More Than Nouns and Verbs

(Proverbs 7:17 KJV)  I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

Taken in isolation there is nothing in this verse that should set off any alarms.  You have a group of nouns that speak of everyday items.  Well, maybe you don’t have any myrrh around but the rest is common.  You have a verb that would not startle anyone.  Yet if you read the entire passage we see that it ends in death and hell.  It is a reminder about so much of what we do in life. 

The key to living upright lives is so often in the context and the intent.  What went on before the meeting today and what is the result?  Why did you decide the way you did?  Some people say that God does not care if you wear a red coat or a green coat.  True.  He does care if you pick the color to attract attention or because you know it will irritate someone.  You may not have any myrrh but you do have motivation. 

So?  Examine your motives and your goals.  Are they to glorify Christ or to satisfy a craving?  The reason will effect the result, sometimes more than the action itself.