Stumbling

Every now and then the public gets a collective view of a private affair.  Our society is so jaded, though, that adultery alone doesn’t faze us; we need an interesting twist to get our attention, like a governor gone missing in Argentina or a sports star taken out in a murder-suicide.  We drive by, ogle the scene, sift the facts, maybe say a prayer or two, and keep moving with our own lives.

But have we learned anything?  Have we taken heed?  Adultery happens all the time.  And with or without an interesting twist—or a national name—it’s sin.  We might think we’re immune, but the fact is, it happens way before the bedroom.  It happens first in the heart.  “…[E]veryone who looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart” (Matthew 5:28).

So how do we keep from stumbling?  Wisdom.  Proverbs tells us, “Keep sound wisdom and discretion, so they will be life to your soul, and adornment to your neck.  Then you will walk in your way securely, and your foot will not stumble” (Proverbs 3:21-23).

Last week we pictured wisdom and discretion as parts of a beautiful necklace.  But they’re much more than adornment.  They guide us, helping us to walk securely.  They keep our feet from stumbling.  Think about it.  If we know adultery starts with lust in the heart, wisdom tells us to avoid people and situations that would entice us to lust.  We need to draw huge boundary lines that we dare not cross.

I know one married woman who was an active Facebook user, until it became a source of possible temptation when she connected with a man from her past.  Rather than take a chance, she deleted her account entirely, refusing to give the enemy a foothold.  Her jewels of wisdom and discretion watched over her.

Right after Jesus warned of adultery and lust, He said, “If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out, and throw it from you….  And if your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off, and throw it from you….” (Matthew 5:29-30).  He was speaking figuratively, but His point is clear—the sin of adultery is serious, so serious that we need to do everything we can to rid ourselves of the least temptation.

Jesus’ words are wisdom.  Will you heed them?  What are you willing to do to keep from stumbling?

 

Heavenly Father, help me to keep sound wisdom and discretion, that they may guard me from stumbling.  I pray to keep holy boundary lines, avoiding even the appearance of impropriety.  May lust never be conceived in my heart, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

A Beautiful Necklace

A necklace is a piece of jewelry that truly stands out.  On a special evening out, people may or may not notice a ring, watch, or bracelet; our arms remain mostly at our side.  And they may or may not notice earrings, depending on size and style, and whether they’re hidden behind the hair. 

But that necklace is front and center.  The eyes can’t miss this obvious adornment.  So we women like to play it up—a striking pendant on a chain, a strand of pearls, beaded stones.

But the most beautiful necklaces can be worn by men as well as women—and they aren’t made of precious metal or pearls.  Maybe you’ve eyed these yourself in the book of Proverbs:

“Do not let kindness and truth leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart” (Proverbs 3:3).

“My son, let them not depart from your sight; keep sound wisdom and discretion, so they will be life to your soul, and adornment to your neck” (Proverbs 3:21-22).

“My son, observe the commandment of your father, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother; bind them continually on your heart; tie them around your neck” (Proverbs 6:20-21).

Let’s look again at the piece parts of this necklace:  kindness, truth, wisdom, discretion, observance of God’s commandments and teaching.  God is saying we should adorn ourselves with all these things.  They should be front and center whenever people come into contact with us—something they cannot miss.

We don’t have to pay money to acquire these treasures, but there’s definitely a cost—a transformed life in Christ that brings forth the sweet fruit of kindness; and time with God and in the Word, which causes us to grow in wisdom, discretion, and obedience.  And did you notice something awesome about these treasures?  They not only adorn the outer person, acting as a witness to others; they also strengthen heart and soul, drawing us closer to God.

What a beautiful necklace!  Are you wearing one?  What do people see when they come into contact with you?

 

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving me the precious treasures of wisdom, kindness, and truth.  Help me to bind them around my neck and write them on my heart.  Help me to observe Your commands.  When people see me, I pray they see the Christ in me, to Your honor, glory and praise, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Silver and Gold

The world is still reeling from the death of Michael Jackson.  Who could believe the initial news reports?  How could a pop icon be taken, just like that?  If you’re my age, you grew up with Michael and the Jackson 5, and you remember which songs fit into the seasons of your life.  In fact, I still have dusty 45s of early Jackson 5 hits.

As I prayed for his family and watched reports of people around the world who were shocked, grieving, and reminiscing, I couldn’t help but think about the media coverage itself.  I wondered if his life would have garnered so much attention had he not sold millions of albums and amassed millions in wealth.  I know.  Of course not.  Material success is how we’re measured in this world.

But as I was reading in Proverbs this morning, I was reminded—as always—of the way God’s Word brings perspective to the things of this world.  In particular, my eyes were drawn to multiple references to “silver and gold.”  Here are a few of them:

“How blessed is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding.  For its profit is better than the profit of silver, and its gain than fine gold” (Proverbs 3:13-14).

“Take my instruction, and not silver, and knowledge rather than choicest gold” (Proverbs 8:10).

“How much better it is to get wisdom than gold!  And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver” (Proverbs 16:16).

Interesting.  In the world you’re a huge success if you’ve made millions, yet God says we profit more when we find wisdom and knowledge.  And “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” are found in Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:2-3).

As we remember the life of Michael Jackson, let’s also remember the kingdom perspective—another soul has stepped into eternity, as each of us will.  Times like this should remind us once again that our lives are a mere vapor.  In the end, it won’t matter how much silver and gold we amassed.  What matters is whether we’ve advanced the kingdom of God and served our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

 

Heavenly Father, You hold my life in Your hands.  You’ve ordained the number of my days.  In the short time I have, help me to live for You, to walk in Your wisdom and instruction, to glorify Your holy name, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Father of Fathers

Father’s Day isn’t a day of celebration for every one.  Some never knew their father.  Some wish they had never known their father.  Some have lost a father, and the day is filled with pain and renewed grief.  For so many, it’s a day to simply get through. 

But for all of us, Father’s Day can be so much more.  Even if we have dads whom we’re happy to honor, we can also raise our focus and honor the Father of fathers.

He’s the One who knew us before the foundation of the world and is “intimately acquainted” with all our ways (Psalm 139:3).  He shaped us in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13).  He knows the number of hairs on our head (Matthew 10:30).

He’s the One who calls us into relationship with Him.  No matter who we are, no matter our background, no matter what we’ve been through, He holds forth loving arms and says, “Come.”  He knows we were once born of the flesh, of two parents who may or may not have loved us as they should, two parents who may or may not have raised us as they should, two parents who themselves needed a relationship with Him.  But that was our first birth.  He says we can be born again; when we believe in His Son, Jesus, we can be born of God (John 1:12-13). 

What better relationship is there?  What better Father is there?  Who else is able to heal and restore, to give us beauty for the ash heaps of the past?  Who else’s arms can we fall into and pour out our heart and know that when He says, “Everything will be alright,” it really will?  Who else loves us unconditionally?  Who else sacrificed His Son for us?  Who else can promise us eternal life and actually deliver?

Though He is God our Creator, God Most High, and God Almighty, He has also deemed it His good pleasure to be a very personal God—Father.  “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.  For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, 'Abba! Father!'" (Romans 8:14-15).

         When we think about Father’s Day—whether those thoughts bring joy, sadness, or indifference—let us remember our Father in heaven, the source of true joy, of every good and perfect gift, indeed, the very source of our lives.

 

Heavenly Father, thank You for adopting me into your family, into a personal relationship with You.  It’s my desire to grow even closer to You, to know You more and more, to walk in the ways of my Father, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Time is NOW

“For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep…” (Acts 13:36).

         I was already fired up about this verse.  On Friday I was meditating on it, thinking about the truth that our lives are short.  “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.  You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away" (James 4:14).  We are only given NOW—this generation, this lifetime, this span in history—to serve the purpose of God.  All too soon, it will be too late.  That was my mindset on Friday.

         The very next morning, I received word that a friend’s husband had died.  I’d known them both since college and remember those days vividly; now he’s gone.  Four years ago, this same couple lost a 5-month old son.  One day he was smiling and cooing, bringing joy to his family, his whole life stretched before him; the next day he was gone.

         Thinking about my friend’s grief brought much sadness and reflection…and motivated me all the more to consider that verse from Acts.  We don’t know how much time we have.  It’s so easy to spend our thoughts, time, conversation, days, and even our entire lives on things that have zero impact on eternity. 

Yet, we live in a world that’s full of people who are without Christ, and thus, without hope (Ephesians 2:12).  We live in a world where evil is called good and good is called evil (Isaiah 5:20).  We live in a world where people are steeped in the enemy’s lies and have little knowledge of the truth.  We live in a world where professing Christians worship and have more zeal for people and things than they do for Christ.

We only have NOW to serve the purpose of God in our generation.

I don’t know about you, but I want to be a soldier for Christ.  I want my allegiance to be to Him and Him alone.  I want to know the truth and contend for the truth, and thus expose the enemy’s lies.  I want to be unashamed, unafraid, and uncompromising.  When this phase of my life has ended, I want it to be said of me, like David, that I served the purpose of God in my generation.

How about you?

 

Heavenly Father, teach me to number my days, to know that each and every day should be lived for Your glory.  Help me to live in the light of eternity, to contend for truth, to be unashamed of the gospel.  May I serve Your purpose in my generation, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Problem with "Figuring"

A Proverbs Tour

Maybe some of you suffer from the same disease as I—I’ll call it “figuring.”  When God puts something on my heart to do, my mind immediately moves to figuring.  It wants to figure out why it might not work.  It wants to figure out whether I can really do this, especially if it’s something I’ve never done (God’s specialty).  It wants to figure out the A to Z of the entire plan, contingencies included, because after all, I might be crazy and didn’t hear from God in the first place.

I guess, in other words, I have to admit I like to walk by sight.  But God’s will for us is to walk by faith, and when my mind starts “figuring,” these verses from Proverbs always rise up in my heart:  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

In January of this year, I started getting active on Facebook, and God put it on my heart to start a Facebook group for my ministry, Colored in Christ.  My response?  I started figuring.  I figured hardly anyone would join.  I figured most of my Facebook friends (people from elementary, junior high, high school, and college) didn’t want to read Christian devotions.  I figured people would plain think I was crazy.  I said, “Lord, show me who the Christians are on my list of friends and then I’ll start the group.”  God is funny.  I just knew He whispered to my heart, “Start the group and I’ll show you who the Christians are.”

I started it and watched with awe as the messages poured in from old friends, new friends, and complete strangers telling me they needed the group and were being blessed by the devotions.  What?  If I had kept to my figuring, I would’ve never started it.  I couldn’t lean to my own understanding.  I had to trust in the Lord, acknowledge Him, and let Him lead.

How about you?  What are you trying to figure out according to your own understanding?  Put the figuring aside and trust in the Lord.  Walk by faith.  Ask Him to lead you.  He’ll make your paths straight.        

Heavenly Father, I’m prone to want to walk by sight.  I want to see the entire plan laid out before me and then take the first step.  But I know You want me to walk by faith.  Help me, Father, to trust You, with all my heart.  Prompt me to acknowledge You in all my ways, and I thank You for Your promise that You’ll make my paths straight, in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

The Strange Woman

A Proverbs Tour

No tour through the book of Proverbs can pass her by—the “strange woman.”  She’s mentioned many times (chapters 2, 5, 6, and 7), God’s way of telling us to take heed.  Who is this “strange woman?”  She’s an adulteress, one who doesn’t care about the covenant of marriage, but about gratifying her own flesh.  With her smooth words and devious ways, she entices a man, and if he lacks wisdom, he’ll turn down her path.

         But the pleasure is fleeting.  “In the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword” (Proverbs 5:4 NASB).  There’s no escaping the negative effects.  “Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?  Or can a man walk on hot coals, and his feet not be scorched?” (6:27-28).  No matter how beautiful, no matter how enticing, no matter how wonderful she seems, the fruit from following this woman is the same:  her path leads to death (2:18-19).

         But this cautionary tale isn’t for men only.  We women need to examine ourselves as well.  Are we blameless in all our ways?  Do we toy with flirtatious words without regard to the covenant of marriage (whether ours or his)?  Do we wear revealing clothing and thereby tempt a man to stumble?  Do we take “friendship” with the opposite sex too far?  Have we lusted in our minds, where sin is conceived (James 1:14-15)?

         Sexual immorality isn’t fun or exciting, no matter how many heart flutters the enemy stirs in the moment.  It’s a path that leads to destruction, and we’re to flee from it (1 Corinthians 6:18; 2 Timothy 2:22).

         How do we keep our ways blameless?  We cling to God, pray continually, and feast on His Word.  The teachings of Scripture are our lamp and our light, as well as our protection.  “When you walk about, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; and when you are awake, they will talk to you” (Proverbs 6:22). 

The path of life and blessing is a path of faithfulness to God and to the marital bond.

 

Heavenly Father, where I have strayed from the right path, I pray that You would forgive me and cleanse me of all sin.  Help me to flee immorality in all its forms and to pursue righteousness and godliness.  May my ways be blameless before you, that I may bring glory to Your name, in Jesus’ name, Amen.