Ears, Heart, Mouth, Eyes, Feet

On Wednesday at midweek Bible Study Dad was teaching on Proverbs 4. Near the end, he focused on verses 20-27, which consist of a father exhorting his son to pursue wisdom.

My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.

After this, Dad gave a few questions for us to apply these words. I thought these questions were both timely and helpful, and I'd encourage you to think about them yourself:

EARS (Proverbs 4:20): Who are you listening to (Psalm 1:1-2; John 10:3-5; Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22)?
HEART (vv. 21-23): What are you thinking, feeling, desiring (Deut 6:4-5; Prov 6:18a; Matt 22:37-39)?
MOUTH (v. 24): What are you saying (Prov 6:19; Matt 12:33-36, Eph 5:4, Col 4:6)?
EYES (v. 25): What are you watching/looking at/reading (Psalm 101:3; Heb 12:2)?
FEET (vv. 26-27): What are you doing and where are you going in life (Deut 5:32; Prov 6:18b)?

Image Credit: http://www.creationswap.com/artwork/1/6/26/1626/1626_1626_5.jpg

How NOT to Be a Mrs. Norris

When my thoughts go to the biblical idea of a woman after God's own heart, somehow I never think of Mrs. Norris. In fact, it is only when I think of the exact opposite type of woman, do my thoughts finally wander to poor Mrs. Norris. You fellow Jane Austen fans out there know what I'm talking about. In Mansfield Park, Mrs. Norris is the cantankerous, meddlesome, busybody aunt of heroin Fanny Price. Throughout this novel, Mrs. Norris shows the many qualities that quickly slide her into the dear places in my heart as 1) my least favourite character in the story, and 2) the woman I most certainly do not want to be. Here are just a few of her character flaws.

She's selfish, vain, a gossip, a slanderer, worldly, malicious, a liar, concerned only about the temporal, living to please people, and that's only to name a few!

Of course, Mrs. Norris can't be wholly evil. She does love people in her own way ... but often that love is only because she can gain something or be rewarded. No, as a young woman who seeks to glorify the Lord, I do NOT want to be a Mrs. Norris.

So who do I want to be? Well, I'm sure I could give you a list of a godly women who have modeled a great love and desire for the Lord and who have many godly traits that I seek to emulate, but when it comes down to finding a woman after God's own heart, I think the best place to go is the Word of God itself. These traits and Scripture passages illuminate the woman I want to be:

• Generous. "She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy." (Proverbs 31:20)
• Self-controlled. "A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls." (Proverbs 25:28)
• Pure. "So that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ." (Philippians 1:10)
• Not lazy. "She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness." (Proverbs 31:27)
• Gentle. "But let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious." (1 Peter 3:4)
• Strong and confident in the Lord. "Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come." (Proverbs 31:25)
• Always seeking and desiring God. "O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water." (Psalm 63:1)
• Kind. "Older women likewise are to ... teach what is good, and so train the young women to ... be ... kind." (Titus 2:3-5)
• Speaking with wisdom. "She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue." (Proverbs 31:26)
• Trusting in the Lord. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5)
• Fearing the Lord. "Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised." (Proverbs 31:20)

And if we can be all those things, we will be a woman after God's own heart ... and NOT a Mrs. Norris!

Is It Time to Go on a Word Fast?

I think I need to go on a word fast. You fellow talkers out there know what I'm saying. When we get on a talking spree, that's it. We just talk, talk, talk, talk, talk. And that's the end of that. We love to talk. But after reading Proverbs 10:19, I realized that that may cause a bit of a problem.

"When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent."

Ouch. "When words are many" (which is pretty often when you're in a conversation with me) "transgression is not lacking." The dictionary defines transgression as "a violation against a command; a sin." So when we turn into Little Miss Chatterboxes, we're really putting down our guard to sin. 

But. "Whoever restrains his lips is prudent." When we learn that lesson in word fasting, we've finally become wise. When we can control our tongue, stop it in a conversation, and not chatter mindlessly, we've smartened up. The prudent, the wise, the intelligent, the smart people in life know that learning to be quiet is an extremely important lesson to learn. I don't want to be known as that talkative person who just talks and talks and ends up sinning (or causing sin) in a conversation. I want to be known as someone who can be discerning and hold her tongue.

So even for those of you who aren't talkers, this is a lesson we all need to learn. James tells us that the tongue "is a restless evil, full of deadly poison." (James 3:8) But we must control it, learn to restrain it when necessary, and glorify God with it. For that is why we were given tongues.

"Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long." Psalm 35:28

Pondering Proverbs - Part 3: Deceit, Vanity, Fear and Praise

"Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised." Proverbs 31:30

At the beginning of this series, I mentioned how I thought Proverbs 6:6 was a fitting verse to begin "Pondering Proverbs," and now, the verse I've chosen for today (Proverbs 31:30) is, what I think, a fitting verse to close this short series.

This Proverb is a Proverb that's applicable to all women, women in all walks and stages of life. From a teenage girl to a middle-aged mother, to a hundred-year old woman to every woman in between. It's a Proverb that we may not want to hear, but it's a Proverb with a message that must be heard. It's a Proverb that we may want to discard, but it's a Proverb that must be treasured. It's a Proverb that covers many of the things that women deal with - deceit, vanity, fear, and praise. So let's take a look at this Proverb!

Deceit and Vanity
We may laugh at the beginning of Proverbs 31:30: "Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain"? As if! It seems that in this world charm and beauty are all that matters! If you're beautiful, you've got it made. Or not. King Lemuel, who wrote Proverbs 31, based on the teachings of his mom (Proverbs 31:1), thinks differently. He seems to think that charm and beauty are not all that matters. He seems to think that charm and beauty are not the most important things in the world. He seems to think along the same lines as the ESV Online Study Bible: "A godly woman may well have outward charm and beauty, but these are of secondary importance to her godliness." (emphasis added) Beauty is not of first importance. Godliness is. "Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain ..." Beauty may last for a few years, but it's fleeting. It's like smoke. It can vanish in a second. (Now, on a quick side note, let me just say that I'm not bashing beauty products. I love sparkly lip gloss just as much as the next girl! I'm simply saying that we must never exalt beauty above the Lord.) "So, son," Lemuel's mama concludes, "when you're looking for a wife, let the first attribute you look for be godliness, for charm is deceitful and beauty is vain!"

Fear and Praise
"... but a woman who fears the LORD will be praised." When I hear that verse, I think back to Proverbs 1:7, the central verse of Proverbs - "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction." So what does it mean to fear the Lord? For this, I'm going to go to the Holman Christian Standard Study Bible: "The fear of the Lord involves awe, reverence, love, and trust in God. It accompanies knowledge, humility, obedience, and blessing. (Proverbs 8:13; Proverbs 10:27; Proverbs 14:26-27; Proverbs 16:6; Proverbs 19:23; Proverbs 22:4)" So, like our ESV friends said above, fear of the Lord in Proverbs 31:30 is talking about godliness. Thus, godliness, the fear of the Lord, results in praise. What kind of praise, we wonder? She will be recognized for her godliness by others - i.e. her husband (if she has one), her children, her friends, her family. She will be esteemed. Honoured. Respected. 

So, as we live in the world and not of it (John 17:14-15), let's strive to refuse to exalt charm and beauty as the ultimate and fear the Lord. For then, we shall be praised.

Pondering Proverbs - Part 2: Brighter and Brighter

"Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. ... For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble. ... But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day. The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble." Proverbs 4:14, 16, 18-19

Today Solomon pulls out his comparison chart and gives us two columns. In his first column, he writes, "The Path of the Wicked." In the second column, he writes, "The Path of the Righteous." So, like Solomon, let's compare the two opposites portrayed in these Proverbs.

"The Way of the Wicked is Like Deep Darkness"

So what is this way, this path, of the wicked? Is it a visibly marked road, like "Highway Evil" or "Interstate 666"? No, this is not a literal road, but a way of life. If you're on the path of the wicked, you're living your life like a wicked person. The Book of Proverbs is replete with Solomon's condemnation of living a wicked life and encouragement to become righteous. He's deeply concerned about his audience's temptation to walk the wrong road. He, like the author of Psalm 1, says fervently, "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers." (Psalm 1:1) "Do not enter the path of the wicked!" he cries in Proverbs 4:14. "And do not walk in the way of evil. For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble." The people on the path of the wicked are so evil, they can't even sleep unless they've caused trouble! Some people have bedtime routines that they must do or they can't sleep, things like have a snack, or go to the restroom, or have a cup of water. But these guys are so bad, their bedtime routine is doing evil! In Proverbs 4:19, Solomon concludes his little rant on the wicked with, "The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble." This path of the wicked is pitch black. It's an endless foreboding darkness. They can't see where they are, and they're so blinded by evil, they don't even know what they're doing. But ...

"The Path of the Righteous is Like the Light of Dawn"

Hallelujah for that conjunction! Just when we think there's only one depraved road to follow, we're given hope! On Proverbs 4:18, the ESV Online Study Bible says, "The path of the righteous is the way of wisdom. The image here ("like the light of dawn") is of ever-increasing brightness, from first light until noon. The path of a person refers to the moral orientation of his or her life. It is this that shines brighter and brighter, i.e., keeps increasing in the way in which it displays God's light (cf. Psalm. 19:8; 119:105, 130; Prov. 6:23)" The wisdom of a righteous person shines "brighter and brighter," while the "way of the wicked is like deep darkness." Do you see Solomon's comparison? Light to darkness. Hope to hopelessness. Wisdom to folly. 

We all approach the crossroad of life on a daily basis, as each choice we make reflects which path we choose to embark upon. So today, will you choose the Path of the Wicked and head down a road of deep darkness, or will you choose the Path of the Righteous and shine brighter and brighter like the light of dawn?

Pondering Proverbs - Part 1: Go to the Ant!

In family devotions, our family is studying the book of Proverbs. Because of that, I decided to write a short series on some different Proverbs that are definitely worth pondering! I thought that a fitting Proverb to begin this series is Proverbs 6:6, "Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise." Let me explain - it's summer time. We've got more free time than usual on our hands and we have a more pronounced temptation to be lazy. This is something that I've been convicted of recently - are we using all of our time for the glory of God? (1 Corinthians 10:31) Are we wasting time on being lazy? Are we giving into the temptation to follow the way of the sluggard? Well, Solomon gives us some good advice on using our time for the glory of God in the book of Proverbs.

Solomon starts in Proverbs 6:6 with a plea to the sluggard. But wait ... what is a sluggard? What exactly defines him? To answer this, we'll speed ahead in Proverbs to chapters 19, 20, and 21:

"The sluggard buries his hand in the dish and will not even bring it back to his mouth." (Proverbs 19:24)

"The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing." (Proverbs 20:4)

"The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor." (Proverbs 21:25)

A sluggard is basically a couch potato. Someone who is so lazy that they stick their hand in the chip bowl, but are too lazy to put a chip in their mouth. Someone who doesn't bother working; they refuse to think about their future, and as a result, have nothing. Proverbs 21:25 sums it up perfectly: a sluggard is someone who's "hands refuse to labour." And Solomon is concerned about these couchaholics! That's why he directs their listless attention to the ant in Proverbs 6:6: Go to the ant, you couch potato! Watch her, study her, learn from her! Watch how diligently she works. Study how she never wastes a minute of time. Learn from her ability to always be doing something beneficial!

Though we may not quite be at the "sluggard" point yet, we all waste time. Especially in the summer. We all fall into the temptation of laziness at some point or another, even when we know that we could be labouring for the glory of God. But instead, we'd rather kick up our feet and break out the bon bons. Now I'm not saying all rest is bad. God created us to need sleep and need rest, but we must never waste time. Sleeping at night is not wasting time. Sleeping all day, every day, is. We must never be like the sleep-addict in Proverbs 6:9-11:

"How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man."

So as the last month of summer progresses, let's be aware of the temptation of laziness and go to the ant! Let's work on labouring for the glory of God! Let's be diligent in our study of the Bible. Let's not let our prayer life slack. Let's not choose to go the beach or the park rather than church. Let's be kind to one another. Let's do good works. Let's share the gospel and evangelize. Let's be lights to this dark world. And, my friends, let's go to the ant!

"Doing Wrong is Like a Joke to a Fool"

Happy April Fools' Day! No, I didn't try to pull one on you this year. But today being April Fools' Day did get me thinking about - you guessed it - jokes. Then in my devotions I was reading Proverbs 10, in which I stumbled upon vs. 23. It says, "Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool, but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding." That really got the wheels turning.

What Solomon, the author of Proverbs, is saying is that fools don't even take sin seriously. Doing wrong is funny to them. They treat it callously, as if it's nothing. "It's just a joke," they say. Oh, honestly how sad. Fools are so foolish that they think sin is funny.

But the counter to this verse speaks about something much better. "But wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding." I don't know about you, but I'd rather be labelled a woman of understanding than a fool any day. What Solomon is doing is he's giving us the two sides of the coin, the good and the bad, the opposites. You either do wrong and treat sin casually, thus showing yourself to be a fool or you delight in wisdom, take sin seriously, and show yourself to be a man or woman of understanding.

On this April Fools' Day, as we think about jokes, let's not laugh at sin, but delight in wisdom.

Qualities of Biblical Womanhood

Yesterday my mom and I met to discuss the chapter in the book we read together, Girl Talk. There's discussion questions at the end of each chapter. At the end of our most recent chapter, it encouraged daughters and mothers to make a list of qualities of biblical womanhood based on Proverbs 3:10-31, Titus 2:3-5, 1 Timothy 5:9-10, and 1 Peter 3:1-6. Here's the list we made:

• Trustworthy (Prov. 31:11)
• Looks out for others (Prov. 31:15)
• Not lazy (Prov. 31:27)
• Uses her gifts well (Prov. 31:17)
• She uses her words wisely (Prov. 31:26)
• Charitable (Prov. 31:20)
• Fears the Lord (Prov. 31:30)
• Has a reputation for good works (1 Timothy 5:10)
• Hospitable (1 Timothy 5:10)
• Raises children (1 Timothy 5:10)
• Cares for the church and its people (1 Timothy 5:10)
• Temperant (Titus 2:3)
• Home-worker (Titus 2:5)
• Submissive to her own husband (Titus 2:5)
• Teacher (Titus 2:3-4)
• Modest (1 Peter 1:3)
• Has a gentle and quiet spirit (1 Peter 3:4)
• Not fearful (1 Peter 3:6)

"Grandparents make the world a little softer, a little kinder, a little warmer."

Today my grammy and grampy left our humble abode and headed back home to Vancouver. I'll miss them very much, and will miss winning those long games of ping-pong and Scrabble Slam! But on a more serious note, my grammy and grampy are much a blessing to me by modeling two godly people. So, since we studied the book of Proverbs in Sunday School on Sunday, here are a few verses from the book that come to mind especially when I think of my grammy and grampy.

• Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life. ~ Proverbs 16:31 (This is one of my grammy's favourite proverbs.)

• Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. ~ Proverbs 31:30

• A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might. ~ Proverbs 24:5

A Young Woman After God's Own Heart

Hello, readers. Today is Wednesday, Bible Study night. Tonight my mom is starting a Bible Study at our church for young woman ages 10-16. It's not a book study, but she's gonna look at the book, A Young Woman After God's Own Heart, by Elizabeth George. The title may be familiar to you because Elizabeth George also wrote A Woman After God's Own Heart. As I thought about the beginning study, I thought about Proverbs 31. I thought about a young woman that would be pleasing the Lord. After reading it, I thought of some characteristics, based on Proverbs 31, that would be a young woman who fears the Lord

• She makes wise decisions. (Prov. 31:16) She may be hanging out with her friends or her family, but whatever she does, she makes smart choices.
• She gives to the needy. (Prov. 31:20) She gives to charity. It may not be very much, but she gives. If she doesn't have anything to give, she prays for them.
• She thinks before she speaks, and when she does wisdom comes out. (Prov. 31:26) Whether she's at church, school, or at the mall, she guards her mouth carefully.
• She is not vain. (Prov. 31:30) She does not worry about how she looks, but only about fearing and honouring her God.

Those are just a few ways that a young woman today could use to honour God, me included. Guys who are reading this, replace the she's with he's and we're all good. You may be playing sports with your buddies instead of hanging out at the mall, but any way, we need to fear the Lord and praise Him.

Proverbs 31:30- Fear the Lord

Hello, again readers. Today we are looking at my favourite verse in the Bible-Proverbs 31:30. It's from my favourite passage in the Bible-Proverbs 31:10-31.

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.-Proverbs 31:30

This verse is pretty much straight forward. Well, it's meaning straight forward, yes. Actually fearing the Lord, pretty hard. Today in our world, you are judged by your outward appearance. Your inner appearance, who cares, no one sees it. Except God. God sees all and God knows all. We can't hide anything from God, especially our inside. According to Dictionary.com 'fleeting' means 'passing swiftly; vanishing quickly; transient; transitory.' So, beauty is 'vanishing quickly' and 'passing swiftly.' Apparently though, a woman who fears the Lord will be praised. We will be praised if we fear the Lord. (Now for any guys who are reading this, this still applies to you.) If we give reverence to God, worship Him, and follow after Him with our whole heart, then we will be praised. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow, or the next day, or this year. Or this lifetime. But we will be praised.