The Plumbline

Two people are better than one, because they get more done by working together. If one falls down, the other can help him up. But it is bad for the person who is alone and falls, because no one is there to help. If two lie down together, they will be warm, but a person alone will not be warm. An enemy might defeat one person, but two people together can defend themselves; a rope that is woven of three strings is hard to break. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12) There was a day I would try to put together all that box furniture - big stuff - all by myself. I'd get someone to load it into my vehicle, but when I got home, I'd take a box cutter, slice open the box and take piece by piece into the house. That stuff was heavy! Then it would be strewn all around the living room, and I had the task of putting all the pieces together - a feat daunting in and of itself! Side one put with back one, shelf A inside side and back, wheels attached here, and stabilizing bracket attached somewhere between i

Do you have anyone in your life that really 'believes' in you? There are all kinds of people in our lives, but those that really believe in us are a blessing way beyond what we might imagine. When we have others who believe in us, they encourage us, give us direction, help us avoid harmful things, and even learn new things. I don't know about you, but I need encouraging people in my life because life is filled with all kinds of people and things that have the primary aim of discouraging me. We all need direction from time to time because we don't always know which way to go on our own. We also don't see the stuff that can bring us harm when we are too doggone close to it, but when another is there to help us see it they can keep us from going any closer. We want a group of people in our lives that believe in us - nothing will help us grow as much as being surrounded by people we admire, respect, and trust. Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fool

Whenever someone or something forces you to continually direct your attention and energy to whatever it is you are doing is said to be 'keeping you on your toes'. Staying on your toes is a term used to describe being prepared for whatever could happen - the potential or eventuality is in the forefront of our thoughts. In simplest terms, it means to be ready for action - ready to jump in and to take whatever action is required. In another sense, we can describe this as alertness or awareness of what is going on around us. Either way, there is attentiveness, intentional preparedness, and an investment of ourselves. To be 'on the watch out' for something or someone is a very similar term. It means we are aware as a result of being challenged! So watch your step, friends. Make sure there's no evil unbelief lying around that will trip you up and throw you off course, diverting you from the living God. For as long as it's still God's Today, keep each other on

You know, we probably have a lot of 'friends' who will help us to fall, but I wonder just how many 'friends' we have who are there to help us get back up again? There are lots of us who have way more who fit into the former category, and we are truly blessed if we have even ONE who fits into the latter! It was the Greek historian Herodotus who left us with the thought, " Of all possessions a friend is the most precious ." I'd have to add the 'right' friend makes that possession even more priceless! Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family. (Proverbs 18:24 MSG) Who is there when you fall? Not just 'there' in the physical sense, but 'there' to help you mend your ways, find your way back, and ensure you are really stable once again? Who is there to see your misgivings and then to know which ones are to be abandoned and which are to be pursued? Who is there to delight in your accomplishments AND suf

When we really determine to walk the pathway of a disciple, it will cost us. The pathway is not always traveled by as many of those we call "friends" as we'd like to think. Yet, when we find someone to travel with us in this journey of faith, what a blessing it is! We need each other to understand and fulfill God's calling on our lives. We each compliment the other, challenging and uplifting, learning together what is contained deep in the Word of God. Keep me safe, O God, I've run for dear life to you. I say to God, "Be my Lord!" Without you, nothing makes sense. And these God-chosen lives all around—what splendid friends they make! (Psalm 16:1-3) David's words ring true in the hearts of many who engage in this walk of discipleship with Christ - without you, God, absolutely nothing makes sense at all. We can attempt to make sense out of tragedy, loss, or even a success all on our own. Without God, and those he places in our lives as fellow traveler

43  “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’   44  But I tell you, love your enemies. Pray for those who treat you badly.   45  If you do this, you will be children who are truly like your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:43-45 ERV) I wonder if someone has to tell or teach us to hate one another, or if that is just something we come by naturally. Maybe it comes when we foster some sense of entitlement in our lives, believing others "owe us" because of something we believe we deserve. Perhaps it develops over time when we focus more and more on what we want more than on what another could want or need. It might even come when we get so caught up in comparing our differences that we cannot help but be angry or bitter over another's fortune, their status, or even their ability to enjoy life's simplicity. Regardless of how hatred develops, I know there is but one way for love to really take hold in our lives - through Christ Jesus. It wa

It is not so much our friends' help that helps us, as the confidence of their help. (Epicurus) If you have ever read the Proverbs, you will note there are a lot of passages that deal with the friends we keep, ranging from those that remind us to choose them wisely to realizing their strength in times of trouble. I would like to just spend a moment today contemplating just a few of these: Good people are careful about choosing their friends, but evil people always choose the wrong ones. (12:26 ERV) Choice of friends is key to both the direction and distance a relationship will travel. If we choose the right friends, they will be on course with where need to be heading, AND they will be with us through the entirety of the journey. We need both - the companionship along the way, but the wisdom and determination to help us make the best choices about the direction we take in life. If we choose wisely, the benefits are astronomical! Be friends with those who are wise, and you will be

Napoleon Hill once said, "The starting point of all achievement is desire." He didn't imply it was merely the desire that got us to the point of achievement, but that desire (passion) fuels us, moves us forward, gets us off the starting block, so to speak. desire is a powerful tool, but must be used carefully for it can either move us ahead in purposeful and ordered movement, or it can launch us into the unknown with little to no control over our trajectory! I would like to believe every Christian is certain of their desire, but I must be honest here - even my own desire gets a little out of whack on occasion! It needs constant filtering, frequent readjusting, and an enormous amount of work on the part of the Holy Spirit in my life because left to my own devices, those desires will be less than "desirable"! Whoever pulls away from others to focus solely on his own desires disregards any sense of sound judgment. (Proverbs 18:1 VOICE)   For all my wanting, I

" A remark generally hurts in proportion to its truth ."  (Will Rogers)  If you have ever heard some words you didn't want to hear about yourself, you might have wanted to deny they were correct because they reveal something about you that you are not so happy to hear. Whenever I was called a "geek", "nerd", or "brainiac" in school, I almost wanted to curl up in a ball and cry.  Why?  I wanted to be "liked", "accepted", and "embraced" by those in my peer group.  I didn't want to stand out from them as "too much" of an intellect, "not enough" of an intellect, or just plain "stand out" in anyway at all!  I wanted to be "one of them", but the truth was I wasn't.  I rarely "fit in" with the crowd I wanted to fit in with most - the popular girls.  Needless to say, their words often hurt, cut to the core, or revealed something about me I had been trying so hard