The wise are glad to be instructed, but babbling fools fall flat on their faces. People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed. (Proverbs 10:8-9 NLT) How do you receive God's instruction in your life? Instruction comes in various forms, from various ways, but it is all meant for a purpose - to 'help' us. If we get a box of 'put it together yourself' furniture, it comes with packages of connectors, various pieces, packing material, and even some labels. The most valuable thing in that box is often the least used - the instruction sheet! The maker put those instructions inside the box for our reference when assembling the object, but they are little more than excess packing material if we never use them as they were intended. The same is true of God's Word, his wise counselors, and even the things he reveals in nature around us - if we ignore the instructions that are provided, we will produce something, but it may not be Go...
Riches won’t help on the day of judgment, but right living can save you from death. (Proverbs 11:4 NLT) It is so easy to get the wrong focus in life. We can spend more time worrying over money, making money, saving money, then miss the moments in life that actually matter the most. We neglect our quiet time with Jesus. We forego the liesurely lunch with a friend. We don't make the ballgames of our children. All the while, we are caught in this endless cycle of getting more, making more. The end of that cycle isn't good, though. We might have hefty bank account but our emotional and relational accounts are drained below zero! Jesus focused on others first - relationships mattered to him and they should matter to us. Riches aren't bad, though. I am not proposing we all live in poverty. We just need to keep our priorities straight. We need to focus on the things that really last - relationships. The first relationship that we need to focus on is the one we maintain with Jesus....