The Plumbline

Two roads diverged in a wood and I - I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference. (Robert Frost) You haven't traveled my road anymore than I have traveled yours. Our roads may have intersected here and there, but the road we each travel is uniquely our own. At each major intersection in life, we make a choice - we choose one path or the other - we don't travel them both. Perhaps we follow in the footsteps of someone who has traveled portions of that path before, finding our view of the path just slightly different. As similar as my BFF and I are, as we take a road trip, or enjoy a stroll along a forest trail, we 'take in' our surroundings in different ways. I will remark about one thing I saw, only to find she didn't see it at all and vice-versa. Why did we not experience the path the same? We are unique - our eyes and hearts are open, but we might just find we are taking in life in just a little different manner as we travel paths that see

Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I trust your commands. (Psalm 119:66) Here we find the very personal invitation to "learn of God". Jesus was calling his disciples in the early part of his earthly ministry - a calling they'd never really understand until after he was taken from this earth. John was curious about where it was that Jesus stayed - where did he lay his head at night, how did he make a living, who was this guy really. He asked Jesus where he lived and Jesus' response was to "come and see". This is perhaps the most rewarding invitation anyone can receive - come and see. It implies the ability to come into a fuller revelation of all that we are curious about. To come is an action on our part, but to truly see as we need to see - well, that is all on him! In the spiritual sense, there is a great deal that causes us to be curious, if even just a little bit - figuring out how the whole Trinity thing works, understanding the mystery of ju

25  Keep your eyes on the path, and look straight ahead.   26  Make sure you are going the right way, and nothing will make you fall.   27  Don’t go to the right or to the left, and you will stay away from evil. (Proverbs 4:25-27 ERV) When we are determined in our course there is a motivation that keeps us moving right along, but not every "determined course" is actually the right one to be on in life. Some of the course we tread actually bring us turmoil, troubles, and tempests we have to navigate around or through. We aren't infallible people and we make fallible decisions, don't we? It is easy for us to mistaken about where we are headed, but it is impossible for us to never see or hear any of the warnings to not put ourselves out there - at least one or two warnings will be observed, but not necessarily heeded.  I think this is best illustrated in something I discovered on a recent fishing trip. You see, I knew where the fish were hiding - I had observed them

6  Anyone who makes fun of wisdom will never find it, but knowledge comes easily to those who understand its value.   (Proverbs 14:6 ERV) Socrates reminds us the only true wisdom is in knowing that you know absolutely nothing! On occasion, my BFF will ask me a silly question that goes something like, "Is there anything you cannot do?" I usually just glare at her or answer there are a lot of things I don't know and have never tried. Some will never be known by me, nor tried, for they are not in the plans God has for me in this lifetime. There will always be things we cannot know or do in this lifetime, but we can count on this - the things we need for today are readily at our disposal simply by asking God for them! The knowledge we need for today's decisions is at our disposal - we often just don't go to the right source. I have several websites I consult when I want to figure out something challenging with a spreadsheet function or formula at work. The prob

Galileo once said, "All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them." Nothing could be more truthful than those words. We often want to understand the truth, but we do very little to actually discover it. I like watching those shows on how things are made. They are on my list of viewing options at least two to three times a week and there are times when I am just amazed to find out how things are put together, what goes into making a particular object, or how much work goes into the creative process behind the object we see as the end result of someone's intense labor. For example, I had absolutely no idea how much work goes into the making of some of those little cones of incense we once saw so prominently sold during the 60's and 70's. They are less popular today with the introduction of these "oil diffusers" and "wax melting pots" we see marketed now, but back in the day they were the thing we&

As I look around my "world" today, I see all manner of "things" God has prepared for my enjoyment.  I have a beautiful house, nice yard, reliable vehicle, tremendous relationships with friends and family.  ALL specifically placed in my life for my enjoyment - and for my growth!  Why do I think all things placed in my life are for my growth?  Have you tried to be mature and responsible for the many blessings you have received and observed how ridiculously hard it can be to "handle" what life throws your way at times?  The house helped me to grow and mature in a financial sense.  In short order I learned what it was like to have a financial "burden" in your life which was kind of "bigger" that any other financial burden I had ever known.  In rather short order, I had to grow up with respect to my use of money - learning to budget and take specific interest in reducing this debt year by year.  It is paid off ten years earlier than the mor

I am always kind of embarrassed whenever I am looking all around for something and someone comes along, asks quietly what I am looking for, then proceeds to point it out right in front of my face.  Ever been there?  You have searched high and low, creating all kind of inner frenzy as emotions build in your fury to find whatever it is, and so clearly miss it right there in front of you.  Yes, we might be searching.  Yes, we might be determined to find whatever it is.  Yes, we will not be denied finding whatever it is.  Up to this point, we are just caught up in the search - but it is the finding which has us mystified!  That might just be the exact place God has the greatest opportunity to just dawn his light in our lives!   Open the eyes of their hearts, and let the light of Your truth flood in. Shine Your light on the hope You are calling them to embrace. Reveal to them the glorious riches You are preparing as their inheritance. (Ephesians 1:18 VOICE) In searching, there is

The youngest player to ever win the Grand Slam in tennis was Michael Chang - a Christian athlete who frequently gave all the praise for his ability and talent to the Lord.  One of the things he is quoted as saying kind of speaks to our passage today:  "Maybe sometimes I'm such a thinker, I reevaluate too much. Sometimes when it comes down to it, I really don't need to do anything. I don't really need to change anything.  I need to just keep plugging away, working at it."  We probably all have a tendency to "over-think" matters on occasion, making mountains out of molehills and tragedies out of small blips on the radar.  WE see things one way - GOD sees them quite differently.  Somewhere in-between what WE see and what GOD sees is where revelation begins to dawn.  Deep thought may be where we discover the deepest of truths, but as long as they remain "deep", we don't actually bring them forth into the place of discovery and usefulness in ou

When I was growing up, I tried to learn and learn and learn.  I had a ravenous appetite for learning new things.  I actually was one of those kids in school who looked forward to weekdays, dreaded the weekend, and even longed for school to restart even before summer vacation had begun.  I would read books to explore new worlds, peruse the encyclopedias to uncover new truths about people and places, and gaze upon photos in National Geographic with wonder at the majesty of far off lands and native tribes making a way in jungle regions. I'd study ants coming and going as they diligently cared for their large family. Bird nests became a place of the discovery of patient waiting - longing to discover what tiny life might emerge from those speckled eggs nestled there so carefully. I would watch people in the hallways, on the playground, and even as we walked home after school.  I didn't say much, because I was a shy kid.  Yet, I took it all in.  My imagination was a vast expanse of