Tiny Devotional for RED Friday, 5-28-2021

 A great good morning to all my friends and neighbors in Internet Land! And to family members who have dropped by, Remember Everyone Deployed.

The wicked flee when no one is pursuing,
But the righteous are bold as a lion.
Proverbs 28:1, NASB

One of the first Bible puns I learned as a lad:

Q: What’s the scariest animal in the Bible?
A: The wicked flea.
Although cheap humor, it does provide a reference point for memorizing the verse, at least the first half of it. Sad to say, at the time, it was about the only verse I had any familiarity with. 

But let us not focus on that, this morning. Instead, why do the wicked flee when no one is chasing them? And why are the righteous as bold as a lion?

The answer to both questions is, I suppose, the same: 

It’s an inside job, with outside help. 

In the case of the wicked, they have some understanding of their own nature. They know what they would do to others; they assume that others would do the same to them. Since they tend to surround themselves with like-minded individuals, it’s not an unreasonable assumption. Result: they wind up having to look over both shoulders at the same time, and it’s not enough.

The righteous, on the other hand, aren’t really thinking about their own nature, but about God’s nature, and about God’s people.  Lions are not solitary creatures; they live in a pride. God’s people are not solitary, either. They associate with each other; they care for each other; they protect and rescue each other. A righteous life isn’t a “Get-Out-Of-Jail-Free” card; it’s a list of phone numbers of people who will post bail for you.

Peace be on your household.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tiny Devotional for Wednesday, 05-08-2024

Image
 A great good morning to all my friends and neighbors in Internet Land! And to family who might drop by, bring a treat for the puppy dogs. Wisdom speaks: I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me. Proverbs 8:17, NASB There is a double promise here. First, wisdom promises that this is NOT going to be a one-sided love affair. THAT'S a relief! Search your memory, for that crush you had on someone in the 6th grade that wasn't returned. Hopefully, that was the LAST time you found yourself in a one-way relationship, but we all had to learn.  Second, wisdom promises that all we have to do to find her is seek for her. We DON'T have to get dressed up with brains, education, or any achievements whatsoever; all we have to do is seek her, and she will be found. This may be a promise that can only be appreciated by someone who has had to make their living in sales (or recruiting). I did that for too many years, slaving away on the road or on the telephone, ...
Read more

Tiny Devotional for Saturday, 05-04-2024

Image
 A great good morning to all my friends and neighbors in Internet Land! And to family who might drop by, May the Fourth be with you! But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until the full day. The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know over what they stumble. Proverbs 4:18-19, NASB   The preceding four verses warn us away from following after evil, and describes those who do so. Then, we are told WHY we should follow the path of the righteous, followed by the reason not to follow the path of the wicked. Perhaps this is the right way of teaching. This morning, I have had to deal with repercussions of someone hijacking Vanessa's Facebook account. Using this formula, how would I instruct a potential hacker?  Don't be a hacker. People who hack accounts look for ways to take advantage of other people's identities. People who use systems the way intended are able to exchange information with confidence, to include...
Read more

I will NOT share space with Four Horsemen today!

Image
Today is the sixth anniversary of the day that Vanessa and I were united in Holy Matrimony. We eloped.  The email I sent out to close friends and family said: Unless you are very prompt about checking your email, by the time you read this, we will be married. It's scheduled as a stealth event (no invites, etc) just after the 5:00 PM service at Liberty Church. Vanessa and Pat  The reason for the elopement? Except for our church family, and one or two of our bio-family, we were catching great big gobs of resistance, and some astounding roadblocks. I think most of it was well-intentioned; people didn't want us to 'rush into things.' They didn't want us to have to face the rigors of living as a mixed race couple in the south. There were some SERIOUS questions about my health, and my ability to provide proper parenting to Kenneth and Alicia, who, at ages 6 & 5, were starting first grade and kindergarten. Yeah, got that; we had spent a LOT of time working on those iss...
Read more