? That's turning my back. Am I forgetful of him? That's turning my back. Do I ignore him? That's turning my back. Do I say I'm too tired? That's turning my back. God has commanded me to seek him, to pray without ceasing, to meditate on his Word day and night, and to walk humbly before him. I must forever be turning toward him continually. Lord, forgive my foolish excuses. I turn my face to you. I will fix my eyes on Jesus. Amen.

Building for God

And though this temple is now imposing, all who pass by will be appalled and will scoff and say, “Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple? (1 Kings 9:8)

After the dedication of the temple, the Lord appears to Solomon to remind him of the blessings and curses of the covenant. If Solomon and the people of Israel will walk in God’s ways, God will dwell with them forever and the house of David will never fail to rule over Israel. But if they turn away from God and his commandments then Israel will be cut off from the land and the temple destroyed. Of course we know that they did indeed disobey, and the beautiful temple that was dedicated that day was utterly destroyed by the Babylonians four hundred years later.

How often in human history have the greatest works of man fallen into decay and disrepair? In fact, don’t they always seem to fall? And not just the physical monuments, but all human institutions? How many schools, churches and governments have been build for God but later turned away from walking in his ways? The fallen nature of mankind affects everything we do. It would be easy to despair, but thanks be to God –
that is not the end of the story! Jesus came to bring new life. He is the antidote to the poison of sin. He is the light of the world, John says. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (Jn 1:5 ESV) And his promise to us is, “Behold, I am making all things new.” (Rev 21:5 ESV)

Lord, I want to learn obedience at your feet. I pray that my sin would not undermine what you are doing today in this world. Shine your light into my life. Create in me a clean heart. Use me to accomplish something for your eternal Kingdom. Amen.