Hey Kids, What Are You Wearing?

Read the title question. What do you think?

Is this a fashion question? A modesty question? A pandemic ‘mask’ question?

It is ‘none of the above.’ My question stems from the advice the writer of Proverbs gave his son. It is good advice for kids today…

Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, 

And do not forsake your mother’s teaching;
Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head, 

And ornaments about your neck.
—Proverbs 1:8-9 (NASB95)

Does the proverb merely sound like a plea to honor parental advice? Actually, there’s more.

‘Instruction’ is translated from the Hebrew word ‘musar.’ It is best understood as discipline. Solomon pleads with his son to ‘hear’ or ‘listen to’ musar. So, he is referring to any kind of verbal discipline: instruction, correction, or rebuke.

‘Teaching’ is from the Hebrew word ‘torah.’ In most cases, ’torah’ was a word used for the Law of God. However, it did not refer to a set of rules, but rather, careful instruction.

So, what was the content of this fatherly verbal discipline and motherly instruction?

Based on the content of Proverbs 1, the discipline of the father and instruction of the mother both reflect the word of God. In other words, the parental instruction here is not homespun advice, but God’s instruction being relayed to the child through the parents. This tells me two things:

First, while every parent has informative and helpful instruction based on personal experience, nothing is more important than instruction from Scripture. So, children, it is of greatest importance that you to listen to your parents.

Second, parents, it is imperative that you take your responsibility as a parent seriously. Your obligation is to first relay what God has taught in His word. There is a place for your personal wisdom; just make sure God’s word is primary and your instruction is secondary. And don’t allow for your personal experience to undo or water down God’s instruction.

Solomon said that the parental teaching is “a graceful wreath to your head and ornaments about your neck.” That is God’s fashion statement to you. 

• Do you know what to wear when you get ready for school? 
• Do you know what you should wear to a party? 
• To the park? 
• To a church function? 
• On vacation? 
• Even at home?

Instead of promoting yourself and your independence and your opinions and your attitudes with your outer wear, God will be really impressed if you ‘wear’ your parents’ instruction.

So, how do you dress up with your parent’s instruction?

It is really simple to explain, but often hard to do: You ‘listen.’

When Solomon instructed his son to “Hear,” he did not intend for the instruction to go in one ear and out the other. Relaying God’s instruction, he expected his son to actually listen with interest; to think about the instruction; and to follow the instruction. That does not mean that there is no discussion. But any discussion should be for clarity. There is no room for selfish bargaining to get out of doing what is expected; no room for rebellion; no room for disobedience.

In the end, when children humbly follow God’s instruction given to them by their parents, things always go better for the children. It might not be fashionable to the people of the world, but it sure pleases God to adorn yourself with the teaching from His word.

Mark Stinnett 

August 30, 2020

What Is the Opposite of Uncertainty?

My doctor admitted frustration when I saw him for my checkup a few weeks ago. He explained that the CDC had recommended a certain kind of face mask for those in the medical community. Then, that morning, he had received notification that they had changed and were recommending something different.

Naturally, we talked about the COVID-19 pandemic. I was interested in his viewpoint. He had several good observations, but one comment stood out: There are a number of things about the virus that have been discovered, but there remains quite a lot of uncertainty. My son-in-law, a Physician Assistant, echoed that thought. 

From the beginning of this pandemic we have been faced with mountains of uncertainty.

Does that bother you?

Yes, it is frustrating, but do you spend a lot of time thinking about all the uncertainties?

Perhaps, like me, you’ve just about given up on discovering the truth about COVID-19. But, what about other areas of your life? Do you spend time wrestling with uncertainties?

I really don’t care much for political discussions. It is not the array of opinions expressed that I don’t like. Rather, it is the uncertainties. A politician makes a promise (perhaps with sincerity), but is kept from keeping his promise by the ‘political machine.’ (And there are some politicians who will promise anything to get elected, yet they know that they cannot keep their promise.) I can’t figure it out. Uncertainties.

Politics aside, what about the news? No explanation needed...Uncertainties.
Foreign nations, our nation’s economy, the company that hired you. Uncertainties loom.

And don’t forget the weather.

What does all this have to do with anything?

Listen to words of wisdom:

He who watches the wind will not sow and he who looks at the clouds will not reap.
—Ecclesiastes 11:4

Solomon observed that a person who dwells on the uncertainties of the weather, will never do the things he needs to do. While that proverb deals with the uncertainties of weather, it applies to every area of life. He went on to advise that seed should be sown in spite of the uncertain weather.

Dwelling on uncertainties has a paralyzing effect. Wisely the Apostle Paul urged:

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 

—Philippians 4:8

The opposite of uncertainties is “whatever is true.” I don’t think Paul was telling us to give ‘no’ thought to life’s uncertainties, but rather, that we should not dwell on them. We should dwell on things that are certain, things that are reliable, things that are true. Just as there is a negative effect when dwelling on uncertainties, there is a positive effect when dwelling on things that are true: Peace.

And as for all those uncertainties of life; instead of dwelling on them, pray to God about them.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 

—Philippians 4:7

Mark Stinnett

August 23, 2020

Wounds and Kisses in 'Opposite World'

Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.
--Proverbs 27:6

How would you explain this proverb to a child? It seems to be from a kind of 'opposite world.' Friends would not hurt each other; enemies do not kiss.

Two New Testament events provide visual examples for this verse.

First, the Apostle Paul opposed the Apostle Peter (Cephas) on one occasion when they were in the city of Antioch. Peter and some other Jewish Christians stood apart from the Gentile Christians and made a distinction. Paul explained that Peter “stood condemned.” He rebuked him openly because of his hypocrisy. (Read about this event in Galatians 2:11-14.)

Though public opposition is never pleasant, Paul acted in the best interest of Peter and others who joined in his hypocrisy. Peter’s soul was in danger and Paul came to his aid, through rebuke.

Near the end of the New Testament are two short books authored by the Apostle Peter. They were most likely written after the occasion in Antioch. So, it is apparent the Peter did not continue in his hypocrisy. The wounds of his fellow Christian were beneficial.

On the surface it probably appeared that Paul was against Peter. Yet, he acted as a friend to Peter by correcting him. Even though it was open rebuke, unpleasant to Peter, and most likely embarrassing, the wounds of the friend proved to be faithful.

The later half of the proverb is well illustrated by the Apostle Judas. Not often is the title 'Apostle' used with Judas. The reason, no doubt, is because we remember Judas for his actions as a traitor to Jesus. His final act of deceit was that of identifying Jesus by a kiss. This had been planned earlier so the soldiers would know with certainty which man to arrest.

In general, people refrain from outward signs of affection toward those they don't get along with. And that is especially true when it comes to enemies!

A kiss is a sign of acceptance and affection. It is reserved for family and close friends. Even when a kiss is a part of a greeting (as in some foreign countries), it symbolizes some level of acceptance.

If you were alone with an enemy would you kiss him/her?

Of course not!

So, why, then, would a person kiss an enemy?

Solomon cut through to reality: the kiss of an enemy must be understood to be deceitful. The kiss is for show; it mocks reality in hopes of fooling those who may be watching. The kiss presents one impression while the truth is cleverly hidden by the false affection.

So, what can we learn from this proverb and these New Testament examples?

• We live in a society that loves and expects tolerance; that preaches that you should never hurt anyone. However, if a friend's soul is in danger, you will be a faithful friend if you point out their error, even if it means that you wound them in some way. So, be the friend who is loyal to the point of wounding another to save them.
• If you are wounded by a friend, accept the pain of the correction. It is for your good. Count your friend as a true and loyal friend who was willing to risk your friendship for your benefit.
• Finally, never use affection as a smoke screen to deceive others...
• But be aware that others do.

Be wise.

When You Want To Be Who You're Not

Do you ever wish things were different?

I think that, at one time or another, we all wish things were different, but we know that we cannot magically change the world. So, let me ask instead, “Do you ever wish things were different about YOU?”

That’s a different question altogether, isn’t it?

That question is not about things going on around you that you cannot control; it is about the ‘you’ inside, the one thing you can control.

Now, here are a few things we must all understand. First, our world is broken. When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, sin entered into the world. Before that, everything that God had created was good, good, good. Paul refers to the brokenness of our current world when he writes about the creation being “set free from its slavery to corruption” (Romans 8:18-22). So, we should not be surprised that our circumstances in this world are less than desirable most of the time.

Second, you are broken. When Paul wrote that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” he was talking about your brokenness. Focus on the last phrase: “fall short of the glory of God.” We exist as ones who ‘fall short.’ It’s because of sin.

Third, there is hope (a future expectation of life), but you cannot just sit around waiting for hope to come and sweep you off your feet. You have to desire; you have to choose; you have to move. It is called repentance; and it is a complete change of perception.

Fourth, God transcends all this brokenness. He is perfectly perfect and completely complete. My redundancy in describing God is to impress on our minds the reality that God is not broken. He needs no fixing. In fact, His divine character defines all that is ‘good.’ (To be accurate, any one of us could only be described as ‘mostly good.’)

People deal with this imperfect world and their imperfect selves in a variety of ways. The accumulation of money seems to bring happiness. Solomon even said, “Money is the answer to everything” (Ecclesiastes 10:19). Yet money gave him no answers to life’s deepest quest for meaning. He concluded that wealth, among other things, was futile.

Some people are master escape artists. They seem to be living somewhere else through social media, entertainment of all types, or by burying themselves in work, hobbies, activities, projects, travel, and so on. They will do anything to be somewhere else with someone else.

Still others adopt a ‘Pollyanna attitude’ and look at the world as if everything and everyone is good. As nice as that sounds, it’s just not true.

Satan is the greatest illusionist the world has ever known. Yet, he didn’t fool Jesus. When Jesus sacrificed Himself for you and me on the cross, it was not because everything was good. Jesus was facing the reality of your brokenness. He did not try to escape the brutal reality of life, he embraced it, not accepting it, but rather doing something about it. He brought hope.

Repentance is when we wake up from our sleep of escapism to embrace the hope of Jesus instead of swimming in the mire of falling short of God’s glory. When James wrote, "consider it all joy when you encounter various trials" (James 1:2),he was inviting us to embrace the reality of hope.

So...embrace hope...and grab a hand and bring someone along.

Mark Stinnett 

August 9, 2020

What Does Contentment Expect?

Contentment is a decision; it doesn’t depend upon circumstances. God has made astounding promises to Christians concerning forgiveness of sins and life after death. For that reason the inequities and difficulties of this life cannot compare to our hope in Christ. Yet, the person without faith or with weak faith often experiences anxiety and fear.

Unlike contentment, satisfaction depends on circumstances.

The Book of Ecclesiastes might give you the idea that all of the stuff between one’s birth and death is really quite insignificant. Over and over Solomon concluded that life within the created universe is meaningless. He had to look ‘beyond’ our earthly existence to find meaning. He had to look to God.

So, are we supposed to find contentment by quitting our jobs, selling all our earthy goods, and heading to the mountains to feed on berries while living in caves? Are the pleasures of this life bad? Am I not supposed to excel in life? Is it wrong to compete?

The Christians in ancient Thessalonica needed answers to similar questions. There were some among them who seemed to have been convinced that the second coming of Jesus was about to take place. As a result they had begun to ignore their responsibilities in life. Paul wrote to them with rather sharp encouragement (admonition).

In one sense, you might think that some of them actually saw the big picture. They realized the insignificance of the things of this life compared to eternal life. Yet, they seem to have been irresponsible.

They might have appeared to be content! Yet, contentment is not the outgrowth of irresponsibility (or apathy). Rather, Paul instructed Christians…

To make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands...so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.
—1 Thessalonians 4:11-12.)

So, is it OK...

• To earn a college degree?
• To strive for a good career?
• To start your own business?
• To go on vacations, enjoy entertainment, splurge on a fancy meal from time to time?

The answer to all of these is, "Yes, of course."

God doesn’t expect His people to quit living while they anticipate of the return of Jesus. In fact, God expects us to be responsible and to avoid being a burden to others. As for possessing wealth, there are many examples of wealthy people in Scripture who were faithful to God. Yet, wealth can be a stumbling block. So, Paul encouraged Timothy with the right attitude:

For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering (i.e. clothing and shelter), with these we will be content.
—1 Timothy 6:7-8

So, how can you know if your attitudes and choices are a matter of responsible living or whether you are being blinded by the lure of desire and excess?

The answer is as easy as evaluating the outcome of your efforts. Do your interests and pursuits produce anxiety and/or frustration, or is your joy in Christ sustained in spite of life’s inequities and difficult circumstances? In spite of not being satisfied.

If, after honest evaluation, you recognize that you are not content, there is a very real possibility that you are struggling with an inner sense to satisfy desires instead of true needs. It might even be that you have rationalized your desires by renaming them as needs.

Whenever a person can truly come to terms with chance circumstances and the ultimate futility of possessions, career, self-image, attention, intellect, etc., then and only then can he/she move forward in faith with an expectant view to eternity. Contentment is first dependent on one's faith in God and His promises. Then it is a decision to accept reality while maintaining a heart of compassion toward others and a life of holiness before God.

Mark Stinnett 

August 2, 2020

The Golden Rule...for 'Today'

On Saturday (July, 18th) my family attended a wedding. We are continually mindful of the presence of ‘the virus’ and want to stay healthy AND be considerate of others. For that reason, even a trip to a store can be an occasion that demands forethought...about the virus; a wedding, even more so.

We were early arrivals at the wedding and I observed people entering with masks who kept their masks on throughout the ceremony. Others entered without masks and remained unmasked. Others entered without masks, mingled with people, then sat down and put on masks. Still others entered with masks, sat down and removed their masks.

What do you think about all that?

Here are some labels (in order): The masked, the non-masked, the maskers, and the unmaskers. Do the labels help you to sort things out?

I know that people have different perceptions and motives. Some people mask themselves to be cautious, some out of fear, some out of consideration. When you see someone wearing a mask, you cannot be sure of their perception and intent: caution, fear, consideration.

Some people choose not to wear a mask based on personal awareness. They have considered articles, statistics, guidelines, etc. and have concluded that the mask is not necessary for them. Others who do not mask do so in defiance of government with the intent of demonstrating their liberty to go maskless. They openly declare their attitude, “You can’t tell me what to do.” When you see someone without a mask, you cannot be sure of their perception and intent.

Here’s the point of all this: Mask behavior during the declared COVID-19 pandemic does not necessarily reveal the attitude of one’s heart.

That is a really important and true statement. It naturally leads to a really important teaching statement that we all need to take to heart:

‘Mask behavior’ must not be used as a standard for judging people.

In Romans 14 Paul addressed Christians who stood in judgment of fellow Christians because of things they ate or did not eat; and for the way they did or did not observe special days on the calendar.

In our day, mask behavior could easily turn into an issue in which people stand in judgment of others. ‘Non-maskers’ could label ‘maskers’ as being foolish, uninformed, fearful and lacking faith. ‘Maskers’ could label ‘non-maskers’ as rule-breakers, defiant and uncooperative. If we pre-judge another person we assume the role of God and made a conclusion about that person’s conscience and heart without speaking to them. Prejudice is ungodly and divisive!

There are many extreme attitudes and extreme behaviors. Amidst all that is the truth, even though it is frustratingly difficult to find. I believe Romans 14 provides us direction:

• In behavior: We must exercise our convictions with the Lord in mind. So, let me ask, How would Jesus judge your behavior?
• In intent: We must consider our personal motives in how we make decisions. How would Jesus judge the intentions of your heart?
• In attitude: We must show kindness and consideration to others. How would Jesus judge your attitude toward others?

In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you.

--Matthew 7:12

Mark Stinnett

July 26, 2020