Sowing Your Desire

For Friday, September 30, 2005
Proverbs 13:2

From the fruit of his mouth a man eats what is good,
but the desire of the treacherous is for violence.

We reap what we sow, and we sow what we desire. If I desire peace with my neighbors, I will sow seeds to bless them and thus obtain peace. If I desire to gain advantage over them, or if I desire only my interests, I will sow seeds that produce conflict and aggravate troubles. If I desire to be productive, I will sow seeds that grow into fruitful plants. If I desire only to consume the produce of others, I will leave barren fields.

What do you desire? What do you desire today at work? To be productive and to help your colleague or merely to get through a day? What do you desire at home? To bless your spouse and children, or simply not to be bothered with problems? Your desire will guide what you say and how you communicate. Desire the right end, and your tongue will say the right words; desire selfish or hurtful ends, and your tongue will produce violence.

Pray for the Lord to give you right desires that you may enjoy good fruit. Pray for the Holy Spirit's sanctifying work in you that you might emulate Christ and show Christ to your neighbor.

Wise Listening

For Thursday, September 29, 2005
Proverbs 13:1

A wise son hears his father's instruction,
but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.

The attention here is on the order of authority. Whereas, our society exalts the maverick who rejects authoritative instruction, the Scripture upholds an authority structure by which we are to live. A wise son listens to his father and his mother because of their position over him. A wise employee listens to his supervisor. A wise student listens to his teacher. And when rebuke is given by a superior, the wise person uses it to learn and improve himself.

We are to respect the position of authority and not adopt a "show-me" attitude that makes the person over us prove himself before we will listen and obey. For understand, that we also are sinners and lacking in knowledge and mature wisdom. If we are quick to spot the faults of our superiors, then we will be slow and blind to our own faults, allowing ourselves to blame our superiors for our faults.

What attitude will you take into work, into school? How will you regard your government leaders and others who have some authority over you? Will you show the respect of listening? Remember, it takes wisdom to listen.

The Path of Righteousness

For Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Proverbs 12:28

In the path of righteousness is life,
and in its pathway there is no death.

The best commentary on this proverb is Jesus' statement: "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die" (John 11:25-26). Or consider another statement: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). Jesus is the path of righteousness upon which and through which we walk into everlasting life.

Jesus is our righteousness. He has exchanged our rags of sins for his robe of righteousness. We are covered by him; he has opened the way into the holy place by his righteousness, and now we may enter clothed in his righteousness.

While thy glorious praise is sung,
Touch my lips, unloose my tongue,
That my joyful soul may blessThee,
the Lord my Righteousness.

Meditate on this great truth today. Whatever befalls you; whatever hits you may take today; in the path of Jesus Christ is life, and in Christ there is no death.

Diligence

For Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Proverbs 12:27

Whoever is slothful will not roast his game,
but the diligent man will get precious wealth.

When I was principal of a high school, each year the valedictorian had the same characteristic. Most years, he or she was not the smartest year. But every year he or she was the most diligent student. Diligent people know the truth of this proverb; slothful people don't get it. They blame circumstances for their failures. Indeed, the one thing for which they are diligent is to think of ways in which they could not be expected to succeed.

The diligent man is not merely a hard worker, but a smart worker. One of my English students would present her initial paper drafts to me to discuss with her. The result was that I would correct her errors and point her in the right direction so that she invariably ended up with A papers. She was diligent in pursuing wise and clever means of achieving her goals.

And yet, how ironic that one can be diligent in matters of temporary significance and be slothful about eternal matters. This phenomenon frustrated Pascal and is behind his "wager" argument that one should side with Christianity for self-protection. He was amazed that a man could diligently and passionately pursue billiards and show no interest in his eternal condition. So it is with a world filled with people pursuing their goals diligently, yet all along aiming for the wrong goals.

Be diligent in your salvation and sanctification that you may obtain the precious wealth of Jesus Christ. Be diligent to study and grasp the grace of the Gospel.

Guide and Guided

For Monday, September 25, 2005
Proverbs 12:26

One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor,
but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

For good or ill we are all guides to our neighbors. Whether we are vocal or silent, withdrawn or socialable, we guide our neighbors and they guide us. This is called life experience. Some neighbors are consciously guided by us; some are unaware that we affect them at all; even so, because God has placed us in their life experience, we are affecting them for good or ill. And they us. God has placed neighbors around us to impact us.

Here is the question then for us. Will our righteousness impact our neighbor for the good and also protect us from being led astray? Will our righteousness be seen for integrity or hypocrisy? We cannot, of course, control how others perceive us; even so, we must always examine our behavior because we remain sinners. We do not have the luxury to sin in front of our neighbor or against our neighbor and then shrug it off. We do not have the freedom to "sow our wild oats," to explore sin, because of this thing called "witness." We are witnesses to the life-transforming power and love of Christ; we are witnesses to his call upon our lives. What kind of witness will we be today?

And how well will we handle the influence of our neighbors on us? How many times will we react to sinful behavior with sinful response? Keep your eyes upon Christ, upon the Gospel. Let his grace be the all-dominating influence on you today. If so, then your righteousness will indeed be a guide to your neighbor and your protection from the influence of the wicked.