Conditions for Ideal

(Proverbs 1:33 KJV)  But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

So many of the promises of God are conditional.  Often you see the if/then combination clearly stated.  Sometimes it is assumed.  This promise is conditional.  All of the good things God promises the one who “hearkeneth” (listens NASB) (8085).  My wife hears things that go thump in the night because she is always listening.  So far she has only been right once and that was no danger to us.  But beware if you ever try to break into my house:  My wife is listening.  She knows that is her first line of defense.

When I listen to pod-casts dealing with personal security the experts seem to agree that the first and most important tool of defense is awareness.  When thugs in a parking lot are looking for someone to assault they look for the person who is not “listening”.  They look for the person who is not paying attention to what goes on around them.  Satan is that way.  He is looking for people who are not listening.  They are not listening to the written word.  They are not listening to the wisdom of others.  They are not listening to the Holy Spirit.

So?  Wake up and listen to the roses.  It may not help your appreciation of the rose but it might let you hear the bee that is getting upset by your nose.