A Little Self-Control Please

If you find honey, eat just enough—
   too much of it, and you will vomit.
Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house—
   too much of you, and they will hate you.
"Like a city whose walls are broken through
   is a person who lacks self-control. 
                                      (Prov 25:16-17,28 NIV)

Most of us probably lose "it" from time to time. From time to time, most of us, probably over indulge. For some it may be eating; for some sleeping too much; or watching television when they have chores or other work to do. Some may lose self-control and not know when to hold their tongue when talking about others or themselves. Some "lose it" in the area of anger management. We don't always do what we ought to be doing. For whatever reason, we feed our habits, by over-indulging. Most of the time, we can excuse ourselves, saying it doesn't hurt anyone but me. But, when we use that excuse we are usually lying not only to others; but, to ourselves. Whatever we do does affect the people around us.

Losing self-control opens us up to attacks; attacks that we cannot fully protect ourselves from. It's kind of like getting drunk, passing out, and having a robber come into your home to take what is yours. Or, if your mouth runs too much you set yourself up for blackmail or lawsuits. Or... you could simply be setting yourself up to look like a fool and any opportunities for your future may be lost.

The Proverbs of Solomon remind us to maintain self-control by observing the rule of moderation. "If you find honey, eat just enough—too much of it, and you will vomit. Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house—too much of you, and they will hate you." 

When I was very young we lived in military housing. My husband worked mostly days while I worked an evening shift. Some of the neighbors took to visiting me every morning for coffee. I enjoyed having the company, at first, since I was so far from home. But, after awhile the visits got longer and longer. Consequently, I would run out of time to get the household chores done. I didn't know how to tell them that they should stop this habit. Frankly, they had worn out their welcome. Finally, my husband came home for lunch one day and they were still there. He handed out cleaning supplies to the women and asked them to help get things done there if they were going to be sitting around all day. They got the hint. Coffee time was reduced to once or twice a week and only for one cup of coffee...

There is a time and place for everything. Give everything its time and place. Self-control will help greatly in achieving all that you must or desire to do.

Think about it... What if Jesus did not have self-control? Would he have been able to wait in the Garden of Gethsemane that night knowing that he would be taken to trial and crucified the next day? His disciples, his friends, asleep, while He waited to be bound and taken to his execution. Where would you and I be today? In whom or what would our hope lie, if Jesus had run away? 

We are not Jesus. Most of us probably "lose it" from time to time. It is not an easy thing to maintain self-control all of the time. But, losing it is not a good thing. Like a city whose walls have been broken through, those who cannot or will not exhibit self-control will be overcome. 

But, the Spirit of Christ who abides in you, has the power to overcome all evil. Stand firmly then, trusting in the abiding Christ, to overcome all temptation to over-indulge in those things which will be harmful to you and others.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Free To Serve

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
                             (Gal 5:1, 13 NIV)

When we are children we can barely wait to be free from our parents' watchful eyes and their control. Family can be a burden and so often divorces happen because one or both partners blame the other for the lack of personal freedom that they have. If we find ourselves working in a position that we really do not enjoy; we cannot wait to find another one and be free from the burdens and restrictions of the present one. There are so many things in this world that we would like to be free from. 

Sadly, many times the reason we want to be free from parents or other responsibilities is because we want to indulge our own personal desires; so-called pleasures of the world, and we simply cannot fully indulge them when we have commitments to others.

St. Paul reminds us that we have indeed been set free in Christ. We have been set free to be a child of God. As a child of God, we would truly desire to serve God, our Father, even as Jesus did. We will not use our freedom to indulge our weaknesses; our self-serving desires. We will use our freedom to freely serve one another humbly in love. 

May God help us to use our freedom to more fully love Him and one another.

God's Peace - Pr. Judy

Listen!

Listen to the words of Proverbs 1:28-33 (NIV)

“Then they will call to me but I will not answer;
they will look for me but will not find me,
since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the Lord.
Since they would not accept my advice
and spurned my rebuke,
they will eat the fruit of their ways
and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.
For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them;
but whoever listens to me will live in safety
and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

Listen!  Listen, to the proverbs Solomon! Listen! Listen, to wisdom speak!

There is a reason for the all of the exclamation points.  Listening to wisdom, learning the way in which we should go is imperative to our health and happiness, our peace and even our prosperity.  Alas, it seems that every generation insists on learning from their own mistakes instead of listening to the lessons learned in previous generations. 

Have you ever had to deal with someone who is going in a mighty wrong direction? They are headed to a life lived alone. Boxed in by their own greed, selfishness, envy, laziness, attractions to those things that will destroy them. It may be because they are so busy trying to find personal happiness they have shut the door to the rest of the world. They have shut the door on honest, healthy relationships with God and with their others around them. And.. it is in Godly relationships that we will find happiness. We will find peace. We will find joy. But, those who travel in their own righteousness seem to know best. They will go it alone. They will travel their own path. You may well be told that it is none of your business. They have the right to live life in the way they choose. That they are hurting no one. They are unable to acknowledge that they are not really living life - at least not an abundant life. They fail to see that the path that they have chosen is truly hurting people, even society around them.  If you're going to indulge in something, indulge in the abundant life that God would have you live. Live life in Christ!

Sadly, so many children are being led astray by adults with so little Godly wisdom. They, too, are doomed to live lives filled with one calamity after another, one disaster after the last. They are taught to reject the knowledge and wisdom that will guide them to fruitful lives filled with joy and peace.

Do not hate knowledge, but grasp it. Hold on to it. Let the knowledge that the LORD would provide you with guide you in all that you say and think and do.
 

Listen! Listen and live life, well!

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

The Lack Of Love Will Destroy You

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. (Gal 5:13-15 NIV)

I have been around for awhile and I have seen it all too often. I have witnessed those who know that they have been set free, by the blood of Christ, to love and to serve God as well as one another; bite one another to fulfill their personal desires. I have seen people climb the ladder of success on the backs of others. I have heard lies to make oneself look good (even like a victim) in order to get ahead of others; even as they destroy the lives of others under false pretenses. And, sadly, this getting ahead isn't usually even getting ahead very far in this world. It is merely to satisfy some selfish motivation to make oneself feel better about oneself (feed one's own ego) or to look better in the eyes of someone they hope to impress for whatever reason. 

Take heed and listen to the words of St. Paul to the Galatians: "'Love your neighbor as yourself.' If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each others."

God help us to learn to serve one another humbly in love.

God's Peace - Pr. J