My father is a man of many aphorisms. In fact, I've considered before that I really should take the time to list them because they are so much a part of my history. There is rarely a day that one or two of his random sayings don't pop into my head.
When I was growing up, a few of them nearly drove me crazy. For instance, each time I'd exuberantly shout, "Daddy! Guess What?!!" Without hesitation he'd respond, "The higher you raise a mule's tail, the better you can see his butt." I know, you weren't expecting anything quite so uncouth here. But honestly, that was just the first of many that came to my mind when thinking about some of dad's wise-cracks and sayings.
I'm happy to report that although he's quite a character and still a kidder (Dad: "You can kid leather and string beans, but you can't bull frogs.") he remains wise in his golden years (with the exception of that one recent tree-cutting incident). Conversely, 1 Kings 15:1-24 and 2 Chronicles 13-16 (today's passages) tell of a man who was wise in the early years of his life, but in his later years, behaved foolishly.
That man, Asa, King of Judah, faced an army from Ethiopia that outnumbered his and could easily overwhelm them. Logic said he was doomed, but wisdom demanded that he cry out to God. Here is his plea as recorded in 2 Chronicles 14:11
“O Lord, no one but you can help the powerless against the mighty! Help us, O Lord our God, for we trust in you alone. It is in your name that we have come against this vast horde. O Lord, you are our God; do not let mere men prevail against you!”
The next verses say that "the Lord defeated the Ethiopians". What an incredible thing that must have been. This wise, young king saw God's might and power unquestionably demonstrated. Yet when we continue to read, we learn that later in his life he entered into a treaty with an earthly king, resulting in a legacy of sad, diseased defeat for Asa.
Finishing strong requires going all the way with God and refusing to enter into a treaty with this world. One of the most encouraging passages in all of scripture is also one of the saddest. King Asa was rebuked by Hanani with these words:
7 ...“Because you have put your trust in the king of Aram instead of in the Lord your God, you missed your chance to destroy the army of the king of Aram. 8 Don’t you remember what happened to the Ethiopians and Libyans and their vast army, with all of their chariots and charioteers? At that time you relied on the Lord, and he handed them over to you. 9 The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on you will be at war.”
How sad. How tragic!
Another of my dad's aphorisms when asked how he's doing, is this: "Pretty good, considering my age and mileage." King Asa had age and mileage (which should have ensured wisdom) on his side, and yet he did not finish well. I pray that we emulate my father and not Asa. I hope that we will keep on keeping on and walking the faith walk even when age and mileage have taken their toll. The rewards will be eternal and worth any sacrifice or challenge along the way.
So Dad, here's to you, even though you're probably feeling like you were, "sent for, couldn't go, finally went, and wouldn't do," you are an example to me and others of one who keeps the faith when the going is tough. Thank you.
Father, help us remember that your eyes are searching the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to you. Fix our eyes like flint on your purpose, plan and promises! In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Truth or Consequences...
Will a person automatically be wise because of their heritage? Is the guarantee of wisdom handed down? This next passage of scripture (1 Kings 12-14; 2 Chronicles 10-12) gives us the answer, and it is an emphatic no.
Rehoboam, son of Solomon, was not wise. In fact, just after having been made king of Israel, his first decision proved that he was quite foolish when the leaders of Israel asked him to lighten the tax and labor load forced upon them during Solomon's reign. They promised allegiance if he agreed, and he asked them for three days to think about it. Next, he consulted the elders who had advised his father. Sounds wise so far, right?
The elders gave him good advice, explaining that granting the request of the people would ensure him a successful reign as king. But he rejected their advice, deciding he'd consult his own, new advisers, his life-long buddies.
The buddies told him to sock it to the people even harder than his father had, and that sounded like a good plan to him. He wanted to be a big deal, so he did what he probably wanted to do all along, but now he had advocates who gave him the thumbs up, so it was all good. Or was it?
No, it was not. These passages reveal the rough road ahead as a result of his terrible decision. So...what can we learn from Rehoboam's folly? Many things, but here are two that just jump out at me.
First, when elders advise, be quick to listen. If they are godly and mature and wise, they will give counsel with experienced advice that will be worth heeding-- even if it is the exact opposite of what you or I prefer.
Second, when peers advise, be slow to act and quick to pray. I would never suggest that all advice from young/younger people is bad or wrong. But the caution here seems to be that it may be--especially if we surround ourselves by "yes" pals.
It's understandable to think that old/older people don't have a clue. It's common to imagine that they don't understand or can't put themselves in our place. And it's preferable, quite often, to do what seems personally expedient rather than laboriously difficult. It's even worse to hear advice that requires a delay of gratification. But remember this, anyone who tells you what you want to hear, or encourages you to follow your flesh/heart down a path that even in the tiniest way violates scripture, is a bad advisor--and following their advice will render you as foolish as Rehoboam.
My prayer for you, and my prayer for myself, is that we will be wise. First, by praying and asking the giver of wisdom to lead our lives, and second, by always seeking solid, wise, Godly counsel when we are in doubt, from those who wouldn't be "yes" friends.
Father, help us to hear your still, small voice because we've stopped talking long enough to listen, and please send us Godly, wise mentors and friends who will speak the truth into our lives even when it's not what we want to hear. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Rehoboam, son of Solomon, was not wise. In fact, just after having been made king of Israel, his first decision proved that he was quite foolish when the leaders of Israel asked him to lighten the tax and labor load forced upon them during Solomon's reign. They promised allegiance if he agreed, and he asked them for three days to think about it. Next, he consulted the elders who had advised his father. Sounds wise so far, right?
The elders gave him good advice, explaining that granting the request of the people would ensure him a successful reign as king. But he rejected their advice, deciding he'd consult his own, new advisers, his life-long buddies.
The buddies told him to sock it to the people even harder than his father had, and that sounded like a good plan to him. He wanted to be a big deal, so he did what he probably wanted to do all along, but now he had advocates who gave him the thumbs up, so it was all good. Or was it?
No, it was not. These passages reveal the rough road ahead as a result of his terrible decision. So...what can we learn from Rehoboam's folly? Many things, but here are two that just jump out at me.
First, when elders advise, be quick to listen. If they are godly and mature and wise, they will give counsel with experienced advice that will be worth heeding-- even if it is the exact opposite of what you or I prefer.
Second, when peers advise, be slow to act and quick to pray. I would never suggest that all advice from young/younger people is bad or wrong. But the caution here seems to be that it may be--especially if we surround ourselves by "yes" pals.
It's understandable to think that old/older people don't have a clue. It's common to imagine that they don't understand or can't put themselves in our place. And it's preferable, quite often, to do what seems personally expedient rather than laboriously difficult. It's even worse to hear advice that requires a delay of gratification. But remember this, anyone who tells you what you want to hear, or encourages you to follow your flesh/heart down a path that even in the tiniest way violates scripture, is a bad advisor--and following their advice will render you as foolish as Rehoboam.
My prayer for you, and my prayer for myself, is that we will be wise. First, by praying and asking the giver of wisdom to lead our lives, and second, by always seeking solid, wise, Godly counsel when we are in doubt, from those who wouldn't be "yes" friends.
Father, help us to hear your still, small voice because we've stopped talking long enough to listen, and please send us Godly, wise mentors and friends who will speak the truth into our lives even when it's not what we want to hear. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)