Sep 3 - Today from Proverbs 3 we look at verse 3 & 4
"Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man"
I would like to contemplate this passage on the basis of the use of axioms and theorems? Axioms are pieces of truth. Theorems are propositions that need to be proved, or have been proved through application of the axioms.
We will test our subject matter by seeing love and faithfulness as the axioms. We will use winning favor and a good name with God and man as the theorem.
Some time ago I posed the question to our readers as to what you believe to be the significance of binding something around the neck. I had several thoughtful responses. One reader responded that good jewelry, when properly displayed, enhances one's beauty rather than detracts from it. That certainly fits our proverb of today. The practice of being consistent (faithful) to seek the best for others (love), indeed enhances the beauty of one's soul and character. In this sense, our Lord Jesus was exemplary in binding love and faithfulness around His neck. He knew what love and faithfulness were in accordance with God's original purposes (truths), and He applied them in all of life's situations (wisdom). As a result, His beauty of character is unsurpassed. Jesus indeed won favor and a good name with God and man. Your name is more than the word by which people use to address you. Your name is the sum of your authority and your character. The essence of your name is the sum of the characteristics that come to people's minds whenever they hear or read your name. For instance, what do you sense or feel when you hear the name Mother Teresa? How about the name Sadam Hussein? I think you see the point. One has bound love and faithfulness around her neck, the other has bound hatred and selfish ambition around his. Their names are more than just the proper nouns used to address them. . . their names are the record of their lives. Thus the theorem is proved out as we apply the axioms of love and faithfulness. Jesus was the ultimate example, and we can build our lives on the proven proposition that if we will be consistent in seeking the best for others, we will enhance the beauty of our own character and will win favor and a good name from God and from men. Thank God He gave us a new name when we were born-again. Now we are responsible to earn a good name. That's right. Even though God gives the grace, binding love and faithfulness around our neck is our responsibility.
The Teacher in the book of Proverbs purposed to teach his students wisdom. He assumed that they already were familiar with pieces of truth, now he wanted his students to learn how to apply those truths to life. You will see this pattern used over and over throughout the book. The theorems in the book of Proverbs need to be proved out in our lives as well. We can trust in them because they are based in truth, and the Lord Jesus has gone before us and proved them already. The evidence is not always in the here and now - that's what causes men to stumble. The evidence is found in the life of Jesus, and one day all spiritual theorems will be proved out in the fullness of time. Until then, He has given us the gift of faith, and the assurance of the Blessed Hope. We would be fools to compromise our good name and favor with God for the temporary, self-gratifying things of this age . . . Right?
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Monday, September 1, 2008
September 2
Sep 2 - Today from Proverbs 2 we look at verse 7
"He holds victory in store for the upright and he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless."
Be very cautious of the 'faith teachers' of today who would isolate such verses as this and apply it to this temporary life. Such faith is very short-sighted and tends to focus people on self-centeredness. To be sure, there are rewards in this life for those who walk upright before the Lord. But there are no guarantees that all rewards will be given in this life. Many young and immature Christians have been disappointed when they did not receive the objective of their ‘faith’ as they had expected through errant teaching.
When we accepted the good news of being redeemed and restored by Jesus Christ, we were also expected to receive Him as our LORD. Our entire lives are to be surrendered to Him in order that we may grow to be like Him. His life is the example of man living out the purposes of the Father. He never used His faith on short-term self-fulfilling goals. He used His faith to follow the Father's plan and purposes for His life. He lived a perfectly upright and blameless life, but His victory came after the cross, not before it. Today He calls us to pick up our cross daily and follow Him.
Our victory is secure and our reward is sure. They are found in Christ Jesus. If we live uprightly, we live in a constant relationship with Him. Does He indeed shield us from physical harm and promise us victory over the enemies of the cross in this life? Can we 'take authority' over the doers of evil in His name and subdue them by 'claiming' the promise of this verse? Jesus says in Matthew 10:28, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul." As we abide in Christ, our faith places obedience to God as a higher value than our very lives. The writer of Hebrews writes to the church that has endured persecution for the sake of the gospel, "You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised." (10:35, 36). These verses give much greater perspective to the promise of our verse in Proverbs - eternal perspective. The rewards God has in store for us are infinitely greater than the temporary rewards our flesh would desire. As Christians, we indeed walk in victory. It has already been secured for us at Calvary. As Christians we battle against the powers of darkness not for victory, but from victory. Faith keeps that truth in our hearts, even when the battle rages around us so intensely that we see no hope in sight. . . we see Jesus. He says to us, "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done." (Rev. 22:12). God is faithful. Every act of obedience will be rewarded - but not every act will be rewarded in this life. Jesus brings His reward with Him on that Day. Paul writes in 2 Cor. 4:18, "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
"He holds victory in store for the upright and he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless."
Be very cautious of the 'faith teachers' of today who would isolate such verses as this and apply it to this temporary life. Such faith is very short-sighted and tends to focus people on self-centeredness. To be sure, there are rewards in this life for those who walk upright before the Lord. But there are no guarantees that all rewards will be given in this life. Many young and immature Christians have been disappointed when they did not receive the objective of their ‘faith’ as they had expected through errant teaching.
When we accepted the good news of being redeemed and restored by Jesus Christ, we were also expected to receive Him as our LORD. Our entire lives are to be surrendered to Him in order that we may grow to be like Him. His life is the example of man living out the purposes of the Father. He never used His faith on short-term self-fulfilling goals. He used His faith to follow the Father's plan and purposes for His life. He lived a perfectly upright and blameless life, but His victory came after the cross, not before it. Today He calls us to pick up our cross daily and follow Him.
Our victory is secure and our reward is sure. They are found in Christ Jesus. If we live uprightly, we live in a constant relationship with Him. Does He indeed shield us from physical harm and promise us victory over the enemies of the cross in this life? Can we 'take authority' over the doers of evil in His name and subdue them by 'claiming' the promise of this verse? Jesus says in Matthew 10:28, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul." As we abide in Christ, our faith places obedience to God as a higher value than our very lives. The writer of Hebrews writes to the church that has endured persecution for the sake of the gospel, "You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised." (10:35, 36). These verses give much greater perspective to the promise of our verse in Proverbs - eternal perspective. The rewards God has in store for us are infinitely greater than the temporary rewards our flesh would desire. As Christians, we indeed walk in victory. It has already been secured for us at Calvary. As Christians we battle against the powers of darkness not for victory, but from victory. Faith keeps that truth in our hearts, even when the battle rages around us so intensely that we see no hope in sight. . . we see Jesus. He says to us, "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done." (Rev. 22:12). God is faithful. Every act of obedience will be rewarded - but not every act will be rewarded in this life. Jesus brings His reward with Him on that Day. Paul writes in 2 Cor. 4:18, "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
Sunday, August 31, 2008
September 1
Sep 1 - Today from Proverbs 1 we look at verse 32
"For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them."
Verse 22 of this chapter identifies three types of people who ignore wisdom and live outside of God's purposes; the simple, the mockers, and the fools. Verse 32 only makes mention of two types; the simple and the fools. I wondered why the mockers were left out of this verse.
I think it is because we all pretty much know that mockers are not nice people. We don't worry about being God-haters who purposely stir up trouble against God and against our neighbor - after all, we are Christians. Mockers are an 'in-your-face' bunch, and everyone pretty much knows where they stand and where they will end up. Yes, we do well at identifying the mockers.
The simple and the fools? Well, their ways are much more subtle. Their errors are not found in acts of hatred and open rebellion. They look much more like you and I. They are often fun people, people with a zest for the good things in life. Their errors are not so much found in what they do - they are identified more by what they don't do. The simple are identified by their waywardness. They choose the path of least resistance in life. They attempt to live in their comfort zone as much as possible. To develop one's talents and abilities and put them into useful service for God takes effort and discipline. It often calls for one to leave their comfort zone in order to expand their ability. For the simple, it's just easier to go with the flow, to stay on the wide path. They may do little harm to others, but they are easy victims of God's enemies. Their waywardness carries them down the path to destruction.
The fools are identified by their complacency. They are a little more clever than are the simple. They have a little more ambition, but it is selfish ambition. They don't necessarily flow in the path of least resistance, they work to make a path that brings the most self-satisfaction. They also may do little harm to others - it's just that they have little concern for others. When it comes to making a choice between being a good neighbor or doing something that satisfies self, they will most often choose the latter. Fools go through the motions, doing the minimum for image's sake, but they have no compassion for God or for their neighbor. The path they labor for in life is for their own ultimate pleasure, and it takes them to the same destination as the mockers and the simple.
As parents, we all would like to see our children choose the path of wisdom. We want our children to know God in a personal relationship, and to understand God's purposes for their lives. So does our heavenly Father. He tells us in Ephesians 5:15 & 17, "Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is." I can assure you that if Father wants us to understand what His will is, then He will certainly give us the ability to understand. We just have to work at seeking it out. We will not find the understanding through waywardness and complacency. We need to step out of our comfort zones now and then and see what new things the Father would have us learn and understand. Often the only way we can gain understanding is by doing. "Be doers of the word, and not hearers only." - James 1:22
"For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them."
Verse 22 of this chapter identifies three types of people who ignore wisdom and live outside of God's purposes; the simple, the mockers, and the fools. Verse 32 only makes mention of two types; the simple and the fools. I wondered why the mockers were left out of this verse.
I think it is because we all pretty much know that mockers are not nice people. We don't worry about being God-haters who purposely stir up trouble against God and against our neighbor - after all, we are Christians. Mockers are an 'in-your-face' bunch, and everyone pretty much knows where they stand and where they will end up. Yes, we do well at identifying the mockers.
The simple and the fools? Well, their ways are much more subtle. Their errors are not found in acts of hatred and open rebellion. They look much more like you and I. They are often fun people, people with a zest for the good things in life. Their errors are not so much found in what they do - they are identified more by what they don't do. The simple are identified by their waywardness. They choose the path of least resistance in life. They attempt to live in their comfort zone as much as possible. To develop one's talents and abilities and put them into useful service for God takes effort and discipline. It often calls for one to leave their comfort zone in order to expand their ability. For the simple, it's just easier to go with the flow, to stay on the wide path. They may do little harm to others, but they are easy victims of God's enemies. Their waywardness carries them down the path to destruction.
The fools are identified by their complacency. They are a little more clever than are the simple. They have a little more ambition, but it is selfish ambition. They don't necessarily flow in the path of least resistance, they work to make a path that brings the most self-satisfaction. They also may do little harm to others - it's just that they have little concern for others. When it comes to making a choice between being a good neighbor or doing something that satisfies self, they will most often choose the latter. Fools go through the motions, doing the minimum for image's sake, but they have no compassion for God or for their neighbor. The path they labor for in life is for their own ultimate pleasure, and it takes them to the same destination as the mockers and the simple.
As parents, we all would like to see our children choose the path of wisdom. We want our children to know God in a personal relationship, and to understand God's purposes for their lives. So does our heavenly Father. He tells us in Ephesians 5:15 & 17, "Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is." I can assure you that if Father wants us to understand what His will is, then He will certainly give us the ability to understand. We just have to work at seeking it out. We will not find the understanding through waywardness and complacency. We need to step out of our comfort zones now and then and see what new things the Father would have us learn and understand. Often the only way we can gain understanding is by doing. "Be doers of the word, and not hearers only." - James 1:22
Saturday, August 30, 2008
August 31
Aug 31 - Today from Proverbs 31 we look at verse 31
"Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate."
The wife of noble character. Although the principles set forth in this chapter are worth considering for a man who is choosing a wife, or a woman considering being a wife, I constantly relate the wife in the Proverb to the church. In light of Ephesians 5:31 & 32, the principles set forth in Proverbs 31:10-31 become applicable to all believers. Today's verse is not about her character, but about the result of her staying in character.
We, the church, have been wed to the Lord Jesus. Bound in an eternal covenant vow. He loved us even though we were unlovely. He chose us even though we were defiled. He pursued us even though we were uninterested. He redeemed us even though the cost was His cruel death on a cross. As a result, He gave us a new reputation (pure), a new status (members of the family of His Father), a new inheritance (the riches of living in God's glory), and a new future (eternal life). He is the faithful husband, promising never to leave or forsake His bride. He is the faithful provider. He is perfectly established and his position will never be usurped. Ever! He is worthy of the love and devotion of His bride. Always! The wife of noble character is virtuous and noble because she is ever aware of her husband's unconditional love, His perfect virtue, of His superior authority and position, and His undying devotion to her. He is the Head of His household, but His headship is not dictatorship. His headship is responsibility. He did not promote Himself to headship. He made a decision to be the head - and that decision cost Him more than we will ever be able to fully comprehend. He is worth being under. He is the wife's motivation and her confidence.
The characteristics of the wife of noble character are born out of love and respect for her husband. Her motivation is not self-aggrandizement. Her motivation is to support and enhance her husband's reputation. She understands that the two have become one flesh. He is her glory, and her desire is to reflect his character. Although her reward is earned, it was never her motivation. When her works are praised at the city gate, she is keenly aware that the praise reflects on her husband, and this greatly pleases her. He is greatly pleased to reward her. How Jesus loves His church!
When we gather to worship Him on Sundays, do we gather with anticipation of praising such a wonderful Husband? Do we hunger to learn more of His ways? Do we seek to reflect His love, mercy and grace in our community that He might be glorified? Do we renew our vows on a regular basis and place ourselves in remembrance of what He was willing to do that we might be pure and chaste as He is? Is He our first love? Does He have preeminence in our thoughts, our time and our activities? Are our praises heard in the city gate?
Pity the 'church' which embraces tolerance as a virtue. This is the church that claims to recognize God, but teaches that there are many paths to Him. There is only one church, and she is the devoted bride of the Lord Jesus Christ. She is to be merciful and gracious as is her Husband, but she must remain pure and faithful to Him in the process. To recognize other 'redeemers' as legitimate is betrayal and adulterous. Such a 'church' will never see her reward. She will be turned away from the wedding party and lament with those who rejected the Groom all together. To embrace more than Jesus is not to embrace Him at all. If we are going to accept His invitation to become one with Him, it's an all or nothing proposition. Those who choose 'all' do so because they have understood His worthiness. Now let us keep it before us and allow His passion to be our constant motivation. When He returns for His bride, He will be bringing His reward with Him. (Revelation 22:12).
"Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate."
The wife of noble character. Although the principles set forth in this chapter are worth considering for a man who is choosing a wife, or a woman considering being a wife, I constantly relate the wife in the Proverb to the church. In light of Ephesians 5:31 & 32, the principles set forth in Proverbs 31:10-31 become applicable to all believers. Today's verse is not about her character, but about the result of her staying in character.
We, the church, have been wed to the Lord Jesus. Bound in an eternal covenant vow. He loved us even though we were unlovely. He chose us even though we were defiled. He pursued us even though we were uninterested. He redeemed us even though the cost was His cruel death on a cross. As a result, He gave us a new reputation (pure), a new status (members of the family of His Father), a new inheritance (the riches of living in God's glory), and a new future (eternal life). He is the faithful husband, promising never to leave or forsake His bride. He is the faithful provider. He is perfectly established and his position will never be usurped. Ever! He is worthy of the love and devotion of His bride. Always! The wife of noble character is virtuous and noble because she is ever aware of her husband's unconditional love, His perfect virtue, of His superior authority and position, and His undying devotion to her. He is the Head of His household, but His headship is not dictatorship. His headship is responsibility. He did not promote Himself to headship. He made a decision to be the head - and that decision cost Him more than we will ever be able to fully comprehend. He is worth being under. He is the wife's motivation and her confidence.
The characteristics of the wife of noble character are born out of love and respect for her husband. Her motivation is not self-aggrandizement. Her motivation is to support and enhance her husband's reputation. She understands that the two have become one flesh. He is her glory, and her desire is to reflect his character. Although her reward is earned, it was never her motivation. When her works are praised at the city gate, she is keenly aware that the praise reflects on her husband, and this greatly pleases her. He is greatly pleased to reward her. How Jesus loves His church!
When we gather to worship Him on Sundays, do we gather with anticipation of praising such a wonderful Husband? Do we hunger to learn more of His ways? Do we seek to reflect His love, mercy and grace in our community that He might be glorified? Do we renew our vows on a regular basis and place ourselves in remembrance of what He was willing to do that we might be pure and chaste as He is? Is He our first love? Does He have preeminence in our thoughts, our time and our activities? Are our praises heard in the city gate?
Pity the 'church' which embraces tolerance as a virtue. This is the church that claims to recognize God, but teaches that there are many paths to Him. There is only one church, and she is the devoted bride of the Lord Jesus Christ. She is to be merciful and gracious as is her Husband, but she must remain pure and faithful to Him in the process. To recognize other 'redeemers' as legitimate is betrayal and adulterous. Such a 'church' will never see her reward. She will be turned away from the wedding party and lament with those who rejected the Groom all together. To embrace more than Jesus is not to embrace Him at all. If we are going to accept His invitation to become one with Him, it's an all or nothing proposition. Those who choose 'all' do so because they have understood His worthiness. Now let us keep it before us and allow His passion to be our constant motivation. When He returns for His bride, He will be bringing His reward with Him. (Revelation 22:12).
August 30
Aug 30 - Today from Proverbs 30 we look at verses 29-31
"There are three things that are stately in their stride, four that move with stately bearing: a lion, mighty among beasts, who retreats before nothing; a strutting rooster, a he-goat, and a king with his army around him."
In verses 15-31 the Teacher is making observations of nature. Without directly admonishing them, he is instructing his students to do likewise. The observations all relate back to the opening verses of the chapter where the Teacher is humbled by all that he does not know or understand. It is a rather interesting approach to life - to be humbled by all that you do not understand as opposed to being proud of the so very little that you do . . . or at least you think you do. The entire chapter is an intricately woven text, written in a style unfamiliar to our Western mind.
The subject of the observation in today's text is confidence. The Teacher gives examples of the effect, but does not explain the cause. He challenges his students to ask the question, "Where does their confidence come from?" Why is the lion so confident? He is known to stand against and even attack beasts greater than himself. And what about the little bantam rooster? Where does he find the confidence to strut before, threaten, and attack people ten times larger than himself? Who does he think he is? The he-goat seems to be looking for a challenge. He is quick to use the mighty battering weapons so majestically crowning his head. Then we come to the king with his army around him. At least here we can begin to give a definitive answer as to where his confidence comes from. But it seems to come from an entirely different source. His confidence apparently comes from the strength of his army. The beasts have nothing similar in their case. What is the Teacher driving at here?
I believe we need to go one layer deeper. What do all four examples have in common in regards to stately confidence? Territory. Something they are willing to fight and even die for. The lion, the bantam rooster and the he-goat are confident and aggressive because they have a territory and they will defend that territory with their all. So too the king and his army. Thus, true confidence does not come from self-worth, but from convictions in life. Our fathers, brothers and sons did not shed their blood on foreign soil because they believed in themselves - or even in our President. They did what they had to do because they were convinced that our liberty and freedoms were worth dying for. That's what our territory stands for. The countless unknown martyrs of the faith did not lay down their lives because they believed in themselves. They laid down their lives because they believed in the resurrection of the dead, and the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and the imperative that all men should hear the gospel. Convictions are things greater than ourselves. Convictions are our territory in life, and they are to be our source of confidence. If confidence is rooted in self, then it is only as strong as the vulnerability of self. Self-confident people are cowards at the core. People of conviction are the dangerous people. When you threaten their territory, you can expect an all-out defensive battle. Pity the man who has placed his convictions in a lie. He will have died in vain. In the end there will be no reward, only regret.
As believers, we have a sure foundation in Jesus Christ. We must establish our convictions in the truths of God's Word. The Teacher warns in verses 5 and 6, "Every word of God is flawless. . . Do not add to His words or He will rebuke you and prove you a liar." Our self-worth is not in ourselves, but in what He was willing to pay for us. We are now His territory, "Christ in me, the hope of glory." He valiantly died for me. I cannot fathom it, but I know it is true. Now He is my territory, and I place all my confidence in Him. Hallelujah!
"There are three things that are stately in their stride, four that move with stately bearing: a lion, mighty among beasts, who retreats before nothing; a strutting rooster, a he-goat, and a king with his army around him."
In verses 15-31 the Teacher is making observations of nature. Without directly admonishing them, he is instructing his students to do likewise. The observations all relate back to the opening verses of the chapter where the Teacher is humbled by all that he does not know or understand. It is a rather interesting approach to life - to be humbled by all that you do not understand as opposed to being proud of the so very little that you do . . . or at least you think you do. The entire chapter is an intricately woven text, written in a style unfamiliar to our Western mind.
The subject of the observation in today's text is confidence. The Teacher gives examples of the effect, but does not explain the cause. He challenges his students to ask the question, "Where does their confidence come from?" Why is the lion so confident? He is known to stand against and even attack beasts greater than himself. And what about the little bantam rooster? Where does he find the confidence to strut before, threaten, and attack people ten times larger than himself? Who does he think he is? The he-goat seems to be looking for a challenge. He is quick to use the mighty battering weapons so majestically crowning his head. Then we come to the king with his army around him. At least here we can begin to give a definitive answer as to where his confidence comes from. But it seems to come from an entirely different source. His confidence apparently comes from the strength of his army. The beasts have nothing similar in their case. What is the Teacher driving at here?
I believe we need to go one layer deeper. What do all four examples have in common in regards to stately confidence? Territory. Something they are willing to fight and even die for. The lion, the bantam rooster and the he-goat are confident and aggressive because they have a territory and they will defend that territory with their all. So too the king and his army. Thus, true confidence does not come from self-worth, but from convictions in life. Our fathers, brothers and sons did not shed their blood on foreign soil because they believed in themselves - or even in our President. They did what they had to do because they were convinced that our liberty and freedoms were worth dying for. That's what our territory stands for. The countless unknown martyrs of the faith did not lay down their lives because they believed in themselves. They laid down their lives because they believed in the resurrection of the dead, and the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and the imperative that all men should hear the gospel. Convictions are things greater than ourselves. Convictions are our territory in life, and they are to be our source of confidence. If confidence is rooted in self, then it is only as strong as the vulnerability of self. Self-confident people are cowards at the core. People of conviction are the dangerous people. When you threaten their territory, you can expect an all-out defensive battle. Pity the man who has placed his convictions in a lie. He will have died in vain. In the end there will be no reward, only regret.
As believers, we have a sure foundation in Jesus Christ. We must establish our convictions in the truths of God's Word. The Teacher warns in verses 5 and 6, "Every word of God is flawless. . . Do not add to His words or He will rebuke you and prove you a liar." Our self-worth is not in ourselves, but in what He was willing to pay for us. We are now His territory, "Christ in me, the hope of glory." He valiantly died for me. I cannot fathom it, but I know it is true. Now He is my territory, and I place all my confidence in Him. Hallelujah!
Thursday, August 28, 2008
August 29
Aug 29 - Today from Proverbs 29 we look at verse 19
"A servant cannot be corrected by mere words; though he understands, he will not respond."
When I was sixteen, way back in the 60s, my dad owned a service station and I went to work for him. My dad was very focused on the service aspect of his business, and made it a top requirement for those of us who served with him. In those days we pumped the gas for the customer, always washed the windshield and asked if we could check the oil. And, we did it with a smile. If the customer wanted anything else, we were there to serve. If they asked, we would check the air in their tires and any or all fluid levels of the car. We would add anything that required adding. Except for product, there was never any extra charge. It was our service to the community. My job wasn't to put in my hours and gather my pay on Fridays; it was to serve people and make them glad they traded with us. If they were happy, they would come back. We filled a need in the community, and in return the community provided for our family.
When I was around forty, I took my first trip into the Soviet Union. I was there just after President Reagan made his historical trip in 1988 and glasnost was on the fast-track. During our visit we entered numerous shops and businesses - all owned by the state. Service with a smile? There was no sign of either service or a smile. When I walked into a shop, I was totally ignored. Every one was a slave of the state - there was no private ownership. The people owned everything communally (sic) and everyone had their task to do in this mega-community. In doing so, their every need was to be taken care of by the state, from cradle to grave (sic). Apparently, they didn't have many needs. If I ever had any notions about socialism before that time, they all vanished. The people were slaves with no sense of ownership and no sense of fulfillment. The only people we met who smiled and seemed to have some sense of fulfillment were the Christians we covertly made contact with. They served under the most extreme of circumstances - but they served with a smile.
This brings me to the next level of servanthood; every man is a servant of the most high God. Even the defiant serve God's purposes. Ephesians 1:11 tells us that God works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will. Those to whom Christ has been revealed, and who accept His truth, find great satisfaction and fulfillment in their service to Him. Serving is the purpose for which we were created. God has endowed each of us with certain gifts and abilities, and He endowed us that we might serve Him by serving others. Those who defy God's purposes still serve Him, but they never find satisfaction in their service. When we use our endowment to serve ourselves, we are out of sync with God's purposes, and there must be correction. The Teacher tells us that if we are but servants, mere words are not enough to correct us. We understand the words "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," but we don't respond. We understand the words "Love your neighbor as you love yourself," but we don't respond. Mere words are not enough to correct us. So . . . what did God do?
His best was done in Christ. He promoted us from servants to friends. He did this by revealing the Father's purposes to us (John 15:15). He promoted us from servants to sons. He did this by adopting us into the family (Romans 8:15, 16). We are no longer slaves to a system, we are sons of the owner. "Love your neighbor as yourself," is no longer a statement of mere words. It is the mission statement of our family business and our service is our investment into that business. As slaves, there is little to motivate us in our labors, we become lethargic shop-sitters waiting for our shift to end. As sons, we are to joyfully invest in His kingdom. By following our big brother's (Jesus'), example in serving our fellow man, we honor our Father as we see the expansion of His kingdom. God gave us a partnership in His kingdom through Christ. The benefits are eternal. What more motivation do we need?
"A servant cannot be corrected by mere words; though he understands, he will not respond."
When I was sixteen, way back in the 60s, my dad owned a service station and I went to work for him. My dad was very focused on the service aspect of his business, and made it a top requirement for those of us who served with him. In those days we pumped the gas for the customer, always washed the windshield and asked if we could check the oil. And, we did it with a smile. If the customer wanted anything else, we were there to serve. If they asked, we would check the air in their tires and any or all fluid levels of the car. We would add anything that required adding. Except for product, there was never any extra charge. It was our service to the community. My job wasn't to put in my hours and gather my pay on Fridays; it was to serve people and make them glad they traded with us. If they were happy, they would come back. We filled a need in the community, and in return the community provided for our family.
When I was around forty, I took my first trip into the Soviet Union. I was there just after President Reagan made his historical trip in 1988 and glasnost was on the fast-track. During our visit we entered numerous shops and businesses - all owned by the state. Service with a smile? There was no sign of either service or a smile. When I walked into a shop, I was totally ignored. Every one was a slave of the state - there was no private ownership. The people owned everything communally (sic) and everyone had their task to do in this mega-community. In doing so, their every need was to be taken care of by the state, from cradle to grave (sic). Apparently, they didn't have many needs. If I ever had any notions about socialism before that time, they all vanished. The people were slaves with no sense of ownership and no sense of fulfillment. The only people we met who smiled and seemed to have some sense of fulfillment were the Christians we covertly made contact with. They served under the most extreme of circumstances - but they served with a smile.
This brings me to the next level of servanthood; every man is a servant of the most high God. Even the defiant serve God's purposes. Ephesians 1:11 tells us that God works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will. Those to whom Christ has been revealed, and who accept His truth, find great satisfaction and fulfillment in their service to Him. Serving is the purpose for which we were created. God has endowed each of us with certain gifts and abilities, and He endowed us that we might serve Him by serving others. Those who defy God's purposes still serve Him, but they never find satisfaction in their service. When we use our endowment to serve ourselves, we are out of sync with God's purposes, and there must be correction. The Teacher tells us that if we are but servants, mere words are not enough to correct us. We understand the words "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," but we don't respond. We understand the words "Love your neighbor as you love yourself," but we don't respond. Mere words are not enough to correct us. So . . . what did God do?
His best was done in Christ. He promoted us from servants to friends. He did this by revealing the Father's purposes to us (John 15:15). He promoted us from servants to sons. He did this by adopting us into the family (Romans 8:15, 16). We are no longer slaves to a system, we are sons of the owner. "Love your neighbor as yourself," is no longer a statement of mere words. It is the mission statement of our family business and our service is our investment into that business. As slaves, there is little to motivate us in our labors, we become lethargic shop-sitters waiting for our shift to end. As sons, we are to joyfully invest in His kingdom. By following our big brother's (Jesus'), example in serving our fellow man, we honor our Father as we see the expansion of His kingdom. God gave us a partnership in His kingdom through Christ. The benefits are eternal. What more motivation do we need?
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
August 28
Aug 28 - Today from Proverbs 28 we look at verse 3
"A ruler who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain that leaves no crops."
Did you ever hear of the term 'gully-washer'? It is a colloquialism for a hard driving rain that creates so much run-off that it erodes every little unprotected decline. It creates gullies where there were once even slopes. Perhaps not many of you were ever personally acquainted with agriculture - but a spring gully-washer could mean replanting an entire field. The eroding force of torrents of water could wash the seed right out of the planting furrows and pool them in low-lying areas where they did no good.
The audience of the teacher of this proverb was highly agrarian, and they knew precisely what the word picture meant. Wasted resources. A huge loss of potential. Extra labor if there was to be any crop at all. But how could that be compared to oppressing the poor? And how can we make application to our own lives? We are neither farmers (most), nor rulers?
Let's first discuss the thought of oppressing the poor. It speaks of injustice against those who lack resources or ability. As with most areas of sin, we immediately think of sins of commission. But there are also sins of omission - when we fail to do that which is right. Whether they are of commission or omission, sin has consequences. That's why God instructs us in the ways of righteousness - he does not want to see us suffering the consequences of sin. We can oppress the poor by doing nothing. What is the consequence of oppressing the poor? Wasted resources. A huge loss of potential. Extra work in the future. Before we look further at the consequence, let's look at the ruler.
A ruler is one who has dominion. They dominate a particular institution, or some level of the particular institution. A good ruler is to use his position and authority for the good of the institution over or in that which he rules. The goal is to see the entire institution become a healthy and productive organism. But, rulers can get heady and can tend to get distracted. (Or, perhaps they never had the proper commitment to the institution going in.) The first to suffer in these types of situations are those who lack resources or ability. While others quickly learn how the corrupted system works, and use it to their advantage, the poor suffer. Now, how do we equate this to a gully-washer?
A good leader is always to be in the process of discipling and mentoring other leaders. Organisms reproduce. Discipling is investing one's self into others to see them rise to their potential. Any institution that incorporates this practice from the top down will be a healthy and productive organism. No matter what level someone is at in the institution, there is always the potential for one to rise to their greatest potential if one is willing to learn from their mentors and use their abilities and opportunities to mentor others. According to Proverbs, the only ones who do not benefit even in these ideal situations are the simple, the fools, the mockers, and the sluggards. Everyone else is serving in an organism that is functioning to see each that person rises to his or her potential. For those who lack resources and opportunity, mentors who do have the resources and can provide opportunities do so. When this structure breaks down, and those in areas of authority begin to use the system for their own selfish gain and purposes, those at the bottom are the first to suffer. They have potential and ability, but that all gets 'washed out' through oppression. All of the resources and profits of the institution are now swallowed up by those who wield authority. In a matter of a few generations, the potential of those stuck at the bottom is greatly eroded. The poor become uneducated, untrained, and have learned to simply exist rather than to excel. It will take a lot of extra effort to 're-seed' this field. Great and powerful institutions - even nations and empires - have fallen because they did not learn the lesson of the gully-washer.
The church is in constant peril of becoming one of these institutions. If any institution in this world should be a living example of a healthy and productive organism, it should be the church. The pattern comes from the God of the Bible, and we are to be a people of His Word. The 'rulers' in the church structure are to be the primary mentors, serving as an example in training others how to serve and mentor. "It was he (Jesus), who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." (Ephesians 4:11-13,16)
"Grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." There is nothing passive or automatic about becoming a mature church. Leaders are to be aggressive in equipping - that means leaders on every level. This principle is to be carried into every area of the believer's life. In the home, on the campuses, in the workplace, and certainly in the institution of the church. Being passive with such clear instruction is a sin of omission. There are consequences. Consequences that God would like us to avoid.
"A ruler who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain that leaves no crops."
Did you ever hear of the term 'gully-washer'? It is a colloquialism for a hard driving rain that creates so much run-off that it erodes every little unprotected decline. It creates gullies where there were once even slopes. Perhaps not many of you were ever personally acquainted with agriculture - but a spring gully-washer could mean replanting an entire field. The eroding force of torrents of water could wash the seed right out of the planting furrows and pool them in low-lying areas where they did no good.
The audience of the teacher of this proverb was highly agrarian, and they knew precisely what the word picture meant. Wasted resources. A huge loss of potential. Extra labor if there was to be any crop at all. But how could that be compared to oppressing the poor? And how can we make application to our own lives? We are neither farmers (most), nor rulers?
Let's first discuss the thought of oppressing the poor. It speaks of injustice against those who lack resources or ability. As with most areas of sin, we immediately think of sins of commission. But there are also sins of omission - when we fail to do that which is right. Whether they are of commission or omission, sin has consequences. That's why God instructs us in the ways of righteousness - he does not want to see us suffering the consequences of sin. We can oppress the poor by doing nothing. What is the consequence of oppressing the poor? Wasted resources. A huge loss of potential. Extra work in the future. Before we look further at the consequence, let's look at the ruler.
A ruler is one who has dominion. They dominate a particular institution, or some level of the particular institution. A good ruler is to use his position and authority for the good of the institution over or in that which he rules. The goal is to see the entire institution become a healthy and productive organism. But, rulers can get heady and can tend to get distracted. (Or, perhaps they never had the proper commitment to the institution going in.) The first to suffer in these types of situations are those who lack resources or ability. While others quickly learn how the corrupted system works, and use it to their advantage, the poor suffer. Now, how do we equate this to a gully-washer?
A good leader is always to be in the process of discipling and mentoring other leaders. Organisms reproduce. Discipling is investing one's self into others to see them rise to their potential. Any institution that incorporates this practice from the top down will be a healthy and productive organism. No matter what level someone is at in the institution, there is always the potential for one to rise to their greatest potential if one is willing to learn from their mentors and use their abilities and opportunities to mentor others. According to Proverbs, the only ones who do not benefit even in these ideal situations are the simple, the fools, the mockers, and the sluggards. Everyone else is serving in an organism that is functioning to see each that person rises to his or her potential. For those who lack resources and opportunity, mentors who do have the resources and can provide opportunities do so. When this structure breaks down, and those in areas of authority begin to use the system for their own selfish gain and purposes, those at the bottom are the first to suffer. They have potential and ability, but that all gets 'washed out' through oppression. All of the resources and profits of the institution are now swallowed up by those who wield authority. In a matter of a few generations, the potential of those stuck at the bottom is greatly eroded. The poor become uneducated, untrained, and have learned to simply exist rather than to excel. It will take a lot of extra effort to 're-seed' this field. Great and powerful institutions - even nations and empires - have fallen because they did not learn the lesson of the gully-washer.
The church is in constant peril of becoming one of these institutions. If any institution in this world should be a living example of a healthy and productive organism, it should be the church. The pattern comes from the God of the Bible, and we are to be a people of His Word. The 'rulers' in the church structure are to be the primary mentors, serving as an example in training others how to serve and mentor. "It was he (Jesus), who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." (Ephesians 4:11-13,16)
"Grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." There is nothing passive or automatic about becoming a mature church. Leaders are to be aggressive in equipping - that means leaders on every level. This principle is to be carried into every area of the believer's life. In the home, on the campuses, in the workplace, and certainly in the institution of the church. Being passive with such clear instruction is a sin of omission. There are consequences. Consequences that God would like us to avoid.
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