Misery

Listen, my son, and be wise,
and set your heart on the right path:
Do not join those who drink too much wine
or gorge themselves on meat,
for drunkards and gluttons become poor,
and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
Proverbs 23:19-21

One of the evils we see in this world is the great number of people who have fallen into the clutches of alcohol. This terrible addiction is present in all socioeconomic levels, but is most noticeable in the poor who do not have the funds necessary for treatment or to hide their misery. If it is hard for the rich to beat addiction, how much more for the poor who do not receive the care that luxurious clinics provide to the wealthy who take refuge in them trying to escape from the bondage of alcohol and drugs? In reading today’s passage George came to mind.

George is a destitute homeless person that roams the streets of the city where I live and who despite being a veteran now has nowhere to live. The first time we try to help him we were able to guide him in prayer to the feet of Jesus and also to provide him with a Bible, clothing, food and money. We do not know what he did with rest but the money he used to buy a bottle of gin and the next day my wife saw him stumbling down the street, barely keeping his feet under the influence of liquor. It was our mistake to give him the cash. In that we were very naive, especially since he told me he had undergone five rehabilitation treatments and rehabilitation and he had failed and relapsed at every opportunity . We continue to pray for George but we will not give him any more cash because we know what he will do with it.

Although nobody can learn from somebody else’s experiences, may this story serve as a warning those who enjoy being with friends who are consummate drinkers. Doing so only exposes them to the demands of their bodies and sinful nature. To continue with this kind of behavior will only take themselves and their family to a state of pain and trouble that can be perfectly avoided if they cater to the instructions of the Word of God. To God alone be the glory!

Parental pride

The father of a righteous child has great joy;
a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.
May your father and mother rejoice;
may she who gave you birth be joyful!
Proverbs 23:24-25

Egocentrism makes us pay attention on things that only concern us and disregard everything that is out of our being. When we are young, it is of little concern to us if our behavior is pleasing to our parents or if instead it is causing anguish in their hearts. At this stage of our lives we only care about what we ourselves think or feel. As soon as we get married and we have children the perspective changes completely and then we realize the severe impact that children’s behavior has on the peace and welfare of parents. That’s when we also realize the follies that we have committed and we understand the pain or shame that our way of life caused to our parents. It is only then when we can put ourselves in their place and start to understand why they had to gives us all the exhortations and warnings  that we received while we were under their care and responsibility.

Children themselves are a great blessing. How much more if those children behave wisely and always walk in the fear of the LORD! How good it would be if we could understand these things as early as possible in our lives so that we could spare us a lot of pain and tribulations. Let us at all times be a cause for celebration to those who gave us life. May our parents say as the apostle John in his third letter: “Nothing gives me more joy than to hear that my children practice the truth.” [1] Only to God be the glory!

[1] 3 John 4

Honor your parents

Listen to your father, who gave you life,
and do not despise your mother when she is old.
Buy the truth and do not sell it—
wisdom, instruction and insight as well.
Proverbs 23:22-23

The vast majority of people do not know how much of their education and personality they owe to their parents. Many believe that genetics does not play any role or has little influence on them at best. Also, they neglect the education they received from very early childhood, not to mention the love with which they were raised. As soon as they reach an age where they think they can make their own decisions without consulting their parents or having to take into account their teachings, they forget all the instruction they have received and allow themselves to be guided by the criteria of the world, the lies of Satan or the passions of the flesh. All the discipline and wisdom that they were inculcated from a tender age disappears. Pride makes them think they do not need anything or anyone to protect them or to let them progress in a hostile world.

The word of God shows us a totally different picture in which the children are respectful and obedient to their parents. The biblical model is the way established by God for the family to grow, consolidate and multiply. Contemporary society and its syncretistic philosophies have eroded the solid family base that prevailed for centuries. Not happy with all the damage it has caused, modern society continues to seek ways to achieve its total destruction. A family can only thrive if there is respect and consideration between its members . Each family member  has a role to play, parents teach and children learn. When this fails to happen the family is weakened and loses its influence as core and support of society. Let us receive the wisdom that comes from above and let us fight for the integrity and endurance of our families. To achieve this objective children play a key role when they honor their parents. Then, let us honor them! To God alone be the glory!

Today’s word for July 23, 2011

Listen, my son, and be wise,
and set your heart on the right path:
Do not join those who drink too much wine
or gorge themselves on meat,
for drunkards and gluttons become poor,
and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
Proverbs 23:19-21

Without falling into judgments or resorting to much detail we can conclude that most people who roam the streets for lack of housing, also known as homeless, are in this sad and painful situation because of chronic and excessive use of alcohol and drugs, which led them to end up being slaves to a terrible addiction. Addiction to alcohol and drugs is a serious problem that affects society in every area and social stratum. Dependence or addiction to these substances cause problems at the personal, family and society level. Its consequences, as noted above, are devastating and have led many to fall in extreme poverty. Apart from restricting the free availability, conducting educational campaigns, restricting the dissemination of commercial messages, reducing the hours where sales are allowed and setting age limit to sales, it is very little that governments can do to control this disease. The problem goes beyond legislation, the problem lies with the individual as part of the sinful nature that all humans possess. Man’s lack of discipline and control is what makes his defenses against this scourge ineffective to protect him from the terrible consequences that result from consumption and uncontrolled exposure to these substances.

The improvement of the individual is not achieved by modifying his environment but by transforming his inner being. This can be achieved only by the Holy Spirit of God. The word of God warns us that excessive consumption of alcohol leads to debauchery. The Word of God exhorts us not to let ourselves be controlled by our sinful nature but by the Holy Spirit of God. All time dedicated to fulfilling the extravagant desires of the sinful nature is wasted time. Let us not lose time and be wise and attentive to the word of God. This will keep us on the right path.Only God has the answer to the problem of substance dependency . To God alone be the glory!

Today’s word for May 23, 2011

My son, if your heart is wise,
then my heart will be glad indeed;
my inmost being will rejoice
when your lips speak what is right.
Proverbs 23:15-16

Wisdom and justice will always bring a companion along, happiness. A wise and just person hardly becomes involved in the serious problems that ignorant and foolish people attract upon themselves because of their senseless course of action. A wise and just man does not make decisions lightly but he weighs all options and all avenues of action displayed in front of him. Having carefully considered all options in light of the Word of God, and having also consulted with God through prayer, he makes the decision he considers most righteous because it adheres to the principles of life that Jesus left for us. The Holy Spirit is responsible for guiding his analysis and also for communicating his needs to the Father so that every step of the decision making process ensures perfect alignment with the plan his God and Lord has prepared for him and for creation. A wise man understands that he is not the center of the universe and that his scope of action has limits established by God, He knows that staying within those limits will guarantee the success of his plan.

Let us look our decisions in detail and if in doubt, let us not forget the fundamental ethical principle that Jesus taught us and that is known as the Golden Rule, that is: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” This way, our actions will be cause for celebration not only for our loved ones but also for others, especially those who also seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Let us, therefore, place the kingdom’s interests above our own interests and let us make sure that our actions are a source of joy to our Father and to those who love him. To God alone be the glory!

Today’s word for April 23, 2011

Apply your heart to instruction
and your ears to words of knowledge.
Do not withhold discipline from a child;
if you punish them with the rod, they will not die.
Punish them with the rod
and save them from death.
Proverbs 23:12-14

Oftentimes we find it very difficult to understand one of the tools that allow us some control over our behavior or that of others, mainly because we have a sinful nature that vigorously resists it. We are talking about discipline. No one likes discipline, neither to receive it nor to apply it. When we have to receive it, we focus on the negative side of it, that is, the pain inflicted on us but we ignore the benefits it produces once we have learned its lesson. When it comes to applying it, oftentimes we do it to vent to our anger rather than for the benefit it produces in those whom we are disciplining, usually our children. Whatever the case, we are too clumsy to understand it and accept it. It is even harder for us to apply it with wisdom. The key to understanding discipline is that it must always be accompanied with love for it to be effective. If love is not present when discipline is received there will be grumbling and resentment. If love is not present when discipline is applied, it becomes mere violence and aggression.

The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews explains: “They [our fathers] disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.” King Solomon himself said it this way: “because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.” Whether we are under discipline or we are to receive it, let us understand its loving purpose and let us look ahead with hope to the harvest of righteousness and peace it will bring upon us. To God alone be the glory!

Today’s word. March 23, 2011

Do not move an ancient boundary stone
or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
for their Defender is strong;
he will take up their case against you.
Proverbs 23:10

Oftentimes we find people who behave like predatory beasts. Their greed is insatiable and their aggressiveness is unmatched. Their eagerness to accumulate treasures always takes precedence over any consideration that their dormant conscience may whisper. Their actions are governed by violence; their lack of respect for the rights of others is remarkable. They are never satisfied with what they have because it seems to them that they deserve more. They never consider the needs of their victims and usually prey on the weakest. They have gotten away with it so many times that they think there is no power in the universe that could offer resistance to their attacks, much less someone that could put them in their place.

If you are a victim of one of these ruthless beings you need to seek God’s protection. He alone has the power to control and destroy these nefarious individuals. The full weight of the law and the full force of divine justice will be applied upon them without regard for these bloody and ravenous murderers and thieves. Seek God for He is your Defender. Only He can protect you from evil and only in Him you will find peace and security. His eyes are upon you and you will always enjoy His holy presence. Go right now to the loving arms of our righteous Savior. Never forget that “The LORD watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.” Only to God be the glory!