The Simple Life

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud. Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord. The wise of heart is called discerning, and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness. Proverbs  16:18-21  (ESV)   The prideful often do not think they are proud; they are just right. The haughty usually believe that all others around them cannot understand; they alone have understanding. It is impossible to be prideful and haughty if you trust God, and the discerning heart does just that.   A bit later in Proverbs 16, we are told that man often thinks he is wise when his very thoughts lead him to destruction. Pride is hard to detect when it becomes normative, and often, the only way to see it in oneself is to know its fruit. Those who are prideful seem to regularly criticize the motives and actions of others. ...

The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit. Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble. Proverbs 16:1-4 (ESV)   We don't get up in the morning and hope that we do "dumb" things. Nobody plans to do a bad job today. Yet, today, some of us will do dumb things or a bad job. How do these things happen?   First, we need to ensure that we have people intimately involved in our lives who love God and us and who interact with us on a regular basis. Next, we need to personally commit our way to God, for it is difficult to do something "dumb" or bad when we have the pure motive of doing it to honor God.   Life is not as complicated as we make it. We need to simply honor God in all that we do.   https://www.podbean.com/relate365

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. A fool despises his father's instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent. Proverbs 15:1-5 (ESV)   Reaction is not always bad, but it is different than responding. Reaction often tells us where our mind has been, whereas responses usually tell us where our mind should be. Those who practice responding will eventually have proper reactions.   If you follow sports, you hear of "muscle memory." Muscle memory happens when you do a task repeatedly until the movement of that particular body part seems to automatically move properly when called upon. After a baseball player swings the bat a thousand times in practice, the eye-to-hand coordination is ready and willing to mov...

Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox. Proverbs 14:4 (ESV)   As a former schoolteacher, I used to hear a phrase in jest: teaching would be wonderful if we had no students. I have heard ministry leaders jokingly say that ministry would be great except for the people.   These words were meant to be a joke, but they convey the same profound truth as this passage. There is always a way to an easier life, but the easier life will not produce abundant fruit. Life's value is not measured by how much play time we have amassed, but how much of our time has gone into the processes that will eventually produce fruit. Leveraging our time, efforts, and assets to maximize the reality of God to others takes tremendous effort.   This effort is not always "fun." Mundane is a state of mind that can be changed to make the same task fulfilling. What can you change to leverage more of what you have towards more of what you should be ac...

Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. Proverbs 13:20 (ESV)   We are influenced by the company we keep. If we are constantly around those who walk with God, walking with God will be simpler. If we are constantly around those who think they are God, we will begin to think we, too, are God.   Research seems to indicate that we are more often influenced than we are influencers, and that the hours of influence shape our thoughts and actions. The Bible seems to indicate the same, referring to us as sheep whose number one tendency is to follow.   Godless chatter and behavior can keep us from God and cause us to focus our thoughts and energies on the meaningless. If Satan cannot destroy us through outright sin, he can render us worthless by having us constantly immersed in the worthless.   Time spent in the meaningless makes our lives meaningless. God's Word discusses the importance of bearing fruit, and to bear fruit, one nee...

Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life. Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself, but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded. The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death. Proverbs  13:11-14  (ESV)   Focusing on the little things can lead to big successes. Intentionality is the key to living a responsible and productive life.   Saving a little money each month will give you a lot when you are older. Fulfilling promises today, when you can, instead of tomorrow, will provide you with purpose in life and satisfaction in death. Listening to those who speak to you, and, most importantly, listening to God, will allow you to avoid many of life's mistakes. Intentionality in earning, saving, giving, and listening is the ingredient to a healthy life and fearless death.   ...