I was video chatting with my cousin tonight. She was telling me about the middle school basketball games they had watched last night. Her daughter plays on the girl’s middle school team. After their game, they stayed to watch the boys play. Apparently, the other team didn’t have very much sportsmanship, and I’m not talking about just the fans. It spread from the fans to the players to the staff that was supposed to be monitoring. Plus, the players themselves were kind of aggressively ugly. If this is the result, what are they learning? Who is instructing them?
This is just my opinion, but from what I heard of their behavior, it seems like they might need a better coaching staff. Again, my opinion, children in the middle school age range need firm, structured guidance and instruction. It would seem to me that a middle school basketball coach would need to be part parent, part counselor, part friend and part coach. Children at this developmental stage still need to be taught and instructed in basic decorum.
The coaches of my cousin’s daughter’s team are trying to teach them how to play—you know, the basics and some skills that they can use to grow as players. I would like to think that we try to teach our kids to be respectful and polite in all situations. You never really know how well you have succeeded unless someone tells you. My cousin’s daughter’s coach told her that she was very polite and respectful. It makes you feel good when someone tells you that about your child. It makes you think you have succeeded at teaching them something.
The Proverbs are all about being taught and learning. King Solomon begins Proverbs Chapter Three with, “My son.” He then urges him to learn, to remember all the things of God he is teaching him and to keep them within his heart. He tells him that if he will only keep these commands they would allow him to have a long, peaceful life.
Solomon appealed to him to hold on to mercy and truth with all he had. The importance of his words was so great. He told him to wrap them around his neck, so they were visible to all, and to write them on the table of his heart. He told him that if he would determine to do this, he would find favor and gain understanding with God and with man.
He advised him to trust in the Lord, with his whole heart. He told him not to think too much of himself but to listen to God’s advice first and foremost. Solomon again stresses to him the importance of acknowledging God as the One in life that will direct his path and that if he will listen and acknowledge Him, He will direct his path.
He was trying to stress how important it was to not think that he was all wise in himself, but to fear the Lord—respect and count on His wisdom—and to make for sure that he turned away from sin. He pretty much begged him to learn from His words.
Those of us that are living for Christ can find a definite challenge in this passage. The whole passage is surrounded by God’s mercy and wisdom. Our challenge could be to seek the wisdom of God and allow God’s mercy to flow through us to others.
How can we apply this to our lives? There are so many distractions in this life. We are influenced on every side by the temptations of the world. To apply this, we simply need to do as Solomon suggests, acknowledge God in all ways. Make the effort to live a life that reflects Him. We need to merge our every day activities, our physical breath, with the relationship that we have with God, our spiritual breath. We need to do this to the point that they cannot be separated and we cannot breathe one without the other.
My faith is strengthened when I see simple, straightforward instructions in God’s Word. It is not a complicated puzzle we have to figure out. If we seek and immerse ourselves in His Word, He will clearly reveal eternity to us. (I feel like He gives us what we need for each situation so that He does not weigh us down all at one time.) If we seek Him sincerely, He will put us on the path we need to be on and help us stay there. I’m pretty sure He has given us common sense to follow as we march along. He has provided every thing we need. We just have to reach out for it, allow Him to teach us and guide us.
Lord, I need Your mercy every day. I need Your forgiveness every day. Help me to write Your Word, Your commands upon my heart so that they will be embedded in every breath I take. I desire Your favor and I desire understanding from You. Help me to always trust in You first. I want You to teach me and guide me and help me to never stray.
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“3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: 4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man 5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.” Proverbs 3:3-7 (KJV)
“Bind them continually upon thine heart, [and] tie them about thy neck.” Proverbs 6:21 (KJV)
“Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.” Proverbs 7:3 (KJV)
“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” Psalm 119:11 (KJV)
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all [men] liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” James 1:5 (KJV)
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I feel that since God has given me the gift of this platform, I must always tell you about my Jesus.
What is your relationship to the all-knowing God of the universe? Do you know Jesus? Do you know the peace that can come only from an intimate relationship with Him? You can know Him. Jesus Christ, God’s Son, born into human flesh, sinless, crucified and giving His life freely, buried, arisen on the third day, will come into your life and change the outcome of your eternity. You just have to be willing to believe and accept His truth.
Here is an excellent website that can give you additional information about making your decision for Jesus Christ! PeaceWithGod.net
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Restricted Vision, Unburdened Sight 