February 1
Sowing
There is blessing for all who are giving people. The reward is the joy of giving itself. It is also laid up as a treasure for you in heaven.
Galatians 6
7 Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. 8 Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. 9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. 10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.
It is such a simple lesson from life: you reap according to the kind of seed you sow. It is a principle of God as seen in nature. So we learn something. First, we see his hand prints in the natural and then in the spiritual. As Romans says, “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.” (Romans 1:20 NLT)
Scriptures clearly tell us it is the justice of God to give us what we sow. It is also God’s economy. If you want good you sow good. If you expect to be loved you give love. When you want friends your become friendly, etc.
There is blessing for all who are giving people. The reward is the joy of giving itself. It is also laid up as a treasure for you in heaven.
Proverbs 3
(NIV)
27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor, "Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow"— when you now have it with you.
February 2
Speak Truth
…it is godly to stand up for the falsely accused. It is also godly to make every effort to be sure the truth, mercy and redemption prevails when ever another’s reputation is concerned.
16 These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; 17 do not plot evil against your neighbor, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this," declares the LORD. Zechariah 8
It is difficult to imagine why someone would plot against an innocent person. Yet, it happens all the time. People who do well, perform extraordinarily, show promise and generally enjoy a deservedly good reputation are often attacked by those of lesser drive and accomplishments. Furthermore, we often find that people of faith are attacked for no apparent reason.
We need to realize that darkness hates light of any variety. Wherever there are those who love darkness there will be an effort to tear down that which is good. Evil is not the absence of good as contemporaries are apt to say. Evil is an active force or a proactive drive in humankind.
The scriptures has a lot to say about how much God hates false witness, plotting harm, “frivolous” law suits and building cases against others in order to justify personal gain. What it says about those who engage in it is nothing short of fearful. To plot against another is self-destructive spiritually damaging.
On the proactive side, we need to remember that it is godly to stand up for the falsely accused. However, it is also godly to make every effort to be sure the truth, mercy and redemption prevails when ever another’s reputation is concerned.
Footnote: Doing the right things may make us feel as dirty as the evil doers we oppose. However, that is the whole meaning of the incarnation and Jesus did not shrink from getting dirty in opposing the unjust of the first century.
Proverbs 3
(NIV)
29 Do not plot harm against your neighbor, who lives trustfully near you.
30 Do not accuse a man for no reason— when he has done you no harm.
1Another time he went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. 2Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. 3Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Stand up in front of everyone."
4Then Jesus asked them, "Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they remained silent.
5He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. 6Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus. (Mark 3:1-6 NIV)
February 3
You Become What You Admire
It is a good thing to admire gentility and to choose the paths of peace which bless others. Witness the oak pushing through a crack in concrete. There is real power in gentle persistence.
Proverbs 3
(NIV)
31 Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways,
32 for the LORD detests a perverse man but takes the upright into his confidence.
Clint Eastwood has made his movie career in depicting “Dirty Harry” a character with his .44 magnum, “the most powerful handgun in the world.” Following in his footsteps was Rambo and even those showbiz heroes who became governors, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jesse Ventura.
There are a lot of people who admire these show business icons. Some love the physical depiction. Still others secretly admire their image as tough people. Many who emulate this toughness engage themselves in tough tactics in subtler ways in business, politics and community.
The scripture in Proverbs is clear. We are not to envy the violent person or choose the ways of tough people who push their ways through life by bullying. Here is a positive way to say the same thing: It is a good thing to admire gentility and to choose the paths of peace which bless others. Witness the oak pushing through a crack in concrete. There is real power in gentle persistence.
February 4
Imputed Uprightness
When we have an upright heart and an upright life we can count on God’s blessing in our families. Such uprightness is imputed to us through our faith.
Proverbs 3
(NIV)
33 The Lord curses the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the upright.
Any student of history can readily see the outcome of the lives of those who choose wicked paths. Biographies of families cursed by the effect of wicked practices are multitudinous. Environment is of great influence in human development and proclivity to good or evil. (This is something the Bible taught long before it was an emphasis in modern psychology.)
When God speaks of “the house of the wicked” he speaks of a household whose patron is committed living a self-willed life. He is warning of the consequences generationally of such decisions.
However, it might be said that we should be careful not to make such judgments prematurely. There are many good families that go through hard times and the scripture is not necessarily speaking of that. What the scripture addresses is a chronic and deep set wickedness that passes through a family like a poison.
When we have an upright heart and an upright life we can count on God’s blessing in our families. Such uprightness is imputed to us through our faith. We ask for it, we receive it and we pray in the humble awareness we are entering the realm of righteousness on a borrowed ticket. That is what gives us the persistence to trust God and love every member through their challenges.
February 5
Tasting Our Own Medicine
When we make fun of others (mock) God gives us a taste of our own medicine. This is another of his redemptive patterns.
Proverbs 3
(NIV Readers)
34 He laughs at proud people who make fun of others. But he gives grace to those who are not proud.
Because he is the measure of all things Himself, how could God not see the mockery of mockers as anything but one Hyena laughing at another because their bottom is hairless? There are none worthy, says the scripture, not one. Therefore, all of us stand in the need of grace. That is enough said about the relative condition of all of mankind which gets far too much joy out of laughter at another’s s expense.
When we look at this text we can observe that the law of cause and effect apparently relates also to God’s responses to us. When we make fun of others (mock) God gives us a taste of our own medicine. This is another of his redemptive patterns. He allows us to know what it is like to be the brunt of rejection and mockery so we may find the joy of contentment in living behind the faces he has given us without the derision of others. After all, it is godly to rejoice is what is good and praiseworthy.
February 6
The Last Word
True perspective will always take into account that the one who created us has the last word.
Proverbs 3
35 The wise inherit honor, but fools are put to shame!
Truth like water finds its own level. We can alter our presentations, we can give things we want to do a positive slant and we can even lie to force our wills on others. However, it is the true and wise who are proven to be right in the end. This is why, in part, we read history for lessons. We want to see who has been vindicated and to whom honor belongs.
True perspective will always take into account that the one who created us has the last word. He will give that last word whether it is written in history or in the thunder when the last trumpet has blown.
Photo by de
February 7
Empty Hands Full Grace
God can only give to those whose hands are empty.
Matthew 5
(NIV)
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
***
3"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. The Message
We start life as kids feeling like the center of the universe, soon graduate to reality and find that there are many things to take our place. We are left with complexes which may be nothing more than a real assessment of our need. In other words, if we have an inferiority complex it is because we are flawed. We probably are not any worse than someone else but we are less than intended by our Creator.
Those who are poor in spirit are those who have recognized that their equity of power is depleted. They are the ones who have taken a realistic look at the human situation and place their trust in God. They enjoy his help, glory in his presence and find His empowerment to face all obstacles.
God can only give to those whose hands are empty.
Photo by de
February 8
Answers for Angst
God in his goodness encourages us to allow sorrow to do its perfect work. We push through depression and seek healing. We cry out for relief and look for some comfort. When we place our faith in Him and His promises we find that comfort to be even better than singular achievements.
Matthew 5
(NIV)
4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
We are told that we all suffer from angst. That means humans are plagued with a sense of anxiety just because they are human and vulnerable. Well, the Germans who coined this phrase have more to say about it like, “We suffer from an existential angst.”
There is another thing not commonly noted. It is a sense of justice. It is a yearning we all seem to have at the core of our beings. It is as if we are mourning for things that ought to be. We expect fairness. We expect fulfillment. We believe things can be better.
Most everyone, some more than others, have a drive to better things. Some of us sprint toward betterment and quit or settle for a fatalistic goal or a band aid. Others of us plug away and find through faith that there is a better world for those who allow their mourning for what “might be” keep them in the race.
God in his goodness encourages us to allow sorrow to do its perfect work. We push through depression and seek healing. We cry out for relief and look for some comfort. When we place our faith in Him and His promises we find that comfort to be even better than singular achievements. After all, we are made in his image and will not be at rest until we find our completion in him.
February 9
The Meek Inherit
The meek carry with them an authority that is not
easily understood because God has made them possessors of spaces they occupy. They will ultimately share the reward of the lowly which is encapsulated in the exaltation of the Lamb of God.
Matthew 5
(NIV)
5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Meekness is the decision to step down from a height we rightfully hold. It is choosing not to contest our worthiness relative to someone else. It is deciding for the sake of the betterment of all we will forgo something that is a reward of our labors or position granted to us by God’s grace and our own faithful pilgrimage. .
Meek people are not weak as many suppose. They are people most secure in who their own integrity. The meek know who they are, their purpose in life, and the direction they are going. They have usually paid a personal cost to become what they are and are painfully aware of the power of life or destruction in authority and power. Thus when the moment requires it they can step down, step out from and lay down such control and clout. It takes great courage to be meek.
The promise of God for the meek is that they will inherit the earth. They will be among the most natural and confident people we meet. The meek carry with them an authority that is not easily understood because God has made them possessors of spaces they occupy. They will ultimately share the reward of the lowly which is encapsulated in the exaltation of the Lamb of God.
February 10
The Great Hunger
People who hunger and thirst for righteousness as described here are down to their last coinage…. While such people make the spiritual “fast food crowd” uncomfortable they press on in prayer and action to join with those of like mind and receive the fullness of God.
Matthew 5
(NIV)
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Our Father in heaven responds to those who come to him with scintillating honesty and hunger. Even as He heard the yearnings of the prophets so he knows when our hunger has “red-lined” and when we need rescue. We are created in his image to expect truth, justice and rightness. Most, however, do all they can to dull the gnawing grind of conscience and settle for mind numbing activities and distractions. Those souls will have nothing to do with anything so human, so common and so internally distressful.
People who hunger and thirst for righteousness as described here are down to their last coinage. They do not have some mild hunger that can be satisfied with a few fries and a milkshake. They have the hunger of multitudes and will not be satisfied until they and all of those they know are seated at a banquet table laden with the best delicacies. While such people make the spiritual “fast food crowd” uncomfortable they press on in prayer and action to join with those of like mind and receive the fullness of God.
Photo by de
February 11
Unleashing Mercy
When we practice mercy we condition the heart to receive mercy and so the power of mercy is unleashed also in the earth.
Matthew 5
(NIV)
7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
“If God is good why is there so much distress in the world?” This is the big question raised more often than any other. On the social front it can be addressed with this maxim of Jesus. Mercy begets mercy and mercy begets relief of distress. Social conflicts are the result of an “eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” They compound every time mercy is not shown.
The ultimate mercy is the mercy God will show. It is a mercy available only to those who show mercy and demonstrate a grasp of his nature.
Is oil compatible with water? Is there any kinship with fire and ice? So it is with mercy. When we practice mercy we condition the heart to receive mercy and so the power of mercy is unleashed also in the earth.
Proverbs 19:17 (NLT)
17 He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.
February 12
Clear Vision
The pure in heart are unadulterated…They are honest through and through. Such people, Jesus says, “see God” or to put it in practical terms are apt to see his hand at work because they are not destroyed by the cynicism of the age.
Matthew 5
(NIV)
8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
The marketplace in old Jerusalem is a quaint place where barter still takes place the old fashioned way. The seller quotes a price. The buyer counters. The seller counters again and finally after a few adjustments agreement is reached.
On my first trip to Jerusalem I relished the bargaining exchange. In particular I was bargaining for some olive wood crosses which I would give as gifts. After much haggling an agreement was struck and I walked out feeling I had struck the bargain of a lifetime. However, when I inspected my crosses I realized they were not perfect. The creator had put brown bees wax in wormholes inherent to the wood. I had bought what we could call “seconds.” It was not a bargain at all. Funny! The Latin definition for sincere is “without wax.” I fell for an old trick.
The pure in heart are unadulterated. What you see in them is what you get. They are not people to have ulterior purposes or trying to work the angles. They are honest through and through. Such people, Jesus says, “see God” or to put it in practical terms are apt to see his hand at work because they are not destroyed by the cynicism of the age.
3As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer 4nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God's work—which is by faith. 5The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk. I Timothy 1:3-6
February 13
Making for Peace
There is no peace like the peace that flows from people who do the God-like work of blessing, giving and enlarging the fortunes of others.
Matthew 5 (NIV)
9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Most references in the Bible to “peace” are of a proactive and whole peace. Peace is not the absence of conflict. It is full contentment. When we make for peace we do everything within our power to create a winning environment which provides for the highest good of others. There is not one scintilla of aggression in this kind of peace. It is not a peace that can be brought by contest, protest or conquest of the minds and hearts of others.
In short, such peace is not possible until right relationships are established with God and man. When we come under God’s rule we are apt to love and give to others what we have received. There is no peace like the peace that flows from people who do the God-like work of blessing, giving and enlarging the fortunes of others. They are the core of our best cultures.
February 14
Like a Sparrow
…when we represent God’s heart we are assured that God, who has the last word, will grant a glorious reward.
Matthew 5
(NIV)
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
History is the story of heroic people who have paid a great price even with their lives for standing for some benefit which we praise and value in the present. These people are witnesses of righteousness. Because they bear the scars of persecution they are effective in keeping our eyes on the truth.
The witnesses who die for righteous causes leave us with the sober truth that help and vindication does not always come in this world. Sometimes witnesses are vindicated by following generations. However, more often the deeds of the witnesses die with them. Multitudes have stood for righteousness whose stories have never been observed by anyone other than their tormentors. Where is their vindication?
Jesus teaches that not a sparrow falls from a tree that the Father does not see. (Matthew 10:29) Will God not see the righteous fall? In our text Jesus speaks only for those who are persecuted for righteousness. (This must be contrasted with the martyrs of false causes.) He assures his followers that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such. In other words, when we represent God’s heart we are assured that God, who has the last word, will grant a glorious reward. It is core to the Christian’s faith to believe this:
“If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:31b-39
***
Note: Every person should read the biographies of godly people. Admittedly some of them may be glorified images but they provide a rich mining ground for those wishing to live better. The ones which show both flaw and virtue, as does the Bible, are even more inspiring. These are the biographies that bring us even closer to identifying with those ordinary people who found the grace to be God’s witnesses. Who knows when the moment will come for any of us to draw a line for righteousness? That is when we will need the strength of God and his witnesses.
***
An Important Supporting Passage
There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny[? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
32"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven. Matthew 10:26b-32
February 15
Dance the Blues Away
Do the right thing! When you get hit for it, rejoice! Rejoice literally! Instead of surrendering to gravity give in to the festive dance of the angels.
Matthew 5 (NIV)
11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
The bottom line regarding persecution for righteousness sake is that God rewards such people with the Kingdom of Heaven. That is about as great a reward as one can be promised. Even though we do not know fully what it means This is the greatest superlative Jesus could have used.
In Jesus’ words images spring forth not of cabbages but of kings; not of tarnished trophies but of golden architecture; not of honorary dinners but of continual feasts and not of weekend resorts but of residency in the land of the overflowing cornucopia.
In this passage Jesus makes clear that reward does not just go to those who pay the ultimate price. God notices it when we are insulted, spoken ill of and maltreated. He classifies the persecuted and insulted with the prophets of Israel who were vindicated and granted favor in His Kingdom. He is encouraging an attitude in Matthew 5:11-12. What attitude is it?
Jesus says, “Rejoice!” Pictorially speaking it means, jump up into the air, twirl around and come down to spin about in boisterous dance. When we have obeyed what we know to be representative of the heart of God and we are succumbing to mind numbing depression we would do well to take Jesus literally. There is nothing so cathartic as have a dancing- shout fest in the privacy of your own home to drive off the darkness.
Do the right thing! When you get hit for it, rejoice! Rejoice literally! Instead of surrendering to gravity, give in to the festive dance of the angels. Who knows? You might learn a new step today.
February 16
True to Origin
Jesus says his disciples need to remember their purpose. They are to be separate, distinct, true to their original form, and useful for bringing savor, healing, preservation and keeping the world turning as in the fair market places of humankind.
Matthew (NIV)
13"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?
It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
I highly suspect Jesus was using the salt of the earth analogy with a double meaning. Salt savors, Salt preserves and inasmuch as salt is antiseptic it heals. Salt was even used for money. We get the word salary from the Latin word sale. In fact, the Romans had a saying that “there is nothing more useful than sun and salt.” (Nil utilius sole et sale.)
The double meaning here was involved in declaring salt’s saltiness was involved in its nature and the monetary usefulness of it. Actually, salt does not lose its saltiness in the chemical sense. It loses its saltiness as savor. Salt may be contaminated. It may absorb odors of what ever it is adjacent to. It may even get dirty. But the saltiness remains even if it is tossed out on the road to kill weeds and keep the path clear. It then becomes cheap and of little use for exchange.
Jesus says his disciples need to remember their purpose. They are to be separate, distinct, true to their original form, and useful for bringing savor, healing, preservation and keeping the world turning as in the fair market places of humankind.
This is a powerful symbol of the Christians place in the world: always present, foundational, secretly effective, bringing good to the human exchange and present without fanfare. I don’t know about you but I like being salty. You can make a difference in the circles in which you move that points back to the block from which you were chiseled.
February 17
Ushers of God
He is the light of you. You are the reflector. So, the word is, uncover the lamp, stand boldly out in the public place and be what you are unapologetically.
Matthew 5 (NIV)
14"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
I like this analogy. With a clear sweep it seems to eclipse “gut- wrenching, introspective, white -knuckled Christianity.” Jesus says simply ‘you are.’ This is a potent beginning. You are by virtue of having Christ’s nature in you. He is the light of you. You are the reflector. So, the word is, uncover the lamp, stand boldly out in the public place and be what you are unapologetically.
From the Message[1]
14-16"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.
February 18
A Clear and Visible Dignity
Christ is working in you and granting you a new stature.
Colossians 2
9For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.
This text is very definitive. Christ has the fullness of God and we have fullness in Christ. This means, among other things, that you are a very dignified person.
Christ is working in you and granting you a new stature. You can walk about today with a sense of dignity. You have so much dignity you don’t have to tell anyone. That dignity will be part of your person and those who come around you will sense a difference.
This is the persona of the Christ who is beginning to express himself in you. All you have to do is get out of the way, stop worrying about how you appear, don’t boast, or try to prove yourself. Just quietly submit to Him in all you do, soak your self in his words, be interested in others as He is interested, and trust him to be your aid and power. Gradually, something will happen. You will be enjoying the fullness of Christ.
This fullness is what you have been given and it means, as another translator has said, that “you are complete through your union with Christ.” (NLT)
February 19
If you put up the collateral for a friend there is always a friend between you and the lender. It is an occasion for temptation to irresponsibility on the part the one for whom you sign.
Proverbs 6 (NIV)
1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge for another,
2 if you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth,
3 then do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor's hands: Go and humble yourself; press your plea with your neighbor!
4 Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids.
5 Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
At some time or another someone might come to ask you to back up a loan they are taking by providing their security. They may ask you to put up your house or some valuable possession. Don’t do it unless you are willing to write off the security you put up!
Generally it is not wise to provide collateral for another and this proverb tells us to get out of such a promise very early if at all possible. The problem with the equation is simply that you are now taking responsibility for bearing a burden another should bear for themselves.
Does this mean you should never make a loan? No. It does not relate to loans. It relates to surety another needs to get a loan from someone else. If you put up the collateral for a friend there is always that friend between you and the lender. It is an occasion for temptation to be irresponsible for the one for whom you sign.
Note: My wife and I made a policy long ago. When we make loans we put no requirement, including interest, on the person to whom we loan. If they pay it back we are happy to receive it but until then we view it as a gift. We leave it to the recipient to decide how they will treat it. We tell them if they cannot pay it back to pass the consideration forward. Needless to say, we don’t make huge loans. We couldn’t anyway. At least we don’t have a reason to resent a default.
February 20
Work for the Cold is Coming
We are most fulfilled and happy when we work at something which we know has value. We can aspire to holidays and living the life of ease but work is more Godlike.
Proverbs 6 (NIV)
6 Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!
7 It has no commander, no overseer or ruler,
8 yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.
9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest-
11 and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.
Work is a divine benefit. We are most fulfilled and happy when we work at something which we know has value. We can aspire to holidays and living the life of ease but work is more Godlike. It is when we are closest to the Creator who “rested from all the work of creating he had done.” (Genesis 2:3 NIV)
Proverbs gives us the practical benefit of work. It is not just important for our survival but it is an extension of the divine image in human kind. Work is the means by which we provide for the present and prepare for the hard times. It is also a way we participate in God’s creative life. We are most fulfilled when we are doing things that count and contribute. As simple and self evident that may be to many people it is not necessarily important to everyone. These are the ones God individually calls “sluggard.”
There is also a bit of irony in this passage. Unfortunately, we often miss the humor in the Bible. What is more humorous being told that we are to learn from an insect which we can step smash with one step? Yet, we are instructed to look at that bug and learn from it. In all of the ant’s presumed incapacity for intelligence it labors day after day to gather provisions for the hill creatures of its kin. It works to fulfill its individual destiny.
The ant colony has a very complex organization with embedded genetics to function and purpose. In the ant God has written a note in nature regarding the value of industry and community that even the most illiterate can read and understand.
February 21
Sloppy Agape[2]
The Christian needs to be discerning. The Christian needs to examine all things.
Proverbs 6 (NIV)
12 A scoundrel and villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth,
13 who winks with his eye, signals with his feet and motions with his fingers,
14 who plots evil with deceit in his heart— he always stirs up dissension.
15 Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.
Of all of the villains in movies the con man occupies the place of greatest admiration and is usually depicted as likeable. Hollywood even made several movies of con-artists: Scoundrels, The Flim-Flam Man, The Sting and The Matchstick Men. In every case the scoundrel is a “sympathetic” character. We like him because he/she is likeable. They are just as Proverbs describes them.
There are people we meet every day who are villainous. We can know them for sure only after observing their behavior. Such people lie, exaggerate, flatter, boast, and divert us from the damage they are planning.
We will always be taken in by con artists when we turn off the still small voice within. The Holy Spirit is often guiding us to the truth gently. However, good people do not like the feelings that go with suspicion. They feel somehow that it is something in them that is the problem. So – they are taken in and disappointed in the end.
The Christian needs to be discerning. The Christian needs to examine all things. In the process of life the Christian should look at everyone with the intent of finding something in them of which he can approve and something that gives impetus to love. We love others but we do not do so ignorantly. We will love them by confronting them. We will love them by challenging them in integrity. We will love them by taking calculated risks and sometimes, when we are injured, we can do so with the awareness we did our best to be redemptive.
February 22
Abominable Glow Men
If we are going to avoid trouble with God we certainly want to know those essential things that move him to withdraw his cover of grace over us.
Proverbs 6 (New International Version)
16 There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil,
19 a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.
If we are going to avoid trouble with God we certainly want to know those essential things that move him to withdraw his cover of grace over us. They would be the things God hates or what used to be called abominations.
In this passage we find the things that are alien to God. They are arrogant eyes, lying, harming the innocent, hearts that are always scheming evil, bearing false witness and those who stir up strife by being divisive.
It is interesting that the carnal sins are not mentioned in this list. We see nothing of murder, adultery, stealing or the like. Instead we get a list of behaviors which are a part of those things or lead directly to them.
These may appear to be little things but they are precisely the things for which we correct our children that they not go down the path of self destruction or anti-social behavior. It would be shameful if we were to correct those in our charge and fail ourselves in any one of them before God. Why do I say this? Because. All of them can be found in the church and the best of families.
February 23
Truth Accomplishes its Own Ends
The truth always takes time to show its value.
Proverbs 10
2 Ill-gotten treasures are of no value, but righteousness delivers from death.
It still amazes many that there are people who cheat and can feel good about their “winnings” through cheating. They pretend to celebrate their abilities when in truth they are celebrating their delinquency. They have but what they have is not theirs. They possess but what they possess will pass quickly away.
The culture that runs on doing whatever it takes to get the end result is a culture of “ill begotten treasures.” Pragmatism has driven the immorality of communism. It drives a lot of people in business. It is the real world view of many ambitious people in co-corporations. It drives much of the political machinery today. It is an attitude that encourages people to take credit for what they did not earn, pretend to have done what they have not done and declare accomplishments that have no factual basis. It is a philosophy of gathering treasures that have no value because they were gained by fraud.
The truth always takes time to show its value. However, when people participate in wrong-doing they seem to get immediate and successful results. That is why the end does not justify the means even though the present culture says so. God says the end of them is “death” and we can apply that principle literally, metaphorically and eternally.
Luke12:15-21
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."
14 Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?" 15 Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions."
16 And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.'
18 "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." '
20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'
21 "This is how it will be with those who store up things for themselves but are not rich toward God."
February 24
Memories of Blessing
Appreciating the legacy you enjoy and those who contributed good to your life empowers you. It empowers everyone.
Proverbs 10
7 The memory of the righteous will be a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.
We are so busy living we don’t think much of the creation of memories for someone else. That is as it should be. We should never live just to build memories. However, from time to time we should be aware of the fact that we are building a legacy. That could go a long way to temper the way we relate to those around us.
The Bible does a lot of remembering. In fact, you would do well to do a study to find out how many times the word “remember” is used and what the word references. You will be inspired to realize that our Father wants us to cherish certain memories and take lessons from others. You will also discover that memories of past persons contributed to the courage and vision of the living. These memories were so cherished they are carefully recorded in several long lists of genealogies.
Stop to give thanks for those who have contributed positively to your life. Even give thanks to those who are living. Appreciating the legacy you enjoy and those who contributed good to your life empowers you. It empowers everyone. That is why historical memory is necessary to every generation.
February 25
Receiving Instruction
Cut the chatter today and listen. You will gain from it.
Proverbs 10
8 The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin.
Have you noticed that people who are quick to talk and quick to add their bit to conversation cut off the possibilities of learning? How many things would others share with us if we just listened more? How much would we share with others if they were not so quick to interrupt with a tale of their own? That says nothing of learning from missing the input of instruction. Cut the chatter today and listen. You will gain from it.
February 26
Walking Securely
When one has nothing to prove they are secure.
Proverbs 10
9 The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.
There is nothing more disconcerting than a person of integrity. They are so secure in their skins. They are so self assured. They are so candid. When they speak the first thing some people think is that there is some angle. There is something wrong about a culture when a person of integrity is too good to be believed.
Life is filled with security threatening situations. However, there is no need to be socially or spiritually insecure when we walk in integrity. Those who do walk in integrity have no need to fear being discovered to be bogus. Neither do they have a need to fear the judgment. As people of integrity they examine themselves. They regularly confess their sins and receive forgiveness from God. They keep short accounts. They know they are fallible and have no grandiose illusions of themselves.
When one has nothing to prove they are secure.
I Corinthians 2
15 The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for, "Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.
February 27
Lightless Chatterboxes
It takes a chattering “fool” to promote or provide cover for the malicious and devious person.
Proverbs 10
10 He who winks maliciously causes grief, and a chattering fool comes to ruin.
I tend to think it is no accident that these two types of persons are linked together: the maliciously devious winking person and the chattering “fool.” It takes a “ chattering fool” to promote or provide cover for the malicious and devious person.
When we have been taken by one who is malicious we often have cause to think back and can often see where there were the warning signs. We remember things that were said but we just talked on nervously. We saw things that made us uncomfortable and ignored them. We may even have had others point out significant signs about the devious one and we chose to ignore their input without realizing we were off putting that good friend.
Christian people tend to try to make of the world what it is not. We are so anxious to see the good we ignore the evil that threatens. The New Testament is not short on warnings. We would do well to do a study of the “bewares” and the warnings of the scripture because they point us to the safe and wholesome path.
When you have a nagging sense you are “being had” pay attention to it. Discernment is as anointed and of the Holy Spirit as the working of miracles. Quit chattering with the platitudes and clichés! Listen to the Spirit and pray and walk accordingly.
February 28
The Mouth of Life
The righteous speak and create, they bring hope, they infuse others with joy and they sow the expectation of higher things.
Proverbs 10
11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.
The power of words and of speech is a prominent subject of the Scriptures. After all, God created the world by his word. He sustains it by his word of power. (Hebrews 1:1-2) Likewise, God gave his commands he warned about all uses of the tongue. All words have power and translate to action. When Isaiah had a vision of God he trembled and said, “Woe to me! … I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” (Isaiah 6:7)
The wicked are the destroyers and use words to do so. Jesus warns against those who may kill the soul and the wicked do so with their words.
The righteous speak and create, they bring hope, they infuse others with joy and they sow the expectation of higher things.
[1] A delightful interpretation of scriptures in American vernacular. It has some very good introductions to the books of the Bible and is helpful in getting you thinking in new ways about what you are reading. Interpretations are never to be taken as final. They are highly subjective.
[2] Agape is a form of the Greek agapao or sacrificial love.
