Parallel Passages: Chastisement

Proverbs 11:30 (ESV)

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever captures souls is wise.

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James 5:19-20 (ESV)

My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back,
  let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

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Proverbs 3:11-12 (ESV)

My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline or be weary of his reproof,
  for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.

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Hebrews 12:5-11 (ESV)

And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him.
  For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”
  It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
  If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
  Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?
  For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.
  For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Few people enjoy the humbling nature of being shown where they are wrong.  It can really sting the ego and cause insecurity about the perception others have about one’s intellectual capability, financial status, social skills or moral integrity.  Regardless of whether true “goodness” is a goal, most of us at least like to look good.

As a parent, I can say with certainty that it’s frequently no fun being the one chosen to speak with an individual who currently does not wish to see his/her error.

But, although chastisement is rarely pleasant, and nearly always results in letting go of some aspect of “self”, God corrects us out of Love and wants us to accept His correction for the sake of our eternal souls.

Someone Said…(on loving others)

Charity begins at home, but should not end there.

~Thomas Fuller

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  But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.

1 Timothy 5:4

  “Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another,
  do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.”
Zechariah 7:9-10

(Scripture cited from ESV)

While I know it is God’s desire for believers to care for others beyond the sphere of close family and friends, my “missional” ideas often overlook those whom I contact on a daily basis.  But the practice of genuine love (or “charity” in KJV) can be clearly seen in  kind and cheerful behavior toward those I encounter in everyday life.  These are the ones who are likely to have seen me in my weakest or least attractive moments, and will probably most readily note how the Lord works His will in my heart. It is worth considering that perhaps the greatest impact a wife/mother has is in faithful home-making focus.

There are innumerable ways to learn to love deeper and more intensely without ever leaving home.  Then, without relaxing my effort to serve my family, I need to look for ways to extend love to neighbors and even strangers–particularly those who share a profession of faith in Christ. As I’m rather introverted, this is not a “natural” tendency. But I know it can be done if I continue to  draw near to the Lord and wait for the Spirit to direct me.

Reflections on Psalm 107 (part 1): The Lord is Good

Psalm 107:1-3 (ESV) 

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!
  Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble
  and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.

I don’t remember why I chose to focus on this particular Psalm, but I am so glad it was brought to my attention!

Here in these first verses,  the redeemed from around the world are encouraged to praise Him with grateful hearts for His unending faithfulness and salvation. Those who have tasted Life in Him are, in essence, walking, talking proclamations of God’s gracious good-will toward men.   

Too often, I become distracted by “life” and forget how important it is to God that I desire an attitude of thankfulness for the Salvation that has been made available through Jesus Christ. Not only is such appreciation healthier for me, but it also reflects to others the satisfaction we human beings can experience from being in a reconciled relationship with our Maker.

Someone Said…(of the feminine “condition”)

Frailty, thy name is woman!

~William Shakespeare (Hamlet)

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 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.~1 Peter 3:7 (ESV)

 Although there is similarity between the two quotes, the contextual tones are vastly different.

Hamlet’s statement was an expression of disgust at his widowed mother’s apparently smooth transition from loving his noble  father to becoming the wife of his treacherous uncle.  The impression I get is that he sees women in particular to be of weak character rather than simply less physically capable or emotionally stable.

Of course, as all men and women are sinners, it is unlikely either gender displays a more prominent tendency to crumble in the face of adverse circumstances.

At any rate, I find Shakespeare’s observation to be interesting because Peter (in writing about the woman being “the weaker vessel”) speaks from a position of reverence for our Savior and His self-sacrificial devotion to His most certainly weaker, yet much loved, Bride. There is no detectable animosity toward females in his view.

Parallel Passages: Hidden

It is amazing how much of Jesus’ life and teaching is mirrored in the Old Testament writings.

Psalm 36:5-7 

Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.
 Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O LORD.
 How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

Psalm 57:1 

To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave. Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.

Psalms 17 and 63 also make mention of the “shadow of (His) wings”.

Matthew 23:37 (ESV) 

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!

A striking comparison, I believe.  When a mother hen calls to her chicks, she is offering herself as shelter from harsh weather, predators or chilling night air. The babies who ignore her often end up dead.