The Plumbline

A prudent person sees trouble coming and ducks; a simpleton walks in blindly and is clobbered. (Proverbs 22:3) Some might equate 'prudent' to being "street-wise". The individual who is prudent has learned who and what can be trusted, when each needs to be put to practical use, and what can be counted on to deliver the best results. There is another definition of the prudent man or woman: thrifty or frugal. I guess this might be why the word is used in this passage - it is kind of like a prudent person who is streetwise knows when to expend their energies and when to let things go because the energies expended will just be way too much! A simpleton is just an ignorant, silly or foolish person; what some may call a numskull. It really points out the way the simpleton works - with his or her brain asleep! This is a direct contrast to how the prudent operates - for the prudent is always on alert. There is something quite dangerous about letting one's mind be l...

If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open. (James 1:5) I used to pray a whole lot of 'open-ended' prayers. I would just ask God to move - not really all that specific in my requests. I found it didn't lead to a very deep relationship between us. Think about it - if you had a close friend and never talked about anything but the weather or the stock market trends, would your relationship grow any deeper? Not likely. You might be 'up to speed' on current issues, but never really learn what the other needs. There is something about being transparent with each other that helps us develop that depth.  This kind of depth requires an ability to put th...