The Plumbline

Mark a life of discipline - easier said than done.  What we often "mark" is the fact we are rather undisciplined characters, living as we like and then wondering why our choices have yielded less than desirable results.  Wisdom calls out - listen carefully.  One of the tell-tale signs of an undisciplined life is the inability or unwillingness to listen.  Blessing comes to those who live "awake" lives - those who are alert and responsive to the Lord.  Now, this all said, just how much of our lives do we actually live "alert" and "responsive"? If we cannot say we do this more often than not, we are likely living rather undisciplined and opportunities pass us by without our notice. So, my dear friends, listen carefully;   those who embrace these my ways are most blessed.   Mark a life of discipline and live wisely;  don’t squander your precious life.   Blessed the man, blessed the woman, who listens to me,   awake and ready for me each mo...

Some of us embrace the fullness of life and then some of us are "squandering" the fullness life could have, aren't we?  There are even times when we are gung-ho about seeking all life has to show us, while there are others when we'd just as soon "check-out" for a while and resume this whole thing called life just a little later on when things calm down a little.  It is only natural to be "all in" sometimes, and then pull back a little at others - we are not gonna always be giving life our 100%, right?  Sometimes we just need to escape!  I wonder if there is important stuff we miss out on when we are "checked-out", though?   So, my dear friends, listen carefully;  those who embrace these my ways are most blessed.   Mark a life of discipline and live wisely;  don’t squander your precious life.   Blessed the man, blessed the woman, who listens to me,  awake and ready for me each morning,  alert and responsive as I start my day’s wo...

32-36  "So, my dear friends, listen carefully;    those who embrace these my ways are most blessed. Mark a life of discipline and live wisely;    don't squander your precious life. Blessed the man, blessed the woman, who listens to me,    awake and ready for me each morning,    alert and responsive as I start my day's work. When you find me, you find life, real life,    to say nothing of God's good pleasure. But if you wrong me, you damage your very soul;    when you reject me, you're flirting with death." (Proverbs 8:32-36) Wisdom, in the book of Proverbs, represents not only a characteristic we develop, but a person - the person of Jesus Christ.  The very life of Christ was a display of wisdom by which we can pattern our daily walk.  Our writer spent the first eight chapters of this book reminding us of the importance of choosing wisdom over any other action.  If so...