Careful Lifestyle

Proverbs 6:24-26 

23For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life, 24keeping you from your neighbor’s wife, from the smooth talk of a wayward woman. 25Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes. 26For a prostitute can be had for a loaf of bread, but another man’s wife preys on your very life.

Filipino Culture

            Many individuals wished to taste the life of “American Dream!” It is not for everyone. A foreigner was married to a Filipino. They left the comfort of western world and live a simple life in the Philippines. When was asked why she preferred a simple lifestyle in the Philippines she answered, “I want to learn about Filipino culture. I want my children to grow humble and appreciate what they have.”

            The simplicity of lifestyle in the Philippines may have attracted her so much that she decided to raise her children in a simple lifestyle of the Filipinos.

People endure their difficult situations for personal reason. Others try their best for betterment. Is it great to be satisfied with what you have? What can you say about your life? Our behavior toward life speaks of our choices in life.

          King David testified in Psalm 23:1-3: 1The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

            It was not recorded if King David had ever dreamed of becoming great king one day. He was just satisfied in his dependence on the Lord. He trusted the Lord as his shepherd and for provisions. He had everything he needed. He just relaxed; his soul felt refreshed wherever God led him. In his steps and decisions, the Lord guided him to the right paths, even to the path of being greatest king of Israel.

            King David trusted the Lord sincerely and God protected him from enemies.

1.  Protection

24keeping you from your neighbor’s wife, from the smooth talk of a wayward woman.

            The Lord forbids us not covet anything that is not legally within our right, and that includes coveting a neighbor’s wife or seduced by wayward woman. Anything that the Lord forbids to do is the natural thing humans want to do.

The Scripture teaches us to make sure we follow the word of God with all our heart. We are encouraged to remind ourselves as often as we can. In all things that we do or even when we are doing nothing, we should be mindful of God and things that are acceptable to him. When uncertain of what to do, it is best for us to pray to be filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit, and he guides our step.

Bowling

When you played bowling, do you pray for guidance? During our bowling fellowship, everyone enjoyed. Some players are really very good while others just played for fun. Nevertheless, those who deserved were given rewards.

In sports competition, there are rules and regulations to follow. Players have to be familiar with them to make sure they would not be disqualified. Should our life as believers be considered as competition,? It says in 1 Corinthians 9:25: 25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

Surely we are not competing against anyone else. We compete against our natural sinful self. Our natural self wants to do anything that pleases the flesh. Have you ever sensed it when your natural self says, “Just stay home and relax, watch a movie. Why go to Prayer Meeting when it is very cold?”

In comparison, the Holy Spirit in us encourages us to be disciplined or even attend Prayer Meeting because it is pleasing to the Lord. We serve the Lord not just to qualify for the eternal crown but because we sense more love from God.

The Scripture warns of possible tragic damage that may happen when we disregard the word of God. Prevention is far better than reparation to damages.

2.  Prevention

25Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes. 26For a prostitute can be had for a loaf of bread, but another man’s wife preys on your very life.

            The flesh desires captivating looks. When it says, a prostitute can be had for a loaf of bread, it implies that a prostitute won’t highly regard the sanctity of her body. For her, reputation is just as cheap as loaf of bread. In comparison, desiring another man’s wife demands the most expensive payment, which is life.

            This warning from the Lord may not be seriously paid attention to, even by prominent personalities in the Christian community. It requires spiritual alertness.

King David

Anytime, anywhere, we can be victimized by our own selfish desire. Take King David for instance; he was considered as man after God’s own heart.

He willingly obeyed whatever the Lord told him to do without hesitation. But it’s when he’s relaxing that he was deceived by his own human flesh to sin. It narrated in 2 Samuel 11:1-4, 1In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem. 2One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, 3and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” 4Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her.

            The Scripture clearly recorded that instead of doing his duty when kings go off to war, David preferred to stay home. He was very competent that his soldier can be victorious in battle without him. Surely, his soldiers were undefeated but, he ignored his duty as king, and it was spring; it was great season to relax at night.

            Many believers are also enticed to relax a little bit. What is shameful about relaxing when even medical expert would advise relaxation for workers? Who would condemn us if we relax, just a little bit? But be sure that we won’t relax on our spiritual discipline. We need to make sure that we are spiritually alert always.

It reminds us in 2 Timothy 2:1-7, 1Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. 3Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. 5Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. 6The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. 7Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

            Life offers unexpected situations, desirable and undesirable. We have to be mindful when we call Christ as our Lord and King; we are his servants. What could we do as good servants? We want to please our Lord and King Jesus Christ.

We pray that the Holy Spirit will inspire us to identify potential disciples that he prepared for us to teach and entrust spiritual lesson we learned from him.

May each of us found to be faithful and receive eternal crowns eventually!

><((‘> .. ><((‘> … ><(((“> tmec\2023 <“)))>< … <‘))>< .. <‘))><

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published.