Aspirations and Ambitions

An empty-head thinks mischief is fun, but a mindful person relishes wisdom. The aspirations of good people end in celebration; the ambitions of bad people crash. The speech of a good person clears the air; the words of the wicked pollute it. (Proverbs 10:23, 28, 32)

Ever said to yourself, "Now why'd I do THAT"? I think we probably all have at some point. We plunge right in and then in 20/20 retrospect, we wonder how we ever got as "messed up" as we did. It was probably because we had one of those times when we just didn't stop long enough to consider the consequences of what we were doing - the scripture calls this being "empty-headed". These empty-headed decisions are really not built on a solid foundation therefore they will not turn out well. Our conduct may be fun for a while, but eventually empty-headed decisions catch up with us. Mindful decisions are marked by attentiveness, awareness, and great care. These types of decisions make for a much better outcome - their foundation is a lot stronger and more enduring.

A schemer leans to the side of embracing the impractical - they have a plan, but it may not be well thought out. The developer leans to the side of development - allowing one piece to build upon another until they see the result of the finished work. Scripture promises the planner a much better outcome than the schemer. Why? There is a tendency for the planner to stop long enough to get God's perspective on the matter, while the schemer just takes off, hoping God will back them in their plan. I have been on both sides of the fence on this one! I can be the best of planners and the worst of schemers! I have had some of those empty-headed moments - but I'd like to think I have come full circle to becoming more mindful about my actions. A mindful person really has their "mind full", but with the right stuff!

The godly rest secure because they their plans are made and acted upon in God's sight. The fool might just make a few of their decisions under the cover of "darkness" - kind of like they hope to "fly under the radar" on some of them! It took me a long while to realize God doesn't need the radar! His powers of observations far outdo the radar - so there is really no "flying under the radar" with him! Mischief - ever stop to consider this word? It dawned on me it could be written as "MIS-Chief". In other words, the control (chief) in our lives is "misplaced". We determine to be "chief" instead of keeping God at the center. Anytime we do this, we are open to some pretty empty-headed decisions and actions! Mischief is really anything which will bring hurt or damage - getting anything but God at the center of our decisions is sure to produce both.

The goals or objectives of a godly man or woman end in celebration - because the desire, longing, or aim of their hearts is to please only one. The godly are contrasted to the foolish who don't have aspirations, but ambitions. Ambitions are pursuits which will result in a distinguished honor, power, fame, or even wealth. Some might think aspirations and ambitions are closely related - they wouldn't be wrong, but it is the "intent" behind each which determines if they are right for a child of God. If we really have no idea where God fits into the picture of whatever we are pursuing, it is likely an ambition and might just be one of those "empty headed" moments!

When the storm is over, there’s nothing left of the wicked; good people, firm on their rock foundation, aren’t even fazed. (vs. 25) When we allow our minds to be governed by the action of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we make better decisions. The "quality" of our decisions to act are based on a solid foundation. The result of the "well-planned" actions which are the result of having the right focus will end in better outcomes. We can have a lot of ambition and still totally miss the mark in the end. Ambition alone will not stand the test of time, or the challenge of testing. We need the desires of our heart to be filtered through the mind and heart of Christ. Until this occurs, we are just seeking ambitions - we never really move into aspirations. What stands the test of time is not the empty-headed decisions, but the well-rounded decisions of a heart willing to wait on God for his direction. Getting his perspective makes all the difference when the storms challenge our decisions. Just sayin!

Don't change me

Many of us go through life trying to be someone we are not in order to impress somebody we don't really know in ways we probably aren't all that excited about either. Imagine being a young woman, orphaned as a young child, taken in by your cousin to be reared after your parents have died. You find yourself living in a strange land as a foreigner, your family has been so quickly taken away from you, and now you find yourself living in a "single parent" home. Not the life every young girl dreams of for sure. A decree requires you to leave the comfort of the only "home" you really knew - life is again turned on end because of something totally outside of your control. Taken from your place of comfort, you are ushered into a great harem of others being prepared for the pleasure of the king of the land - something you know nothing about, but have no choice but to do in order to survive. Months of preparation will be required, but in the end, your very life will totally rotate around the king's command. Esther finds herself alone, at the mercy of the head of the king's harem, and totally uncertain of her future. We can go through life trying to be who we are not, or we can step up and be who we were created to be - the choice is ours.

When it was Esther's turn to go to the king (Esther the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had adopted her as his daughter), she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king's eunuch in charge of the harem, had recommended. Esther, just as she was, won the admiration of everyone who saw her. (Esther 2:15)

Hegai, the one the king had placed in charge of "readying" his harem, sees something of supreme "worth" in Esther. He spends one year preparing her for the moment of her introduction - the moment of her unveiling. Six months of myrrh, six months of perfumes, and lots of cosmetics. Talk about an intimidating period of living in the 'unknown'! The thing that caught my eye was the preparation with myrrh - for six months! Have you ever seen myrrh? It comes from a tree that is thorny and grows in the dry, stony soil of the Middle East. The first part of her preparation is taken from a tree of thorns! Do you know how myrrh is formed? From the tree being pierced! As the penetration of the bark occurs, the sapwood is allowed to "bleed". The thing which emerges is what we have come to know as myrrh - the very "life-blood" of the tree. In Eastern medicine, myrrh is considered a "blood-moving" treatment. It is often used to heal the conditions of "stagnancy" in the blood. In our Western medicine, we find myrrh in simple things like toothpaste, mouthwash, and some balms for healing our many "boo-boos". It has an "analgesic" effect - helping to deal with pain.

Esther is treated with myrrh for six months. She has been through her own places of "hard, rocky soil" in her life - losing her parents, being raised in a single-parent home, taken into captivity in a foreign land, and now prepared for some purpose in a place she does not know, and to be taken to places and positions she just does not fully realize. Imagine the condition of her heart. She is but a teenager - alone, frightened, taken into the harem of a foreign king. Another round of "hard soil" in her life! Yet, it was from the "richness" of the hard soil she comes to be anointed for service! We often wonder about the course God allows in getting us to the place where he wants us, don't we? It may seem like a whole lot of "hard, rocky soil", right? Yet, in the midst of the rocks grows a tree (the cross)! Complete with thorns of its own (Christ's crown). From the life-blood of this tree, we are anointed! It is this anointing, repeated over and over again, which prepares us for service to the king!

It is never an easy process to be in the place of "preparation", but when the unveiling comes, what a glorious site to behold! From the thorns richness has come - from the anointing something beautiful is produced. The life-blood of the tree becomes the very thing which heals and rejuvenates us! Anointed of God - making us a thing of beauty! A thing of pleasure just for his enjoyment! But...I don't want us to miss that very important part of the passage. Esther was beautiful "just as she was". There was an inner beauty that came through and made her 'shine' above the rest. Maybe the most important thing we can learn today is to be delighted in who we are created to be. We don't need to strive to impress others - we can be beautiful just as we are. We don't need to morph into what we think they will want us to be. We can be true to ourselves and let them see the beauty of Christ that shines through us. Others don't need to change us - Christ does! Just sayin!