The Plumbline

“Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise: Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer; hyraxes are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags; locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks; a lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in kings’ palaces." (Proverbs 30:24-28) Four creatures of this earth that may just hold a lesson or two for us: Ants - tiny creatures, but oh so very industrious and important. If we were to learn only one lesson from the ant it would have to be that of planning ahead. The ant gathers while sustenance may be found, packing it away carefully. Leaving his tunnel over and over again many times each day, in search of what he needs, seeking until he finds. Could this describe the attitude of heart, mind, and spirit that God desires of his children? We might just be more prepared for whatever storm comes our way if we'd take time to plan ahe...

Elizabeth the First once said, "The past cannot be cured", and Charles Kettering said, "One fails forward toward success." Paul said, "Not that I have already obtained it [this goal of being Christlike] or have already been made perfect, but I actively press on so that I may take hold of that [perfection] for which Christ Jesus took hold of me and made me His own. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider that I have made it my own yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the [heavenly] prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:12-14) The goal set before us is to move closer and closer to Jesus, so that one day, hopefully not too far into the future, we will be Christlike in our behavior because our hearts are healed, emotions are tender but strong, and our thoughts are made new. Too many times, we seek to cure the past, as Queen Elizabeth insinuate...

Those who learn from the lessons of life will join the others who are wise. Those who disregard discipline sabotage themselves, but those who are open to correction gain understanding. Reverence for the Eternal is the first lesson of wisdom, and humility always precedes honor. (Proverbs 15:31-33) "You were given this life because you were strong enough to live it." (Author Unknown) We don't receive lessons in this life through osmosis, but because we walk through them and learn from them. Someone might think they were given the life they were given because only THEY could live up to the challenge. The challenge wasn't given to you because you had the strength, it was given to you to reveal the strength the Almighty would give you to walk through it. We call it life and it comes at us at extraordinary speeds on occasion. The lessons of life will lure us in like a slow, lazy river gives us the sense all will be peaceful as we launch out only to find it takes us strai...

I know, my God, that you test people’s hearts. You are happy when people do what is right. (I Chronicles 29:17) If you have ever bombed a test, you know that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach knowing how that 'bombed test' will affect your total 'grade'. Rarely do we get the opportunity for a 'retake' in life's 'tested moments'. There may be that rare opportunity when we do, but most of the time a 'bombed life test' is just that - bombed. It is so wonderful to serve a God who doesn't see a 'bombed test' as our 'final grade'. In fact, he made a way for us to 'redeem' that 'life grade' through the blood of his Son, Jesus! God doesn't 'grade on the curve' - he simply helps us repeat the lesson until we no longer fail the test! Wouldn't it be nice to never have to 'retake' one of those 'life tests'? It would be like living in heaven! Most of us need those 'retakes...

One of Toby Mac's Facebook posts from January 9th was quite simple, yet profound: "Forget the past. But do remember the lesson." I think this is where the rubber meets the road for most of us - we remember the past and focus less on the lesson - if we even see the lesson in the past in the first place!  By definition, a lesson is a useful piece of practical wisdom acquired by experience or study.  If we go through things and never "acquire" anything by the experience of the event, we just might find ourselves repeating the "event" until we find the "lesson" in it! Those who learn from the lessons of life will join the others who are wise. (Proverbs 15:31 VOICE) A lesson is more than advice - we can take or leave advice, but to actually learn a lesson, we have to participate in it.  Heaven knows there were a few lectures during my years and years of schooling where my mind drifted into pleasanter places!  It wasn't unusual for me...