(Proverbs 24:5 KJV) A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
Once again we have a statement that flies in the face of our post-modern culture. The first bump in the road is accepting the Bible’s definition of “wise” (2450). It doesn’t take long reading in Proverbs to see that wisdom is based on a healthy and well balanced fear of the Lord. Our culture would discount the health of fear and would reject being subservient to God.
Strength based on a fear of God would be considered insipid superstition in our world. When I read people expressing “Christian” solutions to issues of our day I hear a lot of psychology, sociology, educational theory and philosophy. I don’t hear much that is based in the word of God. Rejected ideas include sin, both nature and acts, Creator/creature hierarchy, personal responsibility, and moral imperatives to name a few. If the prof says one thing and the Bible says another, for some reason the prof has more authority.
It takes special grace to be strong in wisdom in this world. You are laughed at and dismissed. You are patronized and expected to grow up. To be foolish is easy today, to be wise is an upstream battle every drop of the way.
As I write I recall the Christmas tree we have at home. It is beautiful. The lights and decorations are placed perfectly (by me, of course). Most of the ornaments have some special family memory involved. It gives off a great smell. Is it still a tree? Pine needles are gathering on the floor around it. If you touch it you can feel it is brittle. Is it dead or dying? Why do we even ask the question? Putting water in the base is not the same as a root structure. The once strong tree will soon be nothing but a mulch candidate. Why? It isn’t the decorations or water. It is because it has been cut off from its source.
So? Don’t be a Christmas Tree Christian. All the bells and whistles of life are wonderful but don’t let yourself get cut off from your Source. Rejoice in the incarnation and the abiding. Be strong in wisdom.
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4 comments:
Excellent post! Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Thank you, and the same to you. My chicks are home for the celebration. God is good.
Grace and Peace.
Its the Envirocapitalist alive and well, I have decided to dive in head first and give my entirety to serving God. Which means not enough time for the Envirocapitalist. I hope to help not only strenthen our men's group at church but to talk them into sharing with the world. they are a great group of Godly men. I hope if you check this site in the future you will see musings from them as well. I just started this website for them and I hope it will not only give an outlet for us men but also spread farther than we have been able to with our outreach. I hope next year will see this blog being a daily read. Thanks for keeping up I still read your blog daily and really appreciate it. Your brother in Christ.
Glad to find out it really you. I will keep checking in.
Blessings on your step of faith.
Grace and peace.
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