Proverbs 13:19-20

¹⁹A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but fools detest turning from evil. ²⁰Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.

Farming

         Someone shared her personal experience about farming. After many years of working abroad, she decided that it’s time for her to invest her savings in farming. She bought a farm land and planted veggies, but her diligence did not produce much harvest in the first three years of farming. Then, someone told her that the veggies she planted are not suitable for the farm land she purchased. She was also told to try what her neighboring farmers are planting; she followed what she was told. After few years of dedicated farming, her farm produced much harvest.

         Diligence and dedication are great asset but not enough. Many diligent and dedicated entrepreneurs fail in their ventures, why? Maybe, they need education also as to which business ventures they should engage in particular situations.

        Practically, how should we apply what it declares in 1 Corinthians 1:24-25?

²⁴But to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

         Christ is the wisdom of God to those whom God has called. Is it applicable to practical matter like business for instance? Is it applicable also to employees so that we can excel at workplaces? Is it applicable also to students so that they may excel in school? Is it applicable in business so that you can excel in your ventures? Is it applicable in sports so that players will excel in their games?

         As to where Christ the wisdom of God takes effect was not specified; so it means that when we allow Christ to perform his authority over us, we can access the wisdom of God for concerns in our Christian life. Christ our Lord declares in

John 10:10-11, ¹⁰I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. ¹¹I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

         Christ the good shepherd sacrificed for us, his sheep, to give us life in its fullness. Does it include fullness of practical life? We can have fullness of life in Christ, practical and spiritual life. How? We follow his prescription for fullness of life. Therefore, we should obey Christ, if we long or wish a life in its fullness.

1.  Wish

¹⁹A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but fools detest turning from evil.

         What is it that you’ve longed, yearned, wished to accomplish in your life? Is it sweet to the soul to accomplish something we wished and longed for?

It feels great! But many people with great accomplishments are not contented.

When by human effort we accomplish something, we can be partially satisfied.

But long-lasting fulfillment or gratification comes from eternally contented God. Let’s reflect on Christ’s prescriptions for fullness of life in Matthew 6:31-33.

³¹So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³²For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

         The term “pagan” pertains to those who don’t trust and obey God. When worried or rattled by basic necessities in this world and prioritize what pagans run after in life, does it exhibit trust in the Lord? Faith in God that he knows the better ways for us to live a godly life, we should trust his prescription in the Scripture.

         The phrase, “all these things” includes contentment in accomplishments. Can you accept that reality? What happens when we prioritize the Lord and let his authority prevails in our life? We gladly follow him practically; we also trust that he gives all those things that even pagans run after. Can you believe that?

         Career, house, car, exotic food, jewelries, hobbies, pleasure, leisure, fame or prestige, those are practical things that pagans run after. If we prioritize the Lord, can you believe that he will also give all those things to us? But if we prefer to do things that Christ did not prescribe on the Scripture, can we be contented?

         The Lord commanded the Israelites in Exodus 19:4-6. ⁴You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. ⁵Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, ⁶you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

         This prescription of the Lord for the Israelites is practically applicable for Christians. Do you agree? To be holy is to be set apart. The Lord set apart the Israelites as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. The Israelites were chosen by the Lord out of all nations, but most of them disregarded his prescription.

         Did the Israelites assume that their freedom means they can do anything they wanted to do after the Lord gave them freedom from Egyptian slavery? Let’s reflect on his purposes and why the Lord chose us to trust him in 1 Peter 2:9.

⁹But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

         Do you believe that Jesus Christ had freed us from the slavery of sin and sin won’t control us anymore? If our Master and Lord is Christ, we don’t follow sin. Is it sin to aspire of what others had achieved? Our purpose in whatever we do should declare the praise of God; we behave and walk according to his will.

2.  Walk

         ²⁰Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.

         Someone said, “Tell me who your friends are, and I tell you who you are!”

         Choosing companions may affect your behavior including lifestyle. If you walk with the wise, if your companions are wise, your mindset will adapt with the mindset of the wise. Student should understand very well that if their friends are smart, they are influenced to study smarter. If their friends love to play games, they would like to play games also. Why? We want to belong, somehow. Right?

         Is this applicable to Christian life? Christians may want to go to missions, if they love to listen to mission stories. But if Christians love pleasure and leisure, they will hate it if their preacher preaches against their worldly lifestyle. Even Christians are deceived because they prefer sermons that may tickle their ears.

Did you know why Eve was deceived by the ancient serpent in the Garden of Eden? Together, let us meditatively reflect on Genesis 3:1-6, ¹Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” ²The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, ³but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” ⁴“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. ⁵“For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” ⁶When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

         Why was Eve deceived by the serpent? Did Adam warn her? Eve told the serpent that God forbid them. She disregarded the warning of God and deceived.

Have you heard of complaint that her husband does not love her anymore? She wanted to hear the phrase “I love you,” but her husband was not sensitive.

12 Children

         A wife complained, “You don’t love me. You don’t even say, “I love you!” The insensitive husband replied, “What are talking about, woman? We already have 12 children, and you still doubt my love for you?” If you long to be flattered just a little bit, be careful or you may fall into the trap where Eve was deceived.

         Eve wished to be flattered; Adam was insensitive. The serpent flattered her. How? When the serpent told her that, she will not die and she will be like God, knowing good and evil. Eve believed the serpent; she eats the forbidden fruit. Eve was deceived. Likewise, listeners long for sermons that may flatter them a bit. But when sermon topics about sin that are still controlling them, their mindset or behavior, repentant believers would readily ask God for forgiveness.

         Repentance is a smart move inspired by the Holy Spirit of wisdom. And to be freed from sin and sense the forgiveness of God is sweet to the soul. Amen!

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