The Plumbline

We have perhaps one or two truly close friendships in the course of our lifetime, those marked by true intimate knowledge of each other and a depth of commitment which spans all the hurdles of how silly we can act on occasion.  These relationships matter so much to us - we work to preserve them, defend them, and even bolster them whenever things are a little shaky. Try hard to do right and you will win friends - scriptural instruction - not scriptural "advice".  The difference between the two - one is just an opinion which we can take or leave; the other is a promise based on truth. Some of us don't always "do right", though. In the realm of our "best friends", there is some amount of grace which just keeps us together and might even bind us closer together when we don't always "hit the mark" when it comes to "trying to do right". Do right; Live right; and Act wisely - three truths we need to explore if we are to maintain those ...

  Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you—your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust. (2 Peter 1:4) Sometimes we aren't sure we are doing everything that will make a difference, so that we are living in such a way that our lives truly please God. We want to live consistently in a manner that allows God to be seen through us to a hurting and searching world, but we aren't sure we are 'consistent enough'. Let me assure you of this - if you are walking with Jesus in a genuine manner - heart, mind, will and soul committed to serving him - you are 'consistent enough'. We don't always hit the mark we are aiming at, but we are taking steps in the right direction (at least generally)....

Are you a who has a tendency to squander what you have been given?  We squander a whole lot of things - our finances, our time, our health.  One who squanders either uses something so extravagantly, or wastefully, that it is gone before they actually realize the loss.  Whenever we do this, we have a tendency to look at the emptiness left behind and wish we had made more of what we had.  It is kind of like looking into the bottom of an empty bag of M&Ms!!!! Mark a life of discipline and live wisely;  don't squander your precious life. (Proverbs 8:33 The Message) Our writer directs us to living in such as way so as not to squander what we have been given - precious life.  How do we do this?  We live a life of discipline and we learn to make wise decisions.  Now, don't get me wrong - discipline is hard stuff!  And...constantly making decisions which are firmly grounded and beneficial for not only us, but those we affect through our actio...