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Go to the Ant – Proverbs 6
I am not very good at planning ahead. While I am great at outlining and presenting information, I tend to be very seat-of-the-pants when it comes to getting things done. I admit it. I am easily distracted, poor at prioritizing, and terrible at follow through. It is a great mystery to me how I am even able to earn a living sometimes. So, I really need to take the proverbial advice here and learn from the ant. Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise. It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.…
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Warnings Against Folly – Proverbs 6
In the Bible on my desk right now, the first part of Proverbs six has a section heading. It is called “Warnings Against Folly.” It is interesting that more than half the section deals with money. Being financially responsible is obviously very important, and it is a recurring theme throughout the whole book of Proverbs and the teachings of Jesus as well. The first warning is against putting up security for your neighbour. Now, you might think that trusting your neighbour is the kind, neighbourly thing to do. But, no. It is considered foolishness. We need to be more careful than that. We need to understand that our resources are…
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But is it Bread?
The book of Isaiah is one of my favourite reads in the Bible. Some of the church's most beautiful and meaningful images come from these writings. In chapter 55 verse 2, the prophet asks an extremely loaded question: "Why do you spend your money on that which is not bread?" (RSV) As you can probably guess, Isaiah was not talking here about flour and yeast alone. In the lifetime that I have been endeavouring to be a Christ-follower, this question has come back to me over and over again in many guises, as I have tried to make the best choices as to how to spend my money, my time,…
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Rags or Riches?
A certain ruler asked Jesus, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good,” except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'" "All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said. "When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing."
