Jesus’ compassionate assessment of the people he encountered was that they were “confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” To multiply the number of people reached during his ministry on earth, he delegated twelve of his closest followers to engage in spiritual work similar to his own.
Read More faith, heart, integrity
What is good sense depends on your worldview. Good sense to some may mean slight deception in advertising to acquire wealth and please the shareholders. To others it means honesty and integrity, even at the cost of potential sales.
Read More good sense, listening, honesty, integrity
If there is one thing that the Bible declares about God from beginning to end it is that he is sovereign over all. There is nothing he does not know, nowhere that he is not, and nothing he cannot do. He is Lord of all and no area of life is outside of his authority. This truth is woven into the very fabric of scripture and so it is not surprising that we see it here as well.
Read More integrity, God’s sovereignty, wholenessMuch of the Book of Proverbs contains wise words from the perspective of an experienced king. He saw those who were dishonest trip over their own dishonesty and come to ruin. He saw those who told lies get caught in the web of their own deceit. Their words were disregarded in public.
In this passage we read more of the same.
Read More leadership, integrity, influence, wisdomWhen we enter a room we have the influence to create an atmosphere of pleasurable harmony or tension and strife. Our mindset has the power to determine whether we will live in a pit or a palace.
Palace living is not about wealth or prestige. Instead it is an attitude which establishes that whatever space we enter will be our place of abundance and grandeur.
Read More wealth, integrity, hard work, trustworthyA foundation always shows – eventually, though not overtly. The foundation lies underground, hidden from direct observation, waiting for its time when it will show its quality. A poorly founded home will appear the same as any other home until it is tested by the storm. It is under pressure that the importance of the foundation will be seen – and the pressure always comes, eventually.
You get what you plant.
Read More integrity, foundation
Jesus, always the consummate storyteller, once told a tale about two builders, one wise and one foolish. The first chose to construct his home on a solid base; when a violent storm came, the house was not shaken. The second built on shifting sand. The foundation crumbled and the storm decimated his home.
Integrity is key when it comes to construction, even more so when it comes to one’s life.
Read More strength, character, integrityIn an age of information we are in great need of wisdom. The book of Proverbs provides us with something like sound bites” which can be a resource for righteous living. It is not a self-help manual. At its heart this book probes well beyond simple advice and instruction in calling us to “the fear of the Lord” and engagement in patterns of living honouring to Yahweh.
Practical wisdom is certainly about what we do, how we behave, our practices in relations to others.
Read More behaviour, character, integrityThese two proverbs are essentially the same, both speaking to the theme of dishonesty. They harken back to Deuteronomy 25:13-16 where instruction is given “not to have in your bag two kinds of weights, large and small.” An ephah and an ephah¾a stone and a stone, diverse weights and measures allowed the possibility for deception, overcharging for what is being purchased. The issue here is dishonest intentions and such intentions are an “abomination” to the Lord.
Read More consequences, dishonesty, integrity, control, obedienceSome things never change. I have just been reading a book (The Road to Character, by David Brooks) in which he laments a radical change, over the last fifty years or so, in what are considered the important things in life. People used to put much more store on character (the kind of things that will be said at your funeral) than they do now. Today there is much more emphasis on success (the kind of things that go on your CV).
Read More success, character, integrity, short-cuts