Honest Reflections

“She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and those who hold on to her are happy.”  Proverbs 3:18 CSB

Chokmah is the type of wisdom we’re talking about today.  Defined it is “God’s gracious creation…God alone knows where wisdom dwells and where it originates.”  It goes on to say “for humans, the beginning of wisdom is to properly fear and reverence God.” I love how Merriam Webster of 1828 defines wisdom: it is the exercise of sound judgment either in avoiding evils or attempting good.

In a nutshell, wisdom comes from God and is avoiding evils or attempting good.  We find it when we fear and reverence God. In other words, when we put God first.  Put God first in your life and you will find wisdom. I find wisdom every morning when I read His word.  Like today’s verse, it jumped off the pages at me when I read it this morning. I so desperately want those who embrace me to find life, and for those who hold onto me to be happy BECAUSE I have found wisdom in the Lord.  Not because of me, because of Him.

Solomon found wisdom because he asked for it.  When he became king after his father David, God told him he could have anything he wanted.  He wanted an “understanding heart” to lead his people (1 Kings 3:9 NLT). God was so pleased that he didn’t ask for wealth, long life or death of his enemies, He gave it all to him: wisdom, wealth, long life and death of his enemies (1 Kings 3:3:10-14 NLT).  I pray for wisdom daily, “Lord give me wisdom and discernment, blessing and favor, guidance and direction” is my daily mantra. You can too. There’s no limit.

Wisdom comes from the Lord.  It is His to give as He chooses.  But if we don’t ask, we’ll never receive.  Wisdom from God helps us to see things from His viewpoint. It gives us a new set of eyes on an old circumstance.  It opens up our vision to see past our own lives and into the lives of others. It helps us avoid evil because we’ll see the doors God has closed; we’ll have wisdom to not try to open them.  As we attempt to do good, God will show us the way, opening the doors for us to pass through. With all my heart, I pray you find wisdom as you put God first in your life and let Him show you the way.

“Finally, all of you be like-minded and sympathetic, love one another, and be compassionate and humble, not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing since you were called for this, so that you may inherit a blessing.” 1 Peter 3:8-9 CSB

I love what the original Greek means for sympathetic, “having a fellow-feeling”.  Also interesting, this is the only place philadelphos is found in the New Testament.  It is the original Greek for “another” and means “only in the strictly Christian sense of loving each other as Christian brothers.”  What this boils down to is we’re to have fellow-feeling for our Christian brothers and sisters. It is only talking about other followers of Christ in this particular verse.

Church is full of broken and hurt people.  People who are sinners, who are struggling with sin, who are trying to overcome sin.  If you haven’t been hurt by someone in church, odds are you will be eventually. Because they are people, imperfect people who Christ died for on the cross. We expect more out of people that are sitting in church on Sunday’s, listening to sermons, attending Bible studies, talking the talk than we do those who don’t attend church.  As my mother used to always say, “They should know better.” But the truth is, they may not.

“When you stop expecting people to be perfect, you can like them for who they are.” Donald Miller  A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life

Here is the key to being like-minded and sympathetic: stop expecting people to be perfect.  Whether they are in church or not, no one is perfect. But if Christ followers become known for their love of others, for their ability to be sympathetic and compassionate, wouldn’t that make everyone want to follow Him?  Jesus didn’t expect me to be perfect. He doesn’t expect you to be perfect. Before He ever got on the cross, He knew He was dying for imperfect people. If Jesus didn’t expect people to be perfect, than why should we?

Stop expecting people to be perfect and like them for who God made them to be.  It will help you be like-minded and sympathetic to those who are journeying with you on this path of life. It will help us create unity in the body of Christ.  It will help us to love better, both God and others. It will help us release the hurt.

“Happy are those who keep his decrees and seek Him with all their heart.”  Psalm 119:2 CSB

I studied the book of Job last year and fell in love with it in a way I never have before.  One of the first lessons I learned is how we get stuck on the conversation between God and Satan.  The book starts out with a brief conversation that ends with Satan being allowed to have his way with Job.  And he does, Job loses everything but his wife: kids, job, assets, all of it. Job’s response after all of this has happened:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,

   and naked I will depart.

The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;

may the name of the Lord be praised.” Job 1:20 NIV

There’s another brief conversation between Satan and God in chapter 2.  After that, Satan is gone. The rest of the book is about Job’s friends and how Job never turns from God.  How he keeps seeking Him throughout all of this misery. God is quiet for the majority of the book, but in the last few chapters He speaks.  Job is restored everything in double portion and goes on to live a long life.

The problem is, people miss out on the best part because they get so hung up on the conversation between God and Satan.  They get caught up on the fact that God allows Satan to have his way with Job. There are 42 chapters in the book of Job, only 14 verses encapsulate both of these conversations.  I know what happened to Job is devastating. I pray none of us ever experience anything remotely similar to what Job endured. But learn from the man that lost everything. Do what He did.

Fall to your knees and praise the Lord.  Understand nothing we have on this earth is permanent.  It is all temporary. Bad things will happen, but the Lord remains constant in the good and the bad.  Don’t get caught up in a few verses and miss what the rest of the book says. Keep your eye on the ball.  Seek God in all circumstances. Cry out to Him and you too will be blessed in double portions.

“Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9 CSB

The Greek word for peacemakers in this verse is eirenopoios.  According to the Hebrew/Greek Bible I use, it is the only place it is found in the entire Bible.  It means an ambassador who comes to bring peace. Did you ever consider yourself an ambassador? How about an ambassador of peace?  That is what you are when you become a follower of Jesus, an ambassador of peace.

Paul tells us in his letters to the Romans that we are to live at peace with everyone to the best of our ability (12:18 NIV).  How do we do that? There are some people that just love to stir up trouble. No matter what you do, they will argue with you. If you say the sky is blue, they will argue it is purple.  How do you live at peace with them? How about the person who cuts you off in traffic? Or the relative that always brings the drama to the family gatherings? What about the co-worker who sits at the desk next to you and chomps on her bubble gum?  Or the volunteer that commits to everything but never shows up when they are supposed too? There are myriads of ways people are annoying. I have been told, many a times by different people, if God knew so and so like I do, would He really expect me to love them?  The answer is alway yes. Resoundingly so!

So how do we live at peace with everyone?  We share our fruit.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”  Galatians 5:22-23 NIV

No matter how contentious a person is, they cannot argue with the fruit of the Spirit.  If they want to believe the sky is purple, in love let them.  Maybe it is to them, maybe their eyesight is different than yours.  Maybe when they look at it, it really is purple. Love them anyway. The guy who cuts you off in traffic, use self-control instead of sign language.  That family member who always gets on your last nerve, practice forbearance. The co-worker who chomps their gum, pray for noise cancelling headphones and show them joy. The volunteer who never shows up, greet them with kindness when they finally do.  Against such things there is no law, and it will always bring you peace.

“The Lord is my Shepherd, I have what I want.” Psalm 23:1 NIV

Max Lucado wrote a book called “Traveling Light”.  It’s a phenomenal book that takes a look at the 23rd Psalm, probably the most well known Psalm of all.  Highly recommend it if you want a new perspective on a beloved Scripture. When He discusses this particular verse, this is how he starts the chapter:

“Come with me to the most populated prison in the world. The facility has more inmates than bunks. More prisoners than plates.  More residents than resources…The name of the prison? You’ll see it over the entrance. Rainbowed over the gate are four cast iron letters that spell out its name:  W-A-N-T”

Do you live in the prison of want?  I know I do. As deep as my faith is, as rich as my life is, I still want.  But I don’t need. I don’t need a new ipad. I don’t need a new car. I don’t need a better job.  I have all that I need. My life overflows with blessings, yet I still want. I can still find myself in the prison of want.  According to Lucado, this verse is your key to freedom and I can’t help but agree. It is your “get out of jail free card.” It is showing you the way to contentment.  It’s at the beginning of the verse, “The Lord is my Shepherd.” That is the key to contentment. Realizing what you have in God is all you will ever need.

Paul gives us a little more insight in his letter to the Philippians:

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

It is in Him we find the key to freedom.  When we realize all we need we already have, we break out of the prison of want.  Grab your get out of jail free card today and be free of want!

Lucado, Max. Traveling Light Deluxe Edition (p. 29). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.”  Matthew 5:6 CSB

Today is the birthday of a very special friend of mine, Laura.  Also a part of this group. She is who drew me back to Christ after I abandoned Him when my Dad died.  She thirsts for righteousness. We met in high school. We totaled her parents car one night when we were late for curfew.  I get the blame for it because I was arguing with my boyfriend at that time and made us late. We still dispute it to this day.  God saved us. We came within inches of an electric pole that would have taken us both out. Apparently He had plans for us.

One of those plans was for our walk with the Lord, one we’re doing together.  We lost touch for a few years after college. I was at rock bottom when I called her out of the blue.  She met me with grace and love in that conversation. In the time we had not spoken, she had begun a walk with the Lord that has sustained her to this day.  I will never forget the first prayer she began to pray for me: that I would have Godly friends that were here. Laura doesn’t live here, she lives in Delaware.  At the time, I thought that was the silliest prayer, but now I know, it was the wisest.

Rick Warren used this Zambian quote in a recent devotional:

“When you run alone, you run fast. But when you run together, you run far.”

The Christian life is a marathon race, if we’re going to run it well, we need to run it together.  We need to run it with others who thirst for righteousness. When we are at mile 12 with 14 more miles to go, they are the ones that will help us cross the finish line. They are the ones who will answer the phone with love and grace. They are the ones who will tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. They are the ones that will know exactly what to pray for you when you don’t know what to pray. They are the ones who know when you need a pat on the back or a kick in the butt. They are the ones who hunger for righteousness, not only in their life, but in yours as well.

“Taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.” Psalm 34:8 NIV

I’m writing this on a Friday morning, I am completely exhausted.  Life has revved up to almost full tilt for me. As a tennis teacher, I get a little break in the winter, only teaching one night a week.  As soon as spring rolls round, it begins to ramp up with classes and lessons daily. It’s a hard conversion for me to make. I get used to having the extra nights at home with my husband, extra time to spend with friends, then all of a sudden it’s gone.  I find myself starting early in the morning and finishing late at night. Constantly going from one thing to the next. I wear myself out.

Have you ever felt that way?  This morning in my journal I wrote, “Schwoo Lord, these bones are tired.”  I’m taking refuge in Him. I’m finding my strength in Him. He is the one who will help me find the strength to fulfill all my commitments, to keep my appointments, to teach my lessons.  I know this because I have tasted it before, I know the Lord is good. In Him I am blessed when I take refuge.

What does taking refuge look like?  In the original Hebrew, refuge in this context is used literally to mean seeking a tree’s shade.

In Tidal, where I grew up, there was a tree that sat all by itself in the corner of our lot.  It was on the edge of a bank that led down to the road. From under its branches on the hill where it lives you could see our entire village below.  I used to love to sit under it and feel its shade. The little girl I was then would dream about my future life, all from the shade of that tree. It was comfort to me.  It was a refuge from the world around me.

That is what it feels like today as I sit under the shade tree of God.  I feel His presence restoring me, energizing me. As I think of each of you and the battles you’re facing, ones I know nothing about, I pray fervently you find it too.  I pray, you taste and see that the Lord is good. Whatever you’re facing, whatever struggle you have, lay it at His feet. Then find that cool breeze of blessing as you lay your head back against the tree of life, God himself and take refuge.  Let Him fill your heads with dreams of days to come. Days with blue skies and puffy white clouds. Days filled with the warmth of the Son (and yes, I mean Jesus). In Him, find refuge.

“The one who understands a matter finds success, and the one who trusts in the Lord will be happy.”  Proverbs 16:20 CSB

Habit number 5 in Steven Covey’s book, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” is “Seek first to understand before being understood.”  As he puts is, “‘Seek first to understand’ involves a very deep shift in paradigm. We typically seek first to be understood.” He’s right.  We often are more caught up in our own agendas than others. We want people to understand us, rather than taking time to understand them. I love what Covey goes on to say:

“Most people don’t listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.”

Do you listen with the intent to understand or the intent to reply?  Listening itself is a skill that can be developed. It’s called active listening, when you are “mindfully hearing and attempting to comprehend the meaning of words spoken by another in a conversation or speech” (Business Dictionary).  Active listeners are engaged in the conversation. Their body language reflects attention:  nodding in agreement, smiling, making eye contact, mirroring facial expressions, attentive posture, eliminating distractions.  All of these things help you to listen attentively. And to show you understand what the person is saying, repeat it back to them in your words.  This will help you ensure you are understanding what they are saying, and if not, they can help you clarify so that you do.

Even with God.  You can active listen with God.

For everyone this will look different.  Some people prepare themselves by listening to worship music.  Some prefer evenings over mornings. Some people have a special place where they go that allows them to focus on Him without distraction.  For me, I prefer mornings. I begin by reading His word, if there is a verse that jumps out at me, I focus in on that. I ask Him, “What are you trying to tell me?”  I meditate on it until I feel a nudge in my spirit. For instance this morning, He brought a friend to mind who is having a difficult time. I felt the urge to text her.  Before texting her, I verified with Him that it was what He wanted. Then I prayed for the words to say, just like I do when I write these devotionals. I try to stay as focused on Him as possible, taking myself out of the equation (which isn’t easy).  Sometimes I succeed, sometimes I don’t. I just pray He’ll bless my efforts either way.

Seek first to understand before being understood, no matter who you are talking too.  It will change your relationships, it will change your life. Inevitably, it will help you love God and love others better than you ever have before.

“Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse.”  Romans 12:14

The original Greek word  “bless” in this verse is specifically towards other people.  It means to speak well of with praise and thanksgiving, to invoke God’s blessing upon them.  You are to pray for their welfare as God perceives it for His actions in their lives.

Schwoo…now that is a challenge.

This is definitely not something I have mastered.  Just yesterday in my small group we talked about forgiveness and how to pray for those who have hurt us.  There wasn’t anyone there who doesn’t struggle with this. We have all been hurt by people. But we can break the chain of hurt.  We can stop it in its tracks by changing our behavior. We can change how we react to the hurt. We can pray for the offender.

For instance, you love to shop.  It relaxes you, it gives you a sense of satisfaction.  Who doesn’t like a new pair of shoes? The problem is you can’t afford it, so you use your credit card.  Now at the end of the month there is more bills left than there is money. You recognize this is hurting you, so you begin to pray about it.  A friend tells you about Dave Ramsey’s course on Financial Management, so you sign up. Soon you learn how to make your money work for you. Now you put a little extra aside each month for a fun shopping spree.  You have changed the behavior. You have taken the hurt and made it into a positive.

You can do the same thing when you experience hurt by people.

The pivotal moment in changing your behavior is prayer.  The change in finances started when you began to pray about it and seek God’s guidance.  It didn’t happen overnight. I takes nine weeks to take the financial management course. It took months, maybe years to pay off the debt and set up a workable budget.  But it all started with prayer.

That is all God is asking you to do here.  Start with prayer. Seek His guidance before responding to someone who has hurt you.  Just like it takes time to get finances under control, it takes time to get our thoughts and actions in line with God.  Praying for the person(s) who have hurt you doesn’t change them, it changes you. It draws you closer to God, it brings your heart in line with His.  It reminds you, He died for them too. He didn’t just die for you, He died for everyone. All are precious in His sight. Even those who persecute you.

“The Lord, my Lord is my strength, He makes my feet like those of a deer and enables me to walk on mountain heights.”  Habakkuk 3:19 CSB

First let’s talk about the type of deer Habakkuk is referring too in this verse.  It is a female deer that has the innate ability to place her back feet exactly where her front feet just were.  Imagine walking in a foot of snow. It is always easiest to walk in the footprints that are already made than to try and create new paths.  The same is true for a female deer with hind’s feet. She can run surely along because the path has already been made. She can scale mountainous terrain without a worry because she is sure of her footing.  When danger comes, she can run away quickly because of this ability to stay in step so precisely.

Why would Habakkuk want God to grant him this ability?

Because the world he was living in at the time was tumultuous.  He lived in a world of spiritual decline, much like the one we live in today.  He was losing hope. He didn’t understand why God was letting this happen. He describes it in chapter one as he cries out to God, “Why?”  Habukkuk, whose name means “the wrestler”, didn’t like God’s response that Judah would be destroyed, yet he accepts God’s command to wait and consider who He is.  This verse is the end of his prayer accepting and trusting God’s will, even without complete understanding.

He has found his hind’s feet in the midst of hopelessness.

Habukkuk isn’t the first to question God.  He won’t be the last. God makes it very clear in his response to him, He is not accountable to any man.  We all have ideas of how situations in our lives should be handled. We all love to advise God on what He needs to do for us.  But that isn’t how God works. God doesn’t take orders from us, we take orders from Him. God’s answer to Habukkuk is the same answer He would give us:  He is all knowing, all powerful and He knows exactly what He is doing. It’s up to us to trust and believe.

May you find your hind’s feet in the midst of your troubles and run swiftly after God.