Shining His Glory

Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger; hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider. Proverbs 27:13

Last week, we weeded our gardens and found a mess of easy and difficult roots to pull. This week, imagine going back over the more healthy plants and giving a careful eye to the deeper issues surrounding any stunted growth. Pull back the decaying leaves and notice baby shoots from good foliage underneath trying hard to spread their new green growth. Trim the old to allow the new to come forth.

One way to do this is to heed the verses in Prov. 27. For today’s verse, imagine a man who irresponsibly and rashly loans money to a stranger. This is not the kind of person with whom I want to do business. There are those who would borrow as much as they could, and then make excuses to repay.

We must make room for new growth in our lives by wisely refusing to make deals with those who lend money to wasters. Foolish lending is harmful to the borrower, to the lender and to his family. The lack of carefulness in taking on another’s debt is foolish, and warns of the likelihood of further bad judgments in the future (lost credibility). I would have little confidence in the success of any agreement between two such souls.

When Proverbs was written, a man would take the garment of a person who owed him money (his garment was what kept him warm). The lender did this as a pledge for his security (a way to make sure the debtor paid him back). Doing so would promote wisdom in his decisions and would keep himself and his family from being wiped out.

I know a wise man who, years ago, carefully lent money to two people, but his dealings with each were different. The first man borrowed only $5.00, but the wise man constantly hounded him to pay it back. The second man borrowed $100.00, yet as the weeks went by, the wise man said nothing about payment. When asked about this, he said concerning the first man, “He is a freeloader, lazy and wasteful who conveniently ‘forgets’ to pay even the smallest debt.” Of the second man, he said, “I have no doubt he will pay back what he borrowed.“

It takes time to learn how to be a responsible lender. A reckless lender must come to understand his foolishness of loaning to imprudent people. But WHY would anyone supply careless strangers with their own hard earned resources? I might never be this stupid, but the reasons behind the actions may be something to which I can better relate.

Perhaps the lender imagines himself popular and approved by the people that hang on him for their overflow of needs. Maybe he sees himself as a rich benefactor or even a Christ-like giver who can brag on his ability to give away so much. He cares what people think of him. That matters more than truly caring about those he lends to. It matters more to him than the desire to do what is best for the other person and not just what feels good.

There are times when I foolishly compromise and give away something of myself for the sake of my reputation or approval. In so doing, I am not thriving at all and they aren’t either.

Then there are the situations in which a person continues to take on other people’s loads (thinking they are ‘serving’ them in godly obedience). In reality, they are enabling bad habits.

Perhaps this lender is simply too tired from listening to the stranger’s pleas for help, which makes it hard to do the right thing, even though he intellectually knows it will not end well.

Such struggles remind me of the tired mom whose weariness prevents her from disciplining her kids, the hungry eater who indulges in just one more bite of food to calm his mind, the restless person who sits in a funk all day unable to lift a finger to do his work because his circumstances have robbed him of joy, or the out-of-control dad who falls for anger every time he gets riled up because anger and impatience are easier than taking the time to truly assess the situation in a level-headed manner.

All of these wrong choices are dangerous and dumb. The proverb is a warning for me about foolishness and how I must run from such responses and dealings.

What about my own foolishness? What pearls do I throw before swine (Matt. 7:6)? How do I toss away my talents on what is not good soil (Matt. 13:1-13)?

During the week, I had a day in which I was so weary I fell into sleepy ways: ‘just get through the day as best you can.’ I felt impatient for my problems to be solved and for the pesky projects or decisions of others to be over, as if these answers could have any control over easing my life or bettering me as a child of God. So, with my downhearted attitude I allowed the day to take me over. I foolishly gave in. So many things were drowning my desire and ability to get up and move for Christ. I needed to stop entertaining or giving into strangers (the enemies inside my head) that were pulling me into their wrong choices. I felt lulled into laziness, like I was taking my power (God’s power to act) and giving it to another.

At one moment, I finally regrouped, chose wisdom and declared Jesus as Lord. I prayed for the world and all others who were under attack from Satan and his cohorts. Within a few days the feelings dissipated and one week later there was not one struggle in the spiritual realm, though my current circumstances continued.

If my goal is to thrive in the life I live for the Father, I must stay on track with how He wants me to live, how He wants me to spend my time and who He wants me to join hands with. His reasons for what I do may have nothing to do with approval or popularity or even bad days of restless weariness. It may have more to do with His energy and power to move me forward in obedience, in tough love for the unhealthy borrower or in simple trust that He will provide the energy I need to be selfless.

Selflessness is a great word that reminds me to steer away from the need for approval from others (because I don’t want selfishness in my heart). When I praise God, it takes my mind off of self. Praising is an effective tool against the enemy and can set me back on my feet in power, even when God seems to be pushing me beyond myself.

But, doesn’t God want me to be me? What about who He made to be?

Whatever circumstances I feel are preventing my ‘personhood‘ from evolving, I use them to let God shine through me and make me stronger than ever before in what He is calling me to do for that moment (perhaps different than what my personality was made for or perhaps fanning the flames of my personality to be further used by Him IN the circumstance). In other words, if I was made loud and outgoing, and a situation came up that made me feel stifled, I could square my shoulders and use it to cheer others around me instead of complaining that the circumstance was hindering my ‘talents!’ If I was created shy and reflective and was in a situation that gave me very little space for myself, I could use it to put into practice what I had learned in previous quiet times. I could let God’s truths come alive in these moments. He can work throughout all of it and use it to shine His glory.

Father, help me to thrive to the glory of your name. Teach me how to think before I make rash decisions. Help me to come to you and pray about my choices that have to do with others. Show me how to refuse to do what is foolish. May my life be a way for you to shine your glory. In Jesus name, Amen.

Weeded Heart

The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. Proverbs 27:12

A familiar story came to mind this week concerning God’s ‘testing’ of Abraham in which he was to offer Isaac (his own son) on an altar (Gen. 22). Many friends and family tell me they could never have obeyed such a command.

Actually, I don’t think the story was about Abraham binding Isaac’s hands and feet as an offering as much as it was about Abraham metaphorically holding out his own hands and feet to God, to ready himself for his own ‘death’ to self. That’s what it would have taken for Abraham to willingly comply, even to God. God never intended for Isaac to die. He only wanted to know that there was nothing between them, not even the beloved son Abraham had waited for, for so long. In the end, God provided a ram for Abraham to offer instead of his son.

When there is ANYTHING between God and me, THAT is a danger to my soul. A wise man stands still as his prized possessions are carefully weeded out by the Lord’s careful hand, possessions that could close his ears to God’s voice and his heart to obedience.

The ‘weeds’ (things to which one attaches one’s self too strongly) could be anyone in one’s family or church or anything that captures one’s attention away from the Father.

All summer, I’ve been pulling weeds on my one acre lot. The work has kept me busy. I’ve pruned and cut and trimmed. It’s been hard work, but satisfying to see the beauty of my accomplishments.

As I pull up whole root systems that take hours to conquer, my mind is drawn to how God must feel when the process of change in me is complicated and dreadfully deep. My soul doesn’t want to let go. My soul clings to what it thinks will provide happiness or safety. In reality, the Lord knows what will endanger and harm me more than I do.

Other weeds in my yard, I’ve noticed, are extremely easy to uproot. That reminds me of the hard work the Father has given to my heart’s negatives for several long years. These traits will always try to return, but at this point, God gives a little tug and they yield freely to His gentle hand.

Such a dynamic is astonishing and miraculous and stirs in me a desire to be a prudent woman.

How is the prudent wise and the ‘simple’ so foolish that they keep holding onto their possessions and walking into the same snares and traps of the enemy of God again and again?

Let’s review what we’ve learned so far in Prov. 27:

The fool or simple person boasts about tomorrow, praises himself, overreacts, gets insanely jealous, insincerely compliments but never openly confronts or lovingly ‘wounds’ his friends. The fool is too full of self to be hungry for honey (righteousness), he strays from home, doesn’t care to give or take sweet advice, forsakes his friends in times of need and dishonors his father.

There is danger in continuing a life of laziness, anger, neglect and, also, pride.

Why do the foolish keep going in this direction?

Maybe doing so is thrilling or maybe they are bored. They may need to numb the pain felt on the inside. They may think that anything else is better than the bad they know, even if the consequences are terrible.

But the prudent fight for the good life they can have in Christ. They surrender their desires that would cause them to crave danger.

One beautiful day, I was running in my old neighborhood with my face glancing at the houses I passed by. At one point, the next thing I knew, I had tripped over a jagged piece of sidewalk and fell flat on my face. Bleeding and sore, I picked myself back up and kept running. The next time around, my eyes were fixed on the sidewalk (at that spot), not wanting to go through that again. I learned from my mistake.

The prudent learn to see past their impulsive choices and consider the outcome. They don’t simply live for a moment of pleasure or temporary relief from pain.

The prudent wisely and honorably learn from their blunders and escape much trouble. The simple continue doing the same thing they’ve been doing (foolish or lazy) and continue to be conquered by painful experiences.

Certainly, the situation someone is in isn’t the “problem,” though he may think so. What he does in wisdom or foolishness with the situation or temptation is the focus of today.

What does he see ahead? What will happen if he goes this way or that? He must think it through. Everything he chooses must be carefully and prayerfully weighed for its spiritual benefits or disadvantages.

Some follow the crowd into a pit even though they know the consequences. The benefit of being included is worth more than the wages of sin. Therefore, it is the mature (prudent) man who deeply considers his value in the eyes of God, knowing his acceptance in God’s family and not giving into a need to stray for want of companionship.

The wise soul doesn’t put off needed repairs or projects. He knows that procrastination will eventually worsen the cost and pain of the important jobs. His priorities are rearranged to take care of today’s need. The prudent worker takes time to rest and play and not lose his health. The wise mother cleans up a messy spill immediately and doesn’t wait until it dries and cakes onto the container, only to further complicate and extend her work.

If today the prudent is energetic and strong, he finds productive things to do with his energy instead of lazily watching the time pass him by.

Father God, your Bible is perfect and so good for me to hear every day of my life. Please weed my heart of things that cause me harm. Help me to be free of ruinous habits and negative traits. Help me to thrive in my life like a well-watered garden. Keep me from danger. Help me to be prudent and wise about my choices. In Jesus name, Amen.