May the mumbling commence!
As summer begins and the school year ends, the questions for recent graduates are almost always the same. What are your plans for the future? Anytime when we close one chapter in our book of life, we need to plan for the next chapter. What does the wise Teacher of Proverbs have to say about planning? I was thinking of this very subject as I read Proverbs 16-18.
Let’s begin our search in chapter sixteen. Read several verses from it:
There is a way that seems right to a man,
But in the end it leads to death. (Verse 25)
The lot is cast into the lap,
But its every decision is from the Lord. (Verse 33)
To man belong the plans of the heart,
But from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue. (Verse 1)
In his heart a man plans his course,
But the Lord determines his steps. (Verse 9)
When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord,
He makes even his enemies live at peace with him. (Verse 7)
Though it may seem like a great plan to us, we should look carefully at it through the discerning eyes of the Lord. Otherwise failure and death may be around the corner. Instead, let’s cast our lot with the Lord. In what ways do we cast our lots today? When we decide to live our life of faith in a particular community, we cast our lot with God. We trust that every decision of the church community that falls into our laps will have come from the Lord. That is the reason it is so vital to be an active member. Casting our lot with a congregation (and at times a denomination) helps to guide our plans for the future.
In our hearts, we still plan our course, but the Lord controls our tongues and our steps. Tongues hold great power over the trajectory of our lives. I have been calling it the power of DABAR – Hebrew for the spoken word. It is a part of the way we are created in the image of the Lord. And our steps reveal the attitudes and intentions of our hearts. So, the Lord’s control over our tongues and steps amounts to much more than being a GPS or a co-pilot. When we welcome the Lord into our lives, God is the pilot, the driver, for our lives.
And when we welcome the Lord in this way, we please Him. Our enemies will live at peace with us. Perhaps we all can learn from this piece of wisdom next time someone comes into conflict with us. Let the Lord guide your attitudes, words, and actions. You will not be disappointed with the outcome.
But do not be fooled. Welcoming the Lord in this way is not easy. Read some verses of wisdom from Proverbs 16:
A discerning man keeps wisdom in view,
But a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth. (Verse 24)
A rebuke impresses a man of discernment
More than a hundred lashes a fool. (Verse 10)
The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,
But the Lord tests the heart. (Verse 3)
We cannot be lax in seeking the wisdom of God. We must listen to rebukes from the Lord – whether them come through Scripture reading or prayer or our Christian brothers and sisters. The Lord’s wisdom has more power to refine us than the heat of the crucible or furnace. Talk about a high standard for purity! The Lord’s standard far exceeds the gold standard! So, what do we do when we fail? (Because we will fail at times.) Read the answer from Proverbs 18:10 – “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and they are safe.”
Enough mumbling for today…
Peace Out
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