Calories Always Count

(Pro 7:19 KJV)  For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:

Do you work on your own or are you constantly under the eye of others.  We tend to act differently when others are around.  Sometimes that is no big deal.  I have certain clothes that my wife hates.  Until she puts them in a yard sale I will only wear them when she is not around.  Other times it does make a difference.  Eating ice cream at 3:00 A.M. when everyone else is asleep will still make you fat.  Calories don’t care if anyone is watching.

Will you give 100% today or kick back because no one is watching?  It is not just a matter of productivity, it is a moral issue.  As believers we are expected to give our best.

(Col 3:17 KJV)  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

So?  You may not be high energy all day but you are expected to give life your best shot.  Your boss expects it, your employees expect it, your co-workers expect it, Jesus expects it.

Upright or Uptight

(Pro 6:30 KJV)  Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;

Is motivation important?  That should be an obvious one.  The difference between an upright believer and an uptight legalist is motivation.  The Bible makes a clear statement about theft.

(Exo 20:15 KJV)  Thou shalt not steal.

That seems pretty clear to me.  It is short and straight.  Then Solomon throws this in.

This is not supposed to be an encouragement for us to seek excuses for our sin.  This is to point out that sometimes things are more complex than we think.  It means that we should take into consideration the motivation of people as they wrong us.

So?  Do you have a legitimate gripe against someone?  Sure they wronged you.  Yes, you are the offended party.  It doesn’t matter.  We are always supposed to temper our desire for justice with mercy and understanding. 

Long and Short

(Pro 5:20 KJV)  And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?

Both the NASB and KJV pick strange ways to translate this verse.  I guess the object is to show how easily swayed we are by emotion.  The word I am focusing on it “ravish” (7686) in the KJV and “exhilarated” in the NASB.  Those are enticing words in our culture.  The Hebrew word means to be lead astray. 

We tend to focus on fun and sensuality.  The eternal looks at the bigger picture of faithfulness.  We need to look at the big picture.  If we need quick energy a candy bar might do the trick.  To expect the sugar high to get us through the day or prepare us for tomorrow is an empty dream.  I guess I am saying, “Take the long view.” 

So?  Consider how your actions will be seen in the cold light of tomorrow not the want of now.  I find that hard myself but it is still necessary. 

Baby Steps First

(Pro 4:7 KJV)  Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

As I read this chapter this month verse seven jumped out at me.  It often catches my attention because of the simplistic advice.  It is so simple and so obvious.  It is like telling someone, “The way to lose weight is to eat less.”  When I read this verse I want to add modern playwright notes.  I want to stop between the first and second phrases and insert, “drum role.”

The hard part in any venture is to get started.  When I have yard work to do the hardest part is getting out of the chair.  I have had a handle that my wife gave me months ago.  It needed to be glued back on the spoon.  I bought the glue.  I moved the parts from place to place on my desk.  I would look at it and say, “I need to do that.”  I would move on.  Finally, yesterday I picked up the materials and did the job.  It only took about two minutes.

So?  Do you want to grow in the Lord and demonstrate spiritual maturity?  Get started.  If it took God six days to create the world my guess is it won’t happen over night for you. 

Navel Health

(Pro 3:8 KJV)  It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

I tend to ignore verses like this because of the distortions I hear with the Prosperity Gospel people.  Yet as I read through the chapter this morning, this is the verse that jumped out at me.  The basic point is that people who live in healthy relationship with God live healthier, happier lives.  We are talking about averages across a population as well as individually.

If you are paying attention, this is being born out by “studies.”  I know that studies show what the sponsors want them to say.  In spite of that caution it seems that even secular research is saying that people who attend worship regularly tend to live longer and express greater happiness.

Or as Solomon would say it, fear of the Lord brings “health” (healing NASB) (7500) and “marrow” (refreshment NASB) (8250).

So?  What are you fearing today?  How is it working for you?

That Sinking Feeling

(Pro 2:18 KJV)  For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.

The idea of sinking or inclining brings different pictures to mind.  As I looked at the different uses of the word I came across the idea of a trap.

(Jer 18:22 KJV)  Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them: for they have digged a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet.

This idea of a pit made me think of sink holes or quick sand.  In the context we find that there are things that trap us, limit us, trip us and ultimately lead us to death.

This is not just physical death, it is eternal death.

So?  Pick your friends carefully.  Pick your methods ethically.  Set your priorities with the knowledge that they have consequences.  Off to another day.

Bad Blood

(Pro 1:18 KJV)  And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.

If you have a Bible and can look back over the first part of this chapter you will see that a group of men is being described that are out looking to damage and destroy the lives and property of others.  When we get to this verse, Solomon is warning us that those people are not glorious Robin Hood’s.  They are serial killers. 

When you seek to do damage to someone else the real destruction is to yourself. 

There was a saying that I heard as a kid.  I never did understand it.  “What goes around, comes around.”  I always thought it meant we get treated the way we treat others.  I guess that is close.  That is what Solomon is trying to say.

So?  Don’t be impressed by the people who seem to get ahead by violence and force.  Even more, don’t open yourself to that kind of behavior.  It will come back to bite you.