The pot at the end of the rainbow...

I guess I should apologize to those of you that may have been keeping up with my daily Proverbs. I just totally got behind planning and attending one of the greatest trips ever (coming soon to a blog near you) and then planning and attending a stupid hurricane.

Well this evening I am writing to you in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. She has pretty much blown out of town and left behind a lot of water, a lot of leaves on the ground, and a significant bunch of road debris. Thankfully, she didn't do what the predictions said she would and so much of the expected damage never occurred.

One thing did occur that was totally expected. I read on Facebook, Twitter, and text messages of how friends and family were "preparing" for the storm by cooking an abundance of food. I am pretty sure as I watched my wife I began to see the connection. First of all, cooking is a great past-time. It takes your mind off of what is going on outside. You seem to feel like you're getting one over on Sandy if you can still use electricity to prepare several great meals. "We are not going to give in to your threats. You're not gonna make us eat raw hot dogs and cold canned beans." And then when you look at what I saw being cooked, roast beef and mashed potatoes, beef stew, biscuits and gravy, chocolate chip cookies, homemade chicken noodle soup, you pick up on the theme of comfort foods. Cooking them is one comfort, but eating them is a whole different level of comfort.

Well, like I said, the storm blew out and I got to experience a wonderful illustration of how the Lord works so many times in our life. There wasn't really a rainbow that I saw, but figuratively at the end of a storm there is a rainbow and at the end of the rainbow there is a reported pot of gold. For me and my family that pot, instead, was full of Comforting Chicken Noodle soup at Nana's house, along with warm bread, salad she had made, and fresh homemade pumpkin bread. Truthfully, God does seem to bless abundantly after each storm we go through, but as I looked at this evening and considered the threat this super-storm posed on all of us and our homes, a pot of gold could not have held a candle to this meal made with love, with all of us safely gathered around the table. What a blessed Perspective.  

Wisdom Cries...Hold your peace

Proverbs 17:28  Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

Mark Twain has been attributed with this quotable quote.

“It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt.”

That sounds pretty close to what we are reading here in the Bible. Some of you have made the pursuit of wisdom a true journey in your life and I thank you. Some of you won't even give it a shot. Well here is a tidbit to help those of you who believe wisdom is neither attainable or worth it. What's great is that if you can find it in yourself to just follow this one simple thought, you have taken a step in right direction and started this journey to a life of wisdom. 

It amazes me how folks think so much of themselves that, in their estimation, everyone else must think that much of them as well. We think that because it is our idea, it must be a good idea. Because it is my way, it must be the right way. Now as much as we both want to be treated that way, it just isn't true, nor is it practical. Maybe, just maybe, we should throttle back on the speaking and focus a bit more on listening. Most of you have probably never seen the telephone that I grew up with, but the end that you spoke into had 7 little holes to speak into and the listening end had something like 20. Let's learn from that and spend more time listening than speaking.

Wisdom Cries...Come and get me

Proverbs 16:16  How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!

Something interesting happened as I was typing the verse in. Yeah, I know I could copy and paste it from somewhere, but it helps me to connect with the verse if I type it. Anyway, as I was typing I inserted question marks where there are now exclamation points. Whoops! God, through His word, Wisdom, is not trying to bargain with you or even convince you to try it. He knows how important it is for you to get wisdom. He's not asking. He is telling me and you an absolute truth. Nothing trumps wisdom. All the wealth and possessions of Trump can't trump wisdom.

We are half of the way through the book. Is it starting to sink in? Can you at least begin to see what God has given us in this great book of the Bible? I would be a fool (and a liar) to tell you that I do not want gold or silver. I would also be a fool to make the getting of that gold and silver the thrust or emphasis of my life. Think about the exponential returns of getting wisdom. Getting wisdom, you will gain influence with people. You will make new friends. You will be a great decision maker. Wisdom will make you more valuable in every setting. Wisdom can set you up for a great life with possibly all that you want. Or not. Wisdom may help you see that life is simpler without all of the stuff and people and influence. Either way wisdom will have made your life better here. But that's not really the best part. Sure wisdom will help secure a better life here, but the wisdom that God is offering in His word will help you secure a better life for eternity. Gold is great, but it only helps living people. What do have 30, 40, 50, or 60 years left? Real wisdom never runs out. It has eternal benefits. Chase wisdom.  

Wisdom Cries...Answer softly

Proverbs 15:1  A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

Okay, how many of you have stood at the base of a tree looking up into the limbs, watching a hornet nest buzz with activity? Now, how many of you have not just wondered what it would be like to hit it with a rock or a stick? So, how many of you have been stung by a bee as it flees a collapsing home and spots you at the scene of the crime? That, my friends, is stirring up wrath. We all know the danger I just described, whether you have participated in such a risky behavior or not. So why would we do it?

You know what your words can do to someone. You know what buttons to push with some people. You know how harsh or sarcastic you are. Some of you may be saying, "Isn't this the pot calling the kettle black?" Well it's my blog so I can embarrass myself if I want to. I have spent too many years foolishly honing my sarcasm to a razor's edge. Let me be all of the proof you need. Think before you speak. Your words have incredible power to build up or tear down, bring hurt or bring healing. I pray that my journey toward wisdom has forever altered the way I communicate with people, but I still fall and suffer the consequences. I will leave you with this question. What has arguing, cussing, berating, and sarcasm truly gotten you? Wisdom says you can get better.  

Wisdom Cries...Die with hope

Proverbs 14:32  The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.


Death and taxes. Everyone knows, right off of the bat, what I am talking about. I am going to die. You are going to die. That sounds like a hopeless situation. Well, if you are trying to get out of it, it is. So since you can't avoid it, what if there were a way to make the most of it? There can still be hope. The Lord Jesus Christ rose from the tomb to provide hope for anyone willing to believe His gospel. I know it may be common to think that when you leave this life, you are just going back to dirt, or even coming back as something or someone else. Of course, there are many that believe in an afterlife or an eternity somewhere, but these all depend on some cosmic scale with good deeds on one side and bad deeds on the other and if the good outweighs the bad, then you get an eternity of bliss. My friend, that is no hope at all. How do you know? Even if you spend your entire life doing good things, your motives are all wrong. You are doing good things for others sure, but you're doing them for your own benefit. That is self-centered and selfish thinking. And so if your motives were able to be piled up on the scale also, where do you think they would go, which side?

Listen my friend, I have a hope in this life for the next. Yeah sure, I do good things, but not because I have to. My eternity isn't "riding" on my performance. My eternity is secure in the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. That way, because I love Him, I get to serve Him and others without any backhanded motives. I can't earn God's love or acceptance. I don't have to. You don't either. Stop trying to tip the scales in your favor. Jesus has already done that. You just need to believe in Him and who He is, the perfect Son of God, and confess your sin to Him. Ask Him for forgiveness. Quit worrying about where you might go when you die. You can settle that once and for all. There is hope and it is found in Jesus.

Wisdom Cries...Walk with wise men

Proverbs 13:20  He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

One of the things that I am most grateful for, aside from my wife and children, is the presence of wise men in my life. I have truly been blessed by some great men. I guess I was fortunate enough to realize early on, that I was not going to just happen to be the man God would want me to be. I have always been open to direction and help. It seems that may be a dying trait. Especially among males, the thought today is, "I've got this." It is a sign of weakness to accept advice and the cool thing is to disallow any leadership in your life. Well, thankfully, my life is full of wise men that I have gleaned and grown from over the years. Let me challenge you fellas, get with an older wiser man or more than one, and allow them to rub off on you. Respect their wisdom and experience and learn from it. Appreciate it and apply it to your life. Get over yourself and your pride. Let someone in. One thing I am sure you will find out is that you are not the man you think you are. You very well may be the man society thinks you are, but if you will invest some time with a wise man or two, you will see that society has it all wrong.

I must also say that because of the blessing of other men in my life, I had a desire to be the same for someone else. To mentor and be mentored is a very special thing. To mentor is to disciple and you can not do any better work than building people. Your most effective outlet with the gospel will be that close relationship where you can challenge and be challenged. Listen to wisdom, figuratively from this scripture and literally in your life, from other men.

p.s. Ladies, the same goes for you.

Wisdom Cries...Crown him

Proverbs 12:4  A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.

Boy I love this thought. I make no qualms about it...I married up. Now, I ain't (pardon my English) ugly, but I am still amazed after twenty years, at how someone like me could have ended up with a beauty like her. Oh I hear how pretty my wife is and it makes me smile because I agree, but what really puts wind in my sails is when I am reminded by others of how nice or considerate or sweet she is. The Bible calls that virtuous. Ladies, can I encourage you, for all the primping you do to the outside, primp inside. How beautiful a lady would be if she spent as much time before the Lord in prayer as she does before the mirror. Interesting how the writer uses the word picture, a crown, for it is the crown where all of the beauty of a king's character, royalty, and greatness culminates. I have never seen an ugly crown.

Moms and dads, believe me. I know how easy it is to dote all over your little girls. I have two. I have too. And I have to. They are stunning. I am not quite sure I did it completely right, but my wife and I really tried to keep a proper perspective of real beauty. The returns are coming back slowly but surely and I believe we have raised a couple of virtuous women. We told them how attractive they are and you need to do that, especially you Dad. If you don't, she will find someone else that will. But be sure to challenge her to exude beauty from within. It really is prettier. And as much as boys just want to see pretty this and gorgeous that, be sure to instill in them a real appreciation for the inner beauty, the virtue, that will one day make him look like a king.  

Wisdom Cries...Win souls

Proverbs 11:30  The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

Every movement, organization, or winning team has a strong recruiting policy. Without it, these entities would ultimately exhaust the resources and/or the people they depend upon. It is a principle that works. It has shown itself in every aspect of our living. The negative has also been made apparent. In the absence of recruiting, there is loss of efficiency, effectiveness, and energy. People's enthusiasm for the "cause" wanes. There is nothing like "young blood" to infuse new life into an established purpose.

In our post-modern day, the single greatest victory of the enemy seems to have taken place at the grass root level of recruitment. During lunch with a young man yesterday, listening to his defense of every other "way" to worship and serve God, I made the statement, "Political correctness has choked the gospel." While I know this to be true, we use a vast selection of other excuses to not be soul winners. To love God is to love His work. To love His work is to propagate it, or further it. If we truly desire to see Christ lifted up in our world today, then the only reasonable action to be taken isn't complain, retreat, or defer it to someone else. We promote everything we love in life, from grocery stores to doctors to web sites. Let's promote the Lord Jesus Christ. Tell someone about the great "experience" you had getting saved with the same enthusiasm you have when sharing the great experience at the newest restaurant in town. Invite someone to come with you to share in the blessings of great worship and fellowship with God's people. Distribute tracts with the same fervor as a volunteer handing out food to starving homeless people. It is that important for so many reasons, not to mention how wise it is.

Wisdom Cries...Walk uprightly

Proverbs 10:9  He that walketh uprightly walketh surely; but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.

Did you know there is no good reason for you to walk around looking over your shoulder to see who may be looking? That is of course, unless you have something to be unsure about, like untruth, deception, or impropriety that you are hiding. The smart way to live, Solomon says, is to be truthful and righteous (live rightly) at all times and you can live a life of real freedom, a life of confidence. I have found that when one is in secret sin, there is a difference in their countenance and behavior. They lack confidence. The funny thing is you/they think the secret has remained a secret, but the Bible is clear that ultimately that "secret" will be revealed.

As a driver that has enjoyed an added measure of speed at times, I have developed a "sixth sense" to detect police officers. I would like to say that I no longer need that, but I haven't arrived. Don't judge. Anyway, how many of you have been driving along, minding your own business and look in your rear view mirror to see an officer of the law following? What is your first reaction? I am sure many of you immediately take your foot off of the gas pedal before you even look at the speedometer. Why? Because, in the past you have been known to speed (translated not walking uprightly) and you now can not drive with confidence (translated surely). Wouldn't it be great to be able to drive comfortably and even live comfortably? Just do right. It will make for a confident life and a great night's sleep. As the old saying goes, "There is no pillow as soft as a clear conscience."

Wisdom Cries...Forsake the foolish and live

Proverbs 9:6  Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.

Pretty straight forward challenge from wisdom today...forsake the foolish. Let's see, how can I say this so it can be easily understood? How about, "Forsake the foolish and live." I know that sounds sarcastic, but this one is totally an obvious tidbit of advice. I am surrounded, and maybe you are to, by people that do not act their age. It's everything from teens whining like six year-olds to young adults more concerned with their high score than a job or education to supposed mature grown-ups leaving the home they have built, in search of a good time with someone else. I want to just shake some people and speak directly into their face, "Just stop it!" Stop seeking attention for yourself. Stop approaching life as a game to be won. Stop putting off responsibility. Stop assuming that everyone is here to take care of you.

I am encouraged as I meet with my college and career group at church, Connections. I am hopeful as I watch a generation known for its footloose and fancy-free life of care-free days, living it up because tomorrow they'll have to grow up. These guys get it, I believe, or at least they are trying. These will be the leaders. The verse says, the ones that live. They already live, live ahead of the pack. They are leaders, many times without followers. They are walking away from the foolishness while their friends and peers continue to waller.

Can I challenge you today? Forsake the foolishness of this world and society and go in the way of understanding. No matter your age, act it. Lead wherever you are, regardless of followers. That's what leaders do. They lead, even when no one is behind them. That's the way to live. Wisdom says so.

Wisdom Cries...Hear instruction and be wise.

Proverbs 8:33  Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.

I think that people today believe that if they were to look up "wisdom" in the dictionary, this would be the definition. It's not. Wisdom is a journey, not a destination. The road there, to wisdom, is instruction. This is a problem. In a day of relativism such as ours, everyone already knows "everything". Each of us knows what is best for ourselves and, many times, even for others. This has led us to be people who talk more than listen and as we have traveled so far down that path, folks are no longer teachable.

Abraham Lincoln said, "I don't think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday." That tells me that everyone of us should be open to instruction, no matter how young or old. To be unteachable is a sure sign of arrogance and immaturity at any age. There is a certain character attached to that one who remains teachable, a humility that accepts the wisdom and experiences of others without feeling the need to get the last word or to one-up someone. This is something that should be intentional in our life. Be mindful of what others around you may have to offer in the way of instruction. Do not be so quick to discount another's thoughts, feelings, or point of view. Just as there is something to be learned in every situation in our life, there is certainly something to be learned from every individual in our life. It would be the height of ignorance to learn no more. How ironic. If you think you know it all already, you are the furthest from wisdom.

Wisdom Cries...Let not thine heart decline

Proverbs 7:25  Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.

Well, for this series I wasn't looking to go all lexicon on anyone, but I could not let this one go by. The word here for decline in the Hebrew is satah, pronounced saw-taw', and it means to deviate from duty. This verse is specifically in the context of a young man following after a "harlot", but the over-riding thought can not be ignored. Whether by a girl or anyone else or anything else, we can't let our heart be deviated from duty.

Okay, think soldier of the cross. This isn't applicable to everyone, but as a born again believer, you are a member of the army of God. We have a directive given to us through the word of God and really the only weapon the enemy has against you is distraction, most call it temptation. The devil desires to make you deviate from the work God has commissioned you to. So, of all the pleas from Wisdom, this one is paramount. Notice, to deviate from your duty is to go astray, AWOL, absent without leave. As a soldier of the cross, it ought to be your highest honor to be vigilant, alert, on ready, and always on task. Be aware of the breeches in your defenses. Shore up the weak areas. Walk the perimeter and see where the work is needed. Do you need to concentrate more on Bible study? If certain temptations are getting you, you need to get some scripture to combat the enemy head on. If self is getting the best of you, buckle down on your prayer life. Submit yourself before God. Has the enemy distracted you from the fellowship of your local church? We are in play-off mode, especially here in the Baltimore area. Are you putting an athletic event with absolutely no eternal significance ahead of communing with the Heavenly Father and His people? Are you greedy or selfish with your money? You need to honor God with your substance. These, and many more, are places of attack of the enemy to make your heart decline, or deviate from your duty. I hesitate to put it in these terms because I am no legalist, yet the truth of the matter is that we do have some duties, responsibilities to carry out. Our faith needs to be known and will be known by our works, otherwise it is dead. Listen to the cry of wisdom...don't deviate from the mission.

Wisdom Cries...Go to the ant, thou sluggard

Proverbs 6:6  Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways and be wise.

We are at day six of our month-long journey through the book of Proverbs, or as it has been called, the book of wisdom. There is much about the acquisition of wisdom and knowledge in this book. There are a ton of practical pieces of advice. This is why I love this book, because when you converge these two attributes you come to some great points which should never be ignored. This is certainly one. Long story short, don't be lazy.

I do not know of a single time that laziness has served someone well. About as far back as I can remember, I had chores. I learned early that it was in my best interest to not be lazy. That sounds like a no-brainer. You get things accomplished. You get paid. You get promoted. You get a lot of things when you are not lazy. You get respect. Some of the people I admire most are those with exemplary work ethic. Here's one...you get food. The Bible makes it clear that even an ant, without someone standing over his shoulder petting his self-esteem or feeding him a steady stream of Tony Robbins motivational blah-blah, knows the connection between working hard and having food. The ant seems to understand that if he doesn't feed himself, he won't get fed. John Smith, the man credited with literally saving the Jamestown settlement, was also credited for telling the men, "If you don't work, you don't eat." That is certainly a wonderful truth, but it wasn't his, at least not originally. The Bible, God's word, said it first. Without getting too terribly political and hung up on domestic policy, I think we would do well, yet again, to get back to some sound wisdom that worked "back in the day" and stop enabling and supporting laziness. Either the job is below them or they are above the job, but the bottom line is, if your next meal depended on it, I am sure you would do it. Hard work built this country. It's kinda funny how no work will tear it down.

Wisdom Cries...Rejoice with the wife of thy youth

Proverbs 5:18  Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.

Let me just say right there and right now that I am so happy to be married. And what's more, I am glad that I got married at 22 years old. I am convinced that there is no more enjoyable, fulfilling, exciting, and fun relationship in all the world than a scriptural marriage relationship between a husband and a wife, and that for a lifetime. The book of Proverbs is a, rather the, book of wisdom and the book was written from a father who was the wisest man to live, besides Christ himself, and also the richest. He had experienced all of the thrills and adventures that power and prominence could bring a guy. History and the Bible tell us that Solomon left the monogamous path and went after many women, culminating in a boatload of wives and concubines, 700 wives and 300 concubines. There wasn't anything to be had that wasn't had by Solomon and the words of wisdom he has been inspired to leave his son are these...rejoice in the wife of thy youth.

Notice...rejoice. Be happy. Be satisfied, actually mentioned in the next verse. Celebrate. Is your marriage still a celebration of the feelings and commitments made to one another? Sure, the shine may have worn off, but   that is no reason to throw it away. How about working to polishing it up? Solomon does his best to convince his son, it's worth the work. Put some time and effort into it. Make it shine.

How about the following thought, with the wife? Do you see the singularity in the text? The Bible is explicitly clear regarding God's plan, one man with one woman for one life. Please do not raise questions of polygamy in the Bible...God never suggested or sanctioned those relationships and they proved to be hardships. Since your wedding day, have you re-affirmed the promise that you would never leave this marriage? You should be more committed today than the day you made the vow. You have matured and invested so much into one another's life.

You have heard me say that the game is best enjoyed by playing by the rules. Sociologists and scientists have come to the same conclusion time after time that a monogamous relationship is the best, healthiest, most rewarding way to raise a family and live out your days. Maybe God knew what He was talking about, huh?

Wisdom Cries...Keep your heart with all diligence

Proverbs 4:23 "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."

I have to start out by saying that this verse is one of my favorites out of the entire Bible. I have preached from it, taught from it, and even counselled from it. I believe that this verse is God's answer to all of the drama that we see in our lives, whether in person or on social media. There are only a few people that deserve your heart or a place in it, but in a search for identity, significance, or meaningfulness, we let everyone that comes along into our heart. We share all of our secrets, all of our problems, and everything else. Facebook is just a snapshot of the public lives that we choose to live. We have grown accustomed to sharing all manner of personal information from what we are eating right now all the way to how we feel about other people in our lives, good or bad, it's out there. We relish the attention until it turns negative and then we demand, "Don't judge me" when it can't be helped. All of the evidence is exhibited for the world to see.

Believe me when I say that I am human (well that part isn't so hard to believe) and I enjoy the interest some have taken in my life. I mean, let's get real here. I am tickled pink that you are reading my blog, my personal thoughts. I am sure we all want acceptance in some form, whether it be a "Liked" status, a "Poke" or follow, or better yet, a comment or retweet. But it all comes at a certain cost. We have opened our hearts more than we would our front door. We reveal the truth about us to total strangers. That is the furthest thing from keeping your heart. Imagine what your foyer would look like if you just opened the door everyday and allowed anyone and everyone to just walk in and see the inside anytime they wanted. It would not take too long for the foyer floor to be dirty, muddy, and cluttered. Things would get broke and it would end up just a plain mess. Once we have allowed such social traffic through our own heart by on-line "Friends", hook-ups, and so many other kinds of relationships, is it any wonder that our hearts and even our lives become such a broken mess. Wisdom is pleading with you and me, keep your heart. In other words, guard your heart. It's valuable and so are you; so much so that it is worth the "diligence".

Wisdom Cries...Keep sound wisdom and discretion

Proverbs 3:21 "My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion."

Well, there's a word you don't hear everyday, discretion. I guess the truth of the matter is you don't hear much talk of wisdom either. To avoid certain redundancies, I will just remind you of what wisdom is and then move on. The encouragement here is to keep sound wisdom. We have all been imparted with some bit of wisdom, in small or large portions. Sound wisdom is not so much the information gathered from books, but more the understanding of it and how it applies to reality or life. To be perfectly plain about it, a large part of wisdom is the ability to approach a situation and determine the best course of action, and more importantly, the right course of action. So it is not a stretch at all to describe sound wisdom as the ability to know the difference between right and wrong.

According to Roget, a synonym for discretion is responsibility. To complete this thought...know the difference between right and wrong and then be responsible with that information. Boy, if wisdom were a real person, she would be smacking her forehead with her palm these days. I do not know what is more lacking, sound wisdom, actually knowing the difference between right and wrong, or discretion, the responsibility to carry out what is right. First of all, there seems to be a disconnect in the world today from an actual standard of right and wrong. Nowadays, it is totally situational so that sometimes it's alright to lie, steal, or kill the innocent. It just depends on the circumstances, the greater good, maybe. My, how we need men and women to remember what their grandparents lived by. It worked, ya know? It used to be black and white when it came to doing right. After all, they came up with the saying, "It's never right to do wrong, and it's never wrong to do right." As if the drought of sound wisdom were not enough, there is nearly a complete absence of responsibility these days. It's always someone else's fault or someone else's job. Our society is running headlong into a population-wide handing over of responsibility to the government. Everywhere I look, people, young and old, feel like they are owed something. They are entitled to a discount or an extra chance or a free ride.

Boy, wisdom is crying loud here. Please, remember what the difference is between right and wrong. If you never knew it, find out. Ask your grandparents, or better yet, read the Bible. And then take responsibility for yourself. Do good. Do right. Live right. You take over the care and keeping of you and yours. Stop standing around with your hand out, literally or figuratively, for someone to handle the mess you are in or make something of the life you're living. Hey, if it's help you need, by all means, ask for it and if I am nearby, I will do the best I can. But shouldn't you expect the same from yourself, to do the best you can? Let's begin to be a nation of folks that know to do right and then do it.

Wisdom Cries...Walk in the way of good men

Proverbs 2:20 "That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous."

Where have all the good guys gone? There's a question that has been exhausted in books, songs, blogs, internet forums, and anywhere else people are feeling the loss of a rare breed...a good man. Don't you just miss the days of real men that you could look up to as masculine role models; strong, hard men with a good heart who would do whatever it took to stand for right? Remember who used to be the "heroes"? Cowboys and soldiers all the way to superheroes and athletes inspired young fellas to grow up and be something, and they did. These guys set the pace for us.

Now, where do we look for good men? It seems everyone in the spotlight isn't worth looking at. Everyone with a public voice isn't saying anything worth listening to. We still have soldiers, and for that I am thankful. There are still a couple athletes or prominent personalities, but they are the exception. What we really need is a generation of men to rise above the current perceptions of manhood. All that is good and right and smart is crying out for some real men, some good men to step up and step out; out of the crowd and walk to the front and lead. The wisdom of God's word has a specific goal or purpose. We ought to look into it. read it, and do what it says. That's where good men come from. That is the mold that true strength and leadership is cut from. Read the word of God and follow the examples of Moses (leadership), Joshua (courage), David (character), prophets who cared enough for their land to cry out against sin and stand in the middle of social wickedness and immorality, and of course, Jesus (servant-leadership). Why is there a drought of good men? Because the Bible is no longer esteemed as the word of God. It used to be read in school and in those days a guys handshake was better than any contract. His word was trustworthy. His integrity was his most valued possession. He treated other men, the elderly, children, and ladies with respect. He honored authority in his life and he tried to set a good example for those after him. I know it sounds old-fashioned, but you know what? I have never heard anyone ever say, "I sure am glad things aren't like they used to be." Let that sink in...like they used to be. How did it used to be? It wasn't hard to find good men. Hey, let's listen to wisdom. Let's walk in the way of good men.

Wisdom Cries...Fear the Lord

October is a month with thirty-one days and the book of Proverbs, one of my two favorites, has thirty-one chapters. For many, many months in my life I have read a chapter in Proverbs each day according to the corresponding date. I can attest to the difference it has made in my life. My wife can also. She has mentioned at different times that "reading Proverbs has really made you wise". I have encouraged my Sunday school classes, congregations, and counselees to do the same. For the month of October I will share a bit of wisdom from Proverbs from the corresponding chapter from that day and I pray that it will be a blessing and help to us all. We'll call it "Wisdom Cries" because, after all, that's what the Bible says (Proverbs 1:20).

Fear the Lord
Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction."

There have been many interpretations, descriptions, and definitions given for the phrase "fear of the Lord". My favorite comes from Rand Hummel, Director of the Wilds, New England. During a meeting at our church he explained the phrase this way; to love what God loves, to hate what He hates, and to have a healthy dread of displeasing Him. How many times in a day does it cross your mind that the things you do and say are a direct reflection of how you consider God in your life. Even in the life of a Christian it can appear that there is no concern for the way ones conduct reflects upon the character or nature of God. That's not smart. The Bible says so. We live in an age of knowledge. Society has an insatiable appetite for it, yet we should understand that you don't really know anything without the fear of the Lord. That is the beginning. Are you even interested in what God thinks about the way that you live? And if so, does His opinion matter to you? It's no mystery...I mean what God loves and hates. It's all in the Bible. Let's take the next month and really place some emphasis on the fear of the Lord. Through His word, we can know how to do that. Blessings to you.