Idleness Destroys The Home

By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through. (Eccl 10:17 KJV)

I was raised to appreciate the opportunity to work and accomplish something. I learned to actually enjoy working as most Saturdays and many evenings were filled with the whole family taking care of household chores. We were doing things together. When chores were being done no one was alone in doing it. No one was sitting on the couch or taking a nap while others took care of things that needed to be done to keep the home and any other property in good condition. We kept the house going as a family.

Both of my parents worked hard to provide for all of us and to teach us to do the same. My mother, especially, had her ideas of how to take care of a home. We never went to bed with dirty dishes in the sink. Bedding was washed every week if not every other week and; yes, after we took them off of the clothes line outside we even ironed sheets and pillow cases. Our home was always clean. The lawn was always mowed in the summer and sidewalk shoveled in the winter. I learned to plant a garden, to fish, to gather wild fruits, mushrooms, and greens and then to preserve what could be canned. I was taught that it takes much work to have things. I was also taught it would take manual labor to maintain those things. All of this takes time and effort. 

I have learned over the years that amassing too much stuff may take more time and effort than one actually wants to spend on maintaining the stuff. Sometimes, purchasing things we don't need to live on kills the opportunity to actually live life. 

In the end we must count the cost of actually having stuff that we don't need and won't want after we have it for a short while. Is it worth working endless hours to pay off an expensive cell phone when an Android will do the job?  And, if we commit to purchasing and making payments on frivolous stuff will we be able to afford to fix the vehicle that gets us to work to buy the things we actually need to survive?

There is much work to be done just to survive. Slothfulness will not get you very far. In the end everything that you have that you so desired will be lost when you cannot afford to take care of it or after you decided that naps are more preferred than taking care of the property that you have been blessed with. 

The destruction of a home from laziness does include more than the physical property. Consider how not caring for and tending to relationships will also destroy the home. Relationships not tended to will rot away. They will fall when they are not taken care of. 

May we all be filled with a desire to be good stewards of all that we have so that we might produce fruits to the glory of God. 

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Gentle Words

"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." (Prov 15:1 NIV)                                                                                                                                           Humanity really seems to enjoy arguments, divisions, even wars. Maybe that is not so true. Maybe it is only that we like to have be the ones who are always right; always better than the next person; always the one to have the last word. Are we as a species addicted to living in drama? Because being number one all of the time leads to just that: drama!

Sometimes, it is necessary to not even disagree with someone that you know is totally off the planet wrong; but, to keep your lips zipped. Don't say a word. Smile. Walk away. Let things calm down before you attempt to resume the conversation if ever you even need to resume the conversation.

It is not necessary to belittle others with harsh words. It is more necessary to get along or walk away for your sake and for the sake of everyone around you. 

Harsh words stir up anger. Anger stirs up hate and contempt. Hate and contempt kills not just bodies; but, the soul as well.

May God grant us gentle tongues and gentle spirits.

God's Peace - Pr. J

I Am Is Who He Is

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." Isa 7:14

The incarnation of God, as foretold by Isaiah, as foretold by Isaiah is not such a great mystery as some would make it out to be. Jesus; after all, is God. God can do what He pleases. He created the heavens and the earth with His Word. He confused the language of the people at Babel. He brought the Israelites out of bondage to Egypt. The list of the awesome works of God goes on and on.

God can do whatever He wants when He wants. He is God! He wanted to save the whole world from ourselves so He came to earth, born as a baby in a barn, so that He could walk in our shoes. As true man, He faced the same temptations as we face and overcame them. For about thirty-three years, He lived life as one of us so that when He was killed by us, He might also save us by His death and by His resurrection.

Many say this is a great mystery. But, just because we can't comprehend every detail of the incarnation of God does not mean it is a great mystery. A mystery is something that we have to figure out. We don't have to figure anything out. It is as plain as the noses on our faces. God is God. He is who He is. He can do anything and all things. That is not a mystery. It is also not supposed to be a secret. So, go and tell. Go and tell the world that our Savior, Jesus the Christ, who is God incarnate, has come to set us free to be His own beloved children.

God's Peace - Pr. J