Don't act foolishly

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. (Ephesians 5:15-17)

How can we 'be careful' in our living? The most important thing is to not live like the fools do. What exactly makes for 'foolish behavior'? Any behavior that reveals a total lack of sense, especially when we compare that behavior and its outcome with the scripture. Perhaps this is why God reminds us to put some thought into our behavior. We need to consider our actions - ill-considered actions usually result in poorer results. What we use to 'consider' our actions is important, though. We need the wisdom that comes from the scriptures and the guidance of God's Spirit within us - without that we are flying solo!

To understand what God wants us to do, there are some key things we must incorporate in our daily living:

1. Pray about it - don't just launch it out there and ask God to bless it, then walk away. We need to take time to consider the wisdom of the actions we are about to take and the words we are about to speak. As we pray, we need to listen. The conversation is two-way. When we cut God off, we are living like the fool.

2. Explore what the Word of God has to say - learn from the examples given to us. It is not wise to repeat mistakes others have already made! We can see so many lessons from the life stories that have been recorded for us in scripture. We need to take in God's Word, letting it roll around in our brains a while until it actually begins to assure us of the right actions to take. 

3. Use wise counsel - this is why we need close friends who are also listening intently to the voice of God. We probably don't want to take the counsel of others who are not following Christ because their wisdom is not put through the test of God's Word. We need to be cautious about the voices we listen to for our 'advice' in life - the wrong advice can have us spiraling out of control pretty quickly.

Last, but not least, we need to be sure we remain current with God. That means we need to recognize when we haven't made right choices, repent, and get back on the right track as quickly as possible. The fool will overlook the importance of allowing God to convict him. The power of conviction is often what gets us to consider our course, make the necessary corrections, and get going in the right direction once again. Just sayin! 

Not at 100% yet

In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins. (2 Peter 1:5-9)

How many things can we say we really make every effort to develop in our lives? I played guitar for a while, but I never made an effort to become very good at it. I did some jewelry making in high school, but it never continued once I was out of school. I did a little leather working, but that too fell by the wayside. I went to Bible College, but never pastored a church. It did open a door in my heart to a deeper study of the Word of God, though. There are some things we 'pursue', but never really 'finish', while there are others we desire to finish well, no matter the cost. Let your faith be one of those things that you 'finish well', no matter the cost.

Godliness doesn't 'just happen' - it is a lifelong pursuit, complete with our stumbles and bumbles, ups and downs, and renewed commitments all along the way. Faith is 'built upon' all throughout our lives. We may not ever get to the point where we feel like it is 100% complete - but we never give up on learning the lessons of faith God wants to teach us along the way. We have been cleansed from a life of sin - but we don't always live like we are! We have begun the walk, but we haven't finished it yet. Grow in God - faith leads to a set of different choices (moral excellence being the pursuit). 

As we discover what God says to us in his Word, we begin to see that our lives need to be affected at a very deep level by those standards he has laid out so carefully for us. As we learn to make right choices one-by-one, we discover there are also 'wrong choices' we make along the way. We learn to bring those wrong one to him and seek his renewal and restoration as we repent of our sins. Then we might just discover the wrong ones were made because we didn't embrace what God told us in the first place - so we take that knowledge and use it to allow change to come in our heart and minds.

Growth requires incremental change. I think we get a little confused on that one - believing that coming to Christ brought about all the change we will need in this lifetime. Evil still abounds around us - we must choose moral excellence each time we are confronted by it. Self-control must guide our actions, and sometimes we even need to experience a little 'godly endurance' through all the upheaval and chaos that evil brings into our lives. The struggles don't end - there is just a different way of dealing with them, walking through them, and coming out on the other side of them. It is this closeness of relationship with Jesus that makes the difference. Just sayin!

You here for me?

No way out - or at least that is what you begin to sense. We all come to those moments when we just cannot see the tree for the forest. Life throws daunting obstacles our way, some of which we can successfully maneuver, while others just trip us up - especially those we call temptations or the pull toward conduct that is unbecoming or downright wrong. We actually need another to come alongside, to take us by the hand, and to help us see the way 'out' of our troubling path, but we can resist this helping hand at times, either out of shame, pride, or anger. What we give up by not taking their help could just be the one thing we need most in order to move past some of the worst times in our lives.

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important. (Galatians 6:1-3)

It is quite easy to be 'overcome' - things getting the better of us without us even noticing. Rarely do we set out with the purpose of indulging in some sinful behavior at the beginning of the day, but along comes the struggle a bit later, and it may just be that the 'internal conflict' with knowing what is right and actually doing what is right become real. At that moment, we can all give into the temptation or resist it, but if we choose to give in, be assured the guilt or shame that follows can almost be our undoing. That is why we need others in our lives - to help us with gentle reminders of God's grace and small 'pushes' to get us back on the right path.

Sharing each other's burdens is actually a very 'spiritual' thing to do. We may think we don't need anyone to help us with those burdens, but nothing could be further from the truth. We don't even know the weight of the burden - how it is affecting our mental, emotional, physical, relational, and spiritual health. We just stumble along under it, thinking it will 'get better' somewhere down the road. I have news for each of us - a longer path doesn't mean there will be healing at the end of it! It just means we walk under the burden for a while longer than we really have to. 

None of us likes to admit we struggle, fall short of the mark, or simply cannot get the 'wrong thoughts' out of our minds or hearts. There is something powerful about another actually 'seeing' the influence of those thoughts, laying it out there for us to see, and then reassuring us that they are there to help us walk through to the other side, isn't there? If you resist that help, it is likely you will not resist the temptation to engage in the wrong behavior once again somewhere else just down that path. Take the offered hand and see what a difference it makes to have another help with finding the right path once again. Can you do that? Just askin!

Do our choices matter?

You, Lord, are my choice, and I will obey you. With all my heart I beg you to be kind to me, just as you have promised. I pay careful attention as you lead me, and I follow closely. As soon as you command, I do what you say. Evil people may set a trap, but I obey your Law. Your laws are so fair that I wake up and praise you in the middle of the night. I choose as my friends everyone who worships you and follows your teachings. Our Lord, your love is seen all over the world. Teach me your laws. (Psalm 119:57-64)

The concept of choice is all around us. With so many choices existing today, no wonder we have such a hard time deciding things on occasion. Nothing is harder than making selections when you have so many choices, even when we know exactly what we want. Isn't it good to know the choices in terms of our salvation and daily existence are clear - there is but ONE way to God and that is through his Son, Jesus. There is but ONE God we must obey. There is but ONE God who asks for our worship. Don't get me wrong - the world puts a whole lot of choices out there for us - but there is only ONE correct choice! All others are "look alike" choices, but they just aren't the real deal!

When we make God our first and ONLY choice, the natural outcome is the desire to obey what he asks of us. It may seem a little contrary to what comes naturally to us, and that is because it is contrary to our tendency to look for the "variety" in choices we have all around us. God's way is clearly marked out, and it is a pretty defined way - one way in, one way to stay on course, one way to our destination - eternity spent in his presence. The idea of obedience is more than just doing what you are asked, though. It is doing what you know to be right - even when no one is asking or watching!

Obedience begins in being careful to direct our attention away from all which distracts us and maintaining our focus. Sometimes we need to rely upon "running the list" in our minds a little in order to focus on the stuff God wants us to keep in the forefront of our minds. What is in the forefront is often what we give focus to - so figuring out how to keep what he wants there and limiting the input he doesn't is paramount to obedience. Obedience is aided by those we select as companions in our journey. When we choose friends wisely, the journey is made easier. Why? The choices also concern them - they want to make the right choices, as well. We act as "reminders" to each other as to the determination to make the right choices. Maybe this is why so many groups exist to help people stay "focused" on their goals such as losing weight as a member of Weight Watchers, staying sober as a part of an AA group, or even staying physically fit by being part of a spinning class.

What do we choose to get into our minds? God's plan is for us to be rightly related to him first, rightly related to others second, and then to allow the Word to get into us so we know how to live "right" within our relationships. You will always hear me commenting about the importance of getting the Word of God into our lives. It is the ONE thing which will help us maintain focus and be there when we are faced with choices to veer off-course. It is the ONE thing which can settle the troubled mind. It is the ONE thing which can guide our decision-making when so many choices exist for us in this world today. Obedience is a matter of choice. Choice is a matter of clarity - knowing our focus. Have the right focus - make the right choices. Just sayin!

Life Hack #31: Throttle Down on the Control Factor

Life Hack #31: 

Your life is not your own - it is merely on loan. Life choices may be made in haste, but the consequences will be around a long time to come. In the movie, "Rebel Without a Cause", a bunch of emotionally confused and morally rebellious youth reveal absolute defiance against all authority and repeated "bad choices". The truth portrayed in the death of a best friend is really a reminder to all that without warning life can turn upside down. Today's choices will affect more than today's outcomes. Rebel a little here and there, repeat the behavior, and before long, you are living a life that is really not close to God at all.

Fear God, dear child—respect your leaders; don’t be defiant or mutinous. Without warning your life can turn upside down, and who knows how or when it might happen? (Proverbs 24:21-22)

Most of us would not classify our 'rebellion' as outright defiance - that open discontent with someone or something, or outright daring and bold resistance to it. Ever heard anyone say, "I may be sitting down on the outside, but I am standing up on the inside"? They are being a little rebellious or defiant to some authority. Our 'rebellion' may not be "open", or outright bold, but is just as damaging to our character! Inward defiance is dangerous, for it sets down roots and begins to grow until it eventually finds a way of becoming expressed in our actions and attitudes.

Rebellion brings into play the questioning of traditional beliefs or norms. A rebel resists control by anyone other than himself. There is no desire to 'conform' inwardly or outwardly. A rebel seeks to take over control - to assume the authority belonging to another - because he believes he can do it better. Our list of "life hacks" has been long, but all are important. We must have a sound foundation for interpersonal relationships, a right respect for authority, and a proper focus on the one who really matters deals with the tendency of our heart to resist control. 

Our 'hacks' began with the idea of "tested principles" by which, when embraced, we will come to live "accountable" lives. If you look back at these principles, you will see a tie between how we treat others and ourselves being directly linked to the respect we give to God in our lives. If we won't submit to his authority as primary, all these sayings are merely that - sayings. If we take his authority as that which is the only one worth submitting to, we are on our way to developing a strong foundation for living thoroughly accountable lives.

We end with the attitude of heart and mind which reflects our own desire to be in control! It is a dangerous thing to hold onto the reins of our life so tightly that we become "rebels" and "deviants". Our lives will be turned upside down if we continue to hold so tightly to our own ways of doing things - the need to be in control overriding all sense and sensibility. Authority is evident all around us and what we choose to do with it matters. How we choose to submit, or resist is determined not in the immediacy of the moment, but in the "set" of the heart and mind in the long term. When our heart is right with God, we find rebellions against authority (even his) are a little more difficult. Focus determines heart direction - stay focused on Jesus and your heart's tendency toward rebellion and deviance will soon begin to have less pull in your life. Just sayin!

A bit of contrast needed

Get wisdom—it’s worth more than money; choose insight over income every time. The road of right living bypasses evil; watch your step and save your life. First pride, then the crash—the bigger the ego, the harder the fall. It pays to take life seriously; things work out when you trust in God. A wise person gets known for insight; gracious words add to one’s reputation. (Proverbs 16:16-18, 20-21)

Contrast is the tool by which life responses are often evaluated. Pride enters, destruction is close on its heels. Haughtiness results in a fall; humility results in an increase in one's life. Pride or haughtiness are set out as "wrong" paths for our life. Wisdom and insight are presented as better than all the wealth we could accumulate. Trusting in God and listening to wise instruction outweighs doing things our own way (creating a 'history' we may regret). God commends the wise, because they have come to the place of doing more than appreciating good teaching - they embrace it, putting it into application and then seeing the results of its application born out in the reputation they form. Two paths may lead to the same destination - but only one is right. Contrasts are set forth in order to get us to evaluate our choices.

Pride comes through in so many ways, does it not? Wherever there is an inordinate amount of "self-esteem" or conceit, things are surely not going to turn out well. Delight or some form of elation over some action we have performed, a possession we come to own, or a relationship we enter into can turn from simple pleasure to a moment of "prideful" display quicker than we can bat an eye. How do we guard against allowing pride to taint what God intends as good things within our lives? By listening to instruction and learning to trust in God. When we first begin to listen with the intention of applying instruction, we are learning to pay attention to things so as to "heed" the instruction. We want to "catch" what is being taught - not just make good notes we can keep in a journal we will allow to gather dust over time. When we are listening, we can be led. When we are obeying his leading, we are prospering. When we learn from him, our lives are secure. When we rely on his ability, our ability seems way too limited and untrustworthy. When we are good students of the precepts he teaches, our lives become strong and flourishing. All action is based in trust, all trust is reinforced by action.

We just need a little discretion in our actions - a little caution before we act. God is trying to teach us to make responsible decisions - by learning to separate one choice from another. God's plan is to help us see one choice and its outcome versus another choice and its consequence. Not every thought needs to be spoken; not every action needs to have a counteraction. We have to learn the caution we should exhibit in both our speech and action. The contrast of wise words and those of a fool involves the "flavor" of the words and the "effect" they lend to the relationship. Kind words are like honey, bringing energy to the relationship. Unkind words diminish the energy within the relationship. An empty stomach is a powerful motivator, isn't it? I wonder if we'd say the same thing about an empty spirit? Does it motivate us to become students at the feet of Jesus, eager to embrace what he teaches and in taking it in, find nourishment for our souls and delight for our spirit? We might take a gamble on the outcome of our pursuits if we are unclear about what it is we are pursuing. The most important question we can ask is not "what" we are pursuing, but "who" we are pursuing. 

If our eyes are inwardly directed, we are likely pursuing things which will tickle our fancies. If our eyes are outwardly directed, we are likely to pursue things which will please others around us but may totally leave us feeling unfulfilled. If our eyes are upwardly directed, we now enter a different plane of action - we move from self-direction or other-direction to divine-direction. To gain wisdom, apply knowledge. To grow strong, exercise your knowledge. To impact your actions, understand where they are based. Contrasts set forth in order to help guide our steps and to keep us safe. Contrasts show us the differences between one thing and another - one action over another; one bit of "heard" knowledge over one bit of "applied" knowledge. Opposites are presented because they speak the loudest. Just sayin!

Well-rooted and bearing our own fruit

A sensible person wins admiration, but a warped mind is despised. Better to be an ordinary person with a servant than to be self-important but have no food. The godly care for their animals, but the wicked are always cruel. A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies has no sense. Thieves are jealous of each other’s loot, but the godly are well rooted and bear their own fruit. (Proverbs 12:8-12)

Good sense or sound judgment seem to fly out the window on some occasions. There you are, sailing right along and then all of a sudden, wham! You come smack dab up against a moment of decision, letting all your good sense fly right out the window, and you are smack-dab in the middle of a muddle you have created. When this happens, we may not think too much about it because we all fall prey to getting a little distracted, or just not thinking before we act. If this becomes the way we always live life - we begin to think our "sensibility" is a little warped - we might even say we begin to wonder if we don't even put to use the good sense our God gave us! Everyone admires someone who seems to operate in the realm of using their "good sense" - but when we encounter someone who cannot even use the good sense they were given, we might actually begin to see their actions as repulsive, or worse yet, we see the person as repulsive.

See that obedient person? Their decisiveness and wise actions just lead us to "marvel" at their obedience and quick judgment. On the other hand, see the individual who seems to not even use the good sense God gave them, and we might find ourselves looking down on them with a little bit of what scripture refers to as contempt. We are really saying we see their "value" as decreased by the 'not so great' decisions they are making. This is a very dangerous road to trod. Our "value" is not determined by our choices - it might look a little tarnished by the wrong ones we have made, but it doesn't decrease the value of an individual. Senses are really tools of awareness. When we use our senses, we have a discerning awareness and appreciation of the situation. It is the ability of our minds to make effective application of truths we know in response to what it is we are becoming aware of as it unfolds before us. You don't really think about putting the brake on when you see a car begin to fishtail in front of you - you just do it because you begin to "sense" there will be danger if you don't. The adrenaline begins to pump throughout your body, and you go into this immediate response mode because you sense the danger ahead BEFORE you experience it fully. Senses give us the ability to grasp or comprehend the moment. They become motivating because they enhance our awareness of either danger or good.

Since senses are closely related to perception, when they get a little out of touch with reality or "warped" by our "ignorance", we are in dangerous territory. Senses can be "twisted" out of shape, both by inaction and by wrong action. When we don't respond to the "sense" of danger, we might just head into dangerous circumstances totally oblivious to what is coming our way as a result. Probably one of the easiest ways for our senses to get "twisted" or "dulled" is when there is distraction in our lives. There are times when we allow what we once believed to be true to be "twisted out of shape" because of the influences of others, or even the lack of apparent consequences when we did not get "caught" by our own misdeeds. The Lord gave us our senses - he expects us to use them. One thing which might just interfere with us using our "good senses" as we should is our pride. Pride keeps us from making rational decisions on occasion. When pride keeps us from making the right decisions, we fall into temptation easier, sometimes even more frequently, and eventually the irrational, or wrong decisions become the "norm" rather than the occasional happening. Pride also has a way of driving away the people who can help us make rational decisions and draws those closer to us who are going to operate in the realm of irrational decisions. Surround yourself with good company and you probably tend to lean toward using better judgment - the opposite is true, as well.

Fruit might actually be influenced by the amount and frequency of good sense we exercise in life. Think of good sense as the absence of a stubborn decision-making pride - good fruit can be more easily grown when there is a teachable spirit within. Pride definitely hinders having a teachable spirit. Begin to think of good sense as the ability and willingness to make better choices. Our inattentiveness or distractibility might actually hinder our 'sensible' ability to comprehend the choices which are just in front of us. Just sayin!