walK with THE Wise ~ Things we leave behind

Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb!

Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers!

Do not spend your strength on women,

your vigor on those who ruin kings.

It is not for kings, Lemuel—

it is not for kings to drink wine,

not for rulers to crave beer,

lest they drink and forget what has been decreed,

and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.

Let beer be for those who are perishing,

wine for those who are in anguish!

Let them drink and forget their poverty

and remember their misery no more.

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,

for the rights of all who are destitute.

Speak up and judge fairly;

defend the rights of the poor and needy....

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

from Proverbs 31

The prompt word for today was leave... but seriously, even before I started considering that prompt and I was simply reading ahead to refresh my mind about what God says through this proverb, as I read, all I could think of was how so much... so many people and things and memories and dreams... have been left behind - by me. And I don't write that in a sad or in a melancholy way. Much leaving is hard. Some does, however, bring relief or respite. Some is necessary. Some is beneficial. Some is just heart-breaking hard. Sometimes that is because of selfishness and sometimes that is because of brokenness...

So how in the world did I get to this spot from this proverb?

Well, as I read the beginning, wise words given to King Lemuel by his mother, I started thinking about how because of ministries and opportunities we have, we sometimes have to choose to leave other things behind. In the context of Lemuel, his mother was warning him that wine or other strong drink should not be a part of the life of the wise ruler because it affects the ability to make sober and right decisions that put others first. The life characterized by a seeking out of wine to relax or beer to forget or whatever other beverage - maybe Coke to energize? a coffee to jump start the day? - to deal with some sort of personal discomfort or need is also a life that might tend to judge unfairly, that might forget to stand up for or seek the best for those less fortunate or a part of the minority. Lemuel's mother doesn't say wine is wrong; rather, she encourages Lemuel to leave the beer and wine for others, for those perishing and in anguish, for those who need an escape for whatever reason. But to those who are responsible for others, to those who are leaders, it only traps and distracts, preventing one from doing what is best, encouraging self-preservation and self-interest at the cost of others. Thus, she encourages him to leave wine and beer behind, to not allow them to be a part of his life.

I think of all of the things we, as missionaries, have left behind. And it ranges... from almost ridiculous (college football on TV or international all-in-good-fun softball tournaments) to nostalgic (fall leaves every year or bonfires under a starry sky on a Sahara sand dune) to heartbreaking (parents, grandparents, colleagues, dear friends and neighbors who we know don't yet know Jesus). And yet we leave because we know God has something in store for us, because He compels us. That doesn't make it less painful, but it does give the pain a worthwhile purpose.

Then, I came to almost the end of this proverb, to well known words: "beauty is fleeting." With a wry smile, I say that that is obvious every single time I look in the mirror (not to imply that I've ever considered myself a great beauty - but rather that I see those clear signs of time marching on - gray hair, wrinkles, sags and droops, hands with prominent veins that I remember as being my Nana's... I sort through photos of even just a few years back and faces are less smooth, wrinkles more prominent, weariness in the eyes is evident, age spots appearing where there were none before. Youth and the beauty inherent in the young leaves... or more accurately, it flees, so much more quickly physically than it does in my mind. I forget I'm no longer 25 until I try and get out of bed in the morning. Although, in the interest of honesty, I'd better clarify... that only happens on some mornings. Some mornings I actually get to the mirror first... or it doesn't happen until Mary Michelle points out a new spider vein on my leg or my teens ask me not to wear that sweater over to the school today because it is so out-dated... but you get the picture. All those things that seemed so critical 25 years ago - I couldn't make them work out the way I'd prefer no matter how many hours or much money I invest. The beauty of youth leaves rapidly... leaving me behind. 

But for God's grace and the tiniest of glimpses of His perspective, all of that leaving would be depressing... disheartening...

As CS Lewis said, "There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.”

Which makes me think of this song:

One day when Heaven was filled with His praises

One day when sin was as black as could be

Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin

Dwelt among men, my example is He

Word became flesh and the light shined among us

His glory revealed

Living, He loved me

Dying, He saved me

Buried, He carried my sins far away

Rising, He justified freely forever

One day He's coming

Oh glorious day, oh glorious day

One day they led Him up Calvary's mountain

One day they nailed Him to die on a tree

Suffering anguish, despised and rejected

Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He

Hands that healed nations, stretched out on a tree

And took the nails for me

One day the grave could conceal Him no longer

One day the stone rolled away from the door

Then He arose, over death He had conquered

Now He's ascended, my Lord evermore

Death could not hold Him, the grave could not keep Him

From rising again

One day the trumpet will sound for His coming

One day the skies with His glories will shine

Wonderful day, my Beloved One, bringing

My Savior, Jesus, is mine

Glorious day, Oh, Glorious day

walK with THE Wise ~ So Many Firsts ~

This chapter of Proverbs was actually written by someone other than Solomon... and as I was reading it, the number of "lists" really caught my eye... especially the first thing in each list, because often what is listed first is our priority, even when everything on the list is truly important.

What's more is that most of the "lists" are introduced by a very particular literary phrase: "There are three things that... four that..." where the three appears to be rhetorical... the actual number is four.

What are the firsts in these actual lists?

The first first is Agur's request that the Lord keep lies and falsehood far from him... and is the first thing listed of only two requests prior to death. When I initially began thinking about those words, I found them to be surprising. I can honestly say that that isn't on the top of my list when I ask the Lord for protection. So I was particularly challenged when I read the following (From Gill's Exposition of the Bible) regarding this first first: "This is the "first" request, to be preserved from sin, in general; which is a vain, lying, and deceitful thing; promising pleasure, profit, liberty, and impunity, which it does not give. Agur desires to have vain thoughts removed out of his mind, vain words from his mouth, and vain actions from his life and conversation; to have his eyes turned from beholding vanity, and his feet from walking in it; and his affections taken off from the vain things of the world, the lusts, pleasures, profits, and honours of it; as well as to be kept from all errors and false doctrines, which are lies in hypocrisy; with which men that lie in wait to deceive would, if it were possible, deceive the very elect: Agur conscious of his own weakness, and proneness to evil, desires the Lord would not lead him into temptation, but deliver him from all evil, doctrinal and practical."

Agur, conscious of his own weakness and proneness to evil... which is so different from my most-of-the-time-day-in-day-out mindset. Of course, I acknowledge my sinfulness and just how prone I am to wander when confronted or when I'm thinking about it. It isn't the attitude, however, which with I live may daily life. Instead, I tend to lean the opposite direction, assuming I'm write until proven otherwise.

The second first in this chapter? It is a sobering one because it begins a list of those things that are never satiated... never satisfied. It is the grave, or in the Hebrew, Sheol - that place, in Hebrew thought, to which people descend after they die. It is personified in several places (included here) as an insatiable monster. What is crazy, however, is that is an accurate description of our natural, deceitful and most of all selfish hearts that, but for the grace of God, seek self benefit before all else. We are right in the midst of the Halloween season, and I'm quite sure that tomorrow night, I'll see all sorts of munchkin and not so munchkin monsters wandering around as people "dress-up" to celebrate. Yet, according to Biblical teaching, that dress-up is a more accurate reflection of the reality of my heart... as my desires for myself and what I define as what I want. Sometimes I cringe inside, looking at all the horrific "costumes" I see. And it gives me just a taste, perhaps, of perspective - of what it might be like for God to look upon sinful men... sinful me...

Then, there's this third first: the way of an eagle as it glides, soars and flies - and it is something that just surpasses the comprehension of Agur as he writes this proverb. What is he saying? I think he's referring to those things that are just as impossible for him to completely understand just as it is impossible to trace the path of an eagle through the sky. There's nothing left behind to indicate where the was, where the air "parted," if you will, for him to pass through... no footprints, no marks, no traces. Some things are just too high, to untraceable, for me to feel I've grasped their implications or meanings.

The fourth first is something that so disquiets all around, is so unbearable or intolerable that sustaining through it requires endurance that is super-human. The first example given is that of a servant who becomes king. The picture here is of one who is unprepared and unpracticed being given a responsibility and authority he is unfit to carry and then becomes arrogant, starts foolishly believing he's somehow deserving of the higher position and thus becomes a tyrant, damaging all for whom he is responsible. As I thought about that, I thought how easy it is for me to become that same way when I start believing somehow that I'm a "good Christian...," that God is lucky I'm on His side... or so acting for all practical purposes.

Next comes the fifth first - a description of small creatures who, although not powerful yet enjoy great impact because of the wisdom God built into them. Number one in this list is the ant. Compared to an elephant... a donkey... a camel... even a dog... the ant has no practical "skill" to offer men. It cannot be a beast of burden, it builds its home in inconvenient places, it invades our homes, large numbers destroy swaths in some parts of the world, and some even have a very nasty bite. Yet they prepare for the future... and so in that sense are forward thinking.

Last but not least, we come to the final first of this chapter. This list is comprised of those animals, those things that have a commanding presence, move gracefully and towards which the eye is drawn just by the mere fact that they are there. The lion is listed first and as I read that, the first thought that came to mind was the fact that Jesus is called the Lion of Judah. Gill's Exposition describes the lion this way: "For what is stronger than a lion, or more courageous and undaunted? It walks with great majesty, very slowly, step by step.... it does not go out of its way for any creature it meets with; nor does it hasten its pace when pursued, nor show the lest sign of fear; nor does it turn its back to any. This creature is an emblem of Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, who is stronger than the strong man armed; who never turned his back to any of his enemies; nor turned aside from the way of his duty, or the work of his office, on account of any; not Herod the fox, who threatened to kill him; nor Satan, the roaring lion, when he knew he was on the march to meet him; nor any of those, who, though they had a band of soldiers, that came to take him. It is an emblem of righteous men, who are as bold as a lion; and cannot be moved from their duty by anything they meet with, but remain steadfast and constant in it.

Proverbs 30 is clearly one of those chapter that could be studied for much longer and in great depth, such are the riches of these words.

Now, if by God's grace, I can begin to apply just the lessons out gleaned out of this list of firsts!

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walK with THE Wise ~ Care, then Unite ~

The righteous care about justice for the poor,

but the wicked have no such concern.

Mockers stir up a city,

but the wise turn away anger.

Proverbs 29.7,8

Forming a single-minded whole out of many - that's what the word unite means. Those who are righteous, those who are wise - they are the ones who work towards unity.

But can we be unified with someone who does not have that same mind? Can I unite with another individual who does not seek the mind of Christ?

We have to be careful. God's Word is so clear that there are clear areas where we cannot conform to the world. Jesus-followers are not to deviate from His standard, His way of operating, His thoughts, His priorities. We cannot compromise and cross over that line.

Yet, is it inconceivable to believe that, since all men are created in the image of God, there would be certain times, certain events, certain experiences where those who are of the world would see things the way God does? I think so...

And I'm thinking of a recent "event."

I'm sure you recall the ALS Bucket Challenge that took social media - and regular media, for that matter - by storm last summer. I thought it was an interesting, unique, often humorous, simple and easy way to unite - worldwide, even - around a single cause: helping bring some hope to those fighting a horrifying, debilitating and humiliating disease. I thought it was neat to see so many of my friends, even some of my children, choosing to participate.

Then came those who, according to these verses in Proverbs, I wanted to label as wicked and as mockers. And many of them came from evangelical and more fundamental Christian groups. They were the ones discouraging participation. The reason was that they didn't want to see funds dumped into one cause which would then lead to those funds being used to support something wrong and sinful. They didn't want to see monies contributed under the banner of helping those with ALS then make possible stem-cell research projects, projects which often use tissue from aborted babies. I get that - I used to volunteer at a Crisis Pregnancy Center and have, just recently, been able to get back into that sort of work through our local Pregnancy Resource Center (yeah... the name changed). I value life - whether it be the life of an individual with an awful disease or the life of the tiniest of humans just beginning to grow in a woman's womb. I truly see how an individual could seemingly run into an impasse...

But that's where God's righteousness, God's wisdom, can help us to unite. Rather than focusing only on the piece that's wrong, then coming to the conclusion that I shouldn't participate and I should therefore discourage you and everyone else I can to not participate as well... Can I trust God to show me a way to be apart of a good movement, sweeping through the world, that clearly bears His image? Can I find another way to contribute, one of the organizations that doesn't participate in embryonic stem cell research? Can I donate to a family living with ALS? Can I bring glory to God and point others towards Him through right and wise opportunities to work together?

Or do I assume it's impossible, and forget that with God, nothing is impossible.

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walK with THE Wise ~ Choking in the Wake ~

When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers,

but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order.

Proverbs 28.2

Another one of those verses I've read for years and never really stopped for more than a millisecond to actually think about what principle God might be teaching through these words. In fact, I've been shamed as I've read through Proverbs this month and realized just how very often that is the case, that I've essentially rammed my way through these passages of Scripture, resting on those words that seem familiar or already known and ignoring the rest. I've missed a lot by so doing - hopefully a habit that will now remain in the past.

This verse caught my eye because it reminds me of what happens sometimes when I leave my kids supervising each other... when I have students working together in a cooperative activity... in our family when Tim and I are set on our own individual agendas instead of working together for what's best for the group... in an organization where each leader figures his/her goal should be everyone's priority... in corrupt governments where aid money is spent on the foreign/better education of an official's child instead of paying local teachers...

That list of examples could go on, and on, and on, and on.

This verse really hits home. At times, Tim and I can look at one of our children and we'll not only sense but clearly see the fruit of a rebellious, obstinate and unteachable heart. We can be so quick to lay the fault at the feet of the child. But what if it is because that child senses... sees... many "rulers" and a spirit of disunity in his or her home? What if that child is simply responding to:

• mom not submitting to the authority of dad?
• dad not valuing wife's leadership and discipleship of their children?
• both parents resisting obedience to their authorities (speeding, murmuring about work policies and expectations, balking at international flight requirements...)?
• parents obeying the letter of the law while complaining and thus not holding up the spirit of the law?
• many individuals set on individual priorities and agendas instead of considering the interests of others before their own, instead of truly working and living in community?

Discernment and wisdom, as  a ruler or leader, means we understand that we're not too good or above our own rules, that we are responsible to those we lead, that their failures can often be traced back to a failure on our own part... 

that my failure can leave others choking in the wake that trails behind me.

walK with THE Wise ~ something for nothing ~

Ever hear someone say you can't get something for nothing? Or that nothing in life is free? That's probably pretty accurate, at least in a worldly sense...

I see that principle at work as I work my way through this proverb:

• I don't know what a day may bring.
• We will carry burdens as we walk through this life - some of our own making and some that others have piled on us.
• Friends will wound us, intentionally and unintentionally.
• Genuine nourishment costs.
• Good advice and good counsel, even when lovingly given, can be painful to hear and even harder to implement.
• In hard times, you must rely on community - implying you've been that relied upon community for others before.
• Simplicity is often a synonym for naivety.
• Growth and change for the better, moving in a more godly direction, requires gently accepting correction, hard words, difficult situations...
• To enjoy the fruit of tree, you must first protect that tree.
• To experience the pleasure of your superior, you must first defend, shield and preserve that person's name and honor.
• The fruit of our life will make clear the investment and direction of our heart.
• A flock of sheep provides and sustains only when work is invested into providing for and sustaining the flock.

We live in a culture that likes to get something for nothing, to reap reward without accountability. That really, rarely, ever happens... but people always seem to be searching for that super-return that doesn't reflect the effort or amount of their investment.

And, we are all guilty of this, at some time or another.

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Just as we don't like the fact that our choices have consequences, often ones we don't appreciate... we keep hoping against hope for the sudden windfall that far and above surpasses the seed we've sown. For, in general, we don't always want to reap what we've sown but rather to reap where've we not not sown, or at the very least to receive above and beyond the effort invested.

I know of only one type of instance, however, where this regularly occurs - where something is genuinely free.

And it is God's gifts of grace and mercy - offered and bestowed freely and liberally, at no cost or expense of my own.

So... why doesn't this world, so obsessed with something for nothing, take better advantage of this sort of free gift?

Am I the only one who has ever wondered that? What do you think?
And why?

walK with THE Wise ~ Visit ~

"Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people.” 

I've heard this quote attributed to several different people ranging from Eleanor Roosevelt to Socrates himself. So I really have no clue where it first came from, but I don't want to let that detail detract from its sting.

Have you ever noticed that when you get together to visit with others, particularly a group of women, there is a huge tendency to talk about other women... our children... our husbands... that so and so at church who did...

That sort of talk often qualifies as gossip - "... the casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that are not confirmed as being true. [Think] words like rumor, tittle-tattle, whispers, canards, tidbits, scandal, hearsay, dirt, buzz, scuttlebutt." (from a Google definition search). A person who engages in said behavior, "a person who likes talking about other people's private lives. [Think] scandalmonger, gossipmonger, tattler, busybody, muckraker, whisperer, flibbertigibbet" is often identified as a gossip.

photo credit: Luz Adriana Villa A. via photopin cc

According to God's Word, gossip is a sin: James 1.25, Titus 3.2, Matthew 12.36, and James 4.11, for example.

Without wood a fire goes out;

without a gossip a quarrel dies down.

As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,

so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.

The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;

they go down to the inmost parts. (Proverbs 26.20-22)

Gossip fuels flames of bad feeling, prejudice and disunity; it keeps negativity burning and creates an environment of distrust and division. Quarrels continue. Heat builds until it causes explosion. And we all know that. We've all engaged in gossip and know what our thoughts and words about others have been. We've all been victims of others' gossip and know how behind your back words and laughter slice deep - often not just wounding but leaving deep and exposed scars.

What really gets me, though, is that last verse. Gossip is a choice morsel. 

That makes me think of a really good grilled steak - the kind of meat where one bite leaves you craving the next... where you are torn between eating faster and faster... or savoring each bite to make it last as long as possible... where smell, appearance, even the sound of the meat grilling, the knife slicing, jaw chewing all join together with amazing taste to satisfy deeply. That's the thing about gossip: even though I know it is a sin, that it displeases God, reflects negatively on me, hurts the person about whom I speak and influences the actions/behaviors of any listeners toward my subject of gossip... it tempts because it satisfies the flesh and worldly cravings.

Sometimes my temptation to gossip is a clear reflection of godliness and the God-centeredness of my day-to-day moments at any particular time. Its appeal functions very much like a barometer in my daily life as I interact with my husband, my kids, my friends...

How about you? Do you ever struggle with this when you go for a visit... or when a friend comes to visit?

walK with THE Wise ~ of trustworthy messengers and icy cold enjoyment ~

Like a snow-cooled drink at harvest time

is a trustworthy messenger to the one who sends him;

he refreshes the spirit of his master.... 

Like cold water to a weary soul

is good news from a distant land. (v. 13, 25)

I remember the first time I realized the absolute enjoyable delight of an ice cold glass of water... It was after our refrigerator/freezer in Niger had been broken for several weeks (we were waiting for our next support check to arrive to fix it, or something like that) and as a result, we were drinking water at the temperature it came from our filter. It was tepid... at best. Then I'd go and visit with a friend where I would be served a glass of icy cold water - even more refreshing than a super cold (or stupid cold, as a different friend likes to say) glass-bottled African Coca Cola! I don't know that I've ever enjoyed any drink, ever, as much as I savored that simple glass of water.

That sort of delight and enjoyment is, I believe, what Solomon tries to convey in these particular proverbs.  As I've meditated on these words some over the past few days, I've had three thoughts that seem to keep hanging on.

Sometimes I'll ask one of my children to take a message to another one of my children. That is always done with a bit of fear and trepidation because the messenger can easily become arrogant... or bossy... or bitter... or careless... or... Well, I think you probably get the idea. The messenger may not transmit the message faithfully, changing words or implying by tone of voice or body language something that was not a part of the original message... or may forget to include something that was critical to the original message. Either way - information gained or lost - the initial message does not remain intact and the needed communication does not occur. I know what a delight it is when my message is communicated with integrity. It builds my trust in the child I entrusted with the message.

My second thought builds from there: God has entrusted His people with a message. Am I faithfully, with integrity, communicating His message without adding my own overtones or leaving off details that He has deemed important? And... this blows my mind... God finds it refreshing those times that, by His grace, I do. This thought, as one who tends to work with words... a lot: I can, metaphorically, hand the Almighty a delightfully refreshing cup of icy cold water - each time I serve as His faithful messenger.

The third idea I've been mulling is from the perspective of the one who receives a message. God's messages for me are always, ultimately, good news. They may contain warnings, news of consequences, etc., but the final goal is my very best. Do I accept ALL of His messages with that sort of teachable spirit? Do I receive them the same way I received that lovely icy cold cup of water from my friend that hot late morning in Niger a few years ago? 

I should.

I mean, think about it. 

Faithful transmission of a message benefits all involved: sender, messenger and receiver. 

There are times I stand in each one of those roles. More importantly, there are times when my job, as messenger is to faithfully and accurately portray in every way God's message of mercy, repentance, rescue and grace. There are just as many times that my job is to humbly receive whatever message God sends to me, even if the messenger fails in his/her duty to faithfully and accurately portray in every way.

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walK with THE Wise ~ How Dare We?!!

Do not gloat when your enemy falls;

when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice,

or the Lord will see and disapprove

and turn his wrath away from them.

(Proverbs 24.17,18)

I'll never forget how physically sick I felt... the day a dangerous individual who had harmed others and sinned greatly died and my Facebook feed was littered with celebration that said individual deserved even worse than the consequences already received.

True enough. I really can't argue that.

Justice had been served.

But the celebration? It broke my heart to know that a soul, one most likely not prepared to stand before God, had entered eternity. No longer did any opportunity exist for a change of heart for that individual. And people who I believe love Jesus with abandon felt no sorrow that, as best as I know, was condemned to hell.

Actions have consequences... Absolutely! 

The consequences of my actions make hell a just destination for me... but for God's mercy and grace.

Sometimes I forget that. I get all caught up in the hating of an antagonistic adversary and despicable foe; I totally lose sight of the fact that the only reason I only look any different in God's eyes is because He sees me clothed in Christ's righteousness. Somehow, I've started wondering, maybe even suspecting, that my own righteousness and efforts are impressing the Almighty... just a little bit.

When that mindset creeps in, when I'm glad, rejoicing with great celebration

• the tottering
• the wavering and weakness of what was once strong,
• the stumbling and falling,
• the fainting,
• the bereavement, 
• the casting down, 
• the decaying, 
• the failure, 
• the falling into feebleness... 
• the ruin?

I do not please God.

The only think I can think of that begins to compare in my own life is when I see one of my children delighting in the needed comeuppance of a sibling. Discipline is necessary and so critical as parents disciple children, but it pains to see one I love so much suffering through shame, guilt, conviction and/or consequences. It pains just as deeply, though, to see another one of my children enjoying their sibling's sadness by making merry as another reaps the aftermath they've brought on themselves... A more godly response would be sober sorrow.

That sober sorrow, however, must be the evidence of God's grace. This proverb warns, "Do not let..." which indicates that rejoicing is the natural, worldly, fleshly, sinful response. It is God's unfettered grace that enables His own to control, to "not let" rejoicing ensue.

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2nd photo credit: Amarand Agasi via photopin cc

walK with THE Wise ~ Danger! Looks that Longingly Linger...

Who has woe? Who has sorrow?

Who has strife? Who has complaints?

Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?

Those who linger over wine,

who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.

Do not gaze at wine when it is red,

when it sparkles in the cup,

when it goes down smoothly!

In the end it bites like a snake

and poisons like a viper.

Your eyes will see strange sights,

and your mind will imagine confusing things.

You will be like one sleeping on the high seas,

lying on top of the rigging.

“They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt!

They beat me, but I don’t feel it!

When will I wake up

so I can find another drink?”

Gaze... Look... See...

The eye is a pretty remarkable organ.

I was reminded of that recently as we took our Jonathan in to the eye doctor for a follow-up after an eye injury a few years back. He'd been playing in the trees (obviously, you can make a monkey out of Jonathan!) with his buddies when a branch snapped back and poked him in the eye. He had several splinters embedded in the cornea. The ophthalmologist in Niger said one splinter had completely pierced the cornea and had started to enter into the globe of his eye (sorry if my "English" vocabulary for this is all wrong). His eye doctor had said surgery was the next step when, miraculously we believe, those last two splinters worked their way out of the cornea. At this recent check, his vision is still 20/20 in that eye. He has two scars, one the doctor said was very deep, on his cornea; both are right on edge of his field of vision. If either of those scars were even the tiniest fraction closer to the center of his eye, his vision would have been significantly impacted - as in reduced.

These remarkable eyes, physically and metaphorically speaking, can be used for remarkable bad, or remarkable good.

These verses in Proverbs, demonstrate how lust and desire for something can grow wrong when we allow our look to longingly linger... when we gaze.

Here, the look lands on wine... it lingers... it desires... it partakes... it forgets moderation... it sins resulting in drunkenness. But this story doesn't have to be about wine. It can be about a person... a job... an outfit... a home... a song... a movie... a pet... anything that can begin to consume our thoughts, take over our affections, and direct our worship away from God. I just read a very thought provoking blog post by Francis Chan (Remember him - those of you who were in Bible study with me our last home assignment?) discussing how marriage can become a dangerous obsession. Chan's own words here: "Remember that the Bible is not a book about marriage; it is a book about God... remember that the goal is to be completely devoted to God. Marriage can be used as a means of improving our devotion to Jesus. Let’s not get it backwards and think of him as the means of improving our marriages."

In our church culture, in our fight to value marriage and to keep it defined as God defined it... has it become somewhat like that wine where we gaze too longingly, too long... and become "drunk," or consumed, with something that lasts only this lifetime when we have an eternity to consider?

Don't misunderstand me. Marriage is important,wonderful, God-ordained, a mystery and a picture of Christ and His bride - but a good marriage is not the end all or even the most important goal. It is temporal. When it... or anything else... supersedes God and becomes the end all, an idol, a wine we imbibe so ravenously and uncontrollably and immoderately that we become drunk on it, losing the ability to reason and think wisely, then we need to cry out just as Solomon does at the beginning of these verses.

His cry? Well, I love how Mathew Henry puts it:

Verse 29 begins "Who hath woe? who hath sorrow?" In the Hebrew, that is rendered, "lemi oi, lemi aboi" where oi and aboi are interjections of pain or grief. In other words, it reads like this:] Who hath Oh? who hath Alas?"

That will be the cry... some day, some time... when we allow those looks that longingly linger... at whatever...  desiring something else more than God.

photo credit: jenny downing via photopin cc

Longevity in Ministry ~ of rest and rescue

A few months back I began a series that I'm hoping will be both a challenge and encouragement - it has definitely been a challenge for me. The information I'm discussing is based off of a sermon by the senior pastor at my sending church. My notes started off with these words: "Like longevity in life, some basic things are needed - right genes, right diet, right exercise, and right environment." The same principle applies to longevity in ministry on the mission field.

In the first few posts of the series, I shared the foundation my pastor laid out:t to "start, run and finish well," includes two key components. First, we must trust in the sovereignty and sufficiency of God which includes praying like everything depends on God. At the same time we must be obedient, working daily as though everything depends on us in God's strength and for God's glory.

What does the practical outworking of that look like:

I've identified seven priorities that are absolutely essential - ones that protect me from burnout and the temptation of sin, ones that give me direction and hope for the future, ones that remind me from whence comes any and all measure of progress and success.

Those priorities are:

1. Growing an increasingly intimate relationship with the Lord by consistently, daily and throughout the day, seeking Him; 
2. Praying without ceasing (steadfastly, continuously, patiently, powerfully); 
3. Striving to maintain a good balance between personal growth and service or ministry; 
4. Welcoming accountability; 
5. Committing to marriage and family; 
6. Choosing to be teachable even in difficult circumstances; and 
7. Determining to be a genuine team player.

Today, I'm considering that third priority....

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