When Hurting Helps

Our bodies have built-in sensors that tell us, among other things, when something hurts. They play this particular number in a key no one can ignore: pain. But even pain can be a good thing. Without it, we would harm ourselves to death without even knowing it. In this way hurt gives life.

In spiritual matters, we do not have the same system by nature. Instead, the Lord uses his word to alert us when something is harming us spiritually. And that word often comes in the form of reproofs and rebukes. In other words, it is a kind of spiritual pain. And it too gives life.

It’s what we do with these warnings that makes all the difference. If we play our cards right—by leaning into reproofs instead of plugging our ears against them—they can lead us to a better tomorrow:

The ear that listens to life-giving reproof

will dwell among the wise.

- Proverbs 15:31

How to Be Wise

Wisdom is more than knowing things; someone said it’s knowing what to do with the things we know. There may be a kernel there, but true wisdom is built upon a specific knowledge: the knowledge of God. Consider the words of Solomon on this point:

The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,

and humility comes before honor.

— Proverbs 15:33

That’s the key to real wisdom: fearing God. In other words, making all our decisions with him in mind, in regard to his existence, his glory, his commandments, his gospel…. Keep the Lord of hosts in mind and you will be well instructed in your decisions. Stay humble before him, searching and knowing his word, and he will guide you in all things, and honor you at the proper time.

The Reformed Doctrine of Being Sad

Reformed doctrine affirms and celebrates the sovereignty of God, which means he reigns and rules over all things. This matters for the Christian life: if God is in control, then whatever I go through is ultimately from him. James tells us that we will “meet trials of various kinds” in the Christian life (James 1:2). Sometimes those trials are exhausting, demanding, and discouraging; sometimes, they just make us downright sad. When we are struck with sadness, let us stop and ponder what we shall do. Here are three simple steps to take.

pray

James asks, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray” (5:13). Pretty straightforward. Suffering with sadness? Step one: pray. Tell your heavenly Father how you feel and ask him to help you see things as they are.

Ponder

Sadness is not always evil. A wise man said, “Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad” (Eccl 7:3). Sadness sobers us to spiritual realities and the brevity of life. In this way it can bring us wisdom, which gladdens in the long run.

Push Back

The gospel of Christ is the good news to gladden our sadness. “All the days of the afflicted are evil, but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast” (Prov 15:15). Once we begin to comprehend our sadness through prayer and word, let us combat it with the unbelievably spectacular news of salvation in Christ. Soon enough we will be making cheer before our God again.

The Watcher

The eyes of the Lord are in every place,

keeping watch on the evil and the good.

(Prov 15:3)

What else do you need to know? God sees. God knows. This is an act of the divine nature which everyone understands by nature: the Creator is everywhere and sees everything.

He sees the evil. This is a terror to the wicked. He sees all they do, even all they think and intend to do. Everything is laid open to the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Our only move is to confess our sins to a loving Creator and receive mercy by his Son.

He also sees the good. This is an encouragement to believers who do good in secret, as Jesus instructed us. He who sees in secret will reward. It is also a comfort to the afflicted and oppressed. God sees and knows, and he will repay.

Let us trust the God who sees us today.

The Reformed Doctrine of Keeping It Cool

A fool gives full vent to his spirit,

but a wise man quietly holds it back.

(Prov 29:1)

It is often said that love isn’t something you feel, but something you do. We can say the same thing about the elusive quality of keeping it cool. The fast-paced modern world, with all its many advantages, does have some downsides. For one, it promotes stress. And if we’re not careful, we can express that stress in anger.

What is the secret to staying calm under pressure? It’s not a breezy, nonchalant feeling, but a decision to hold our peace when we are full of emotions. With Christ, we can do this. The moment of chaos shall pass, and we will be glad we didn’t speak out in passion. It need not reach beyond our own hearts to others. And when we do vent our angry feelings at others (which we all do at times), Christ is there to purify our lips with the live coal of his cross, which cleanses our sin.

The Reformed Doctrine of Messy Houses

“God is a God of order.” How many times this truism has been deployed to get kids and grandkids to clean their rooms is a number known only to the Almighty. It reminds me of another well-known proverb, “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” The problem with both is that neither are found in the Bible. The Good Book does, however, say this:

Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,

but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.

(Prov 14:4)

In other words, where there is life and productivity, there is messiness.

Today’s ideals are more along the lines of selfish sterility, what we might call the doctrine of easy cleanism. It doesn’t spark joy. It exalts sleeping around in the place of nuptial commitment. It fuels mass abortion. It encourages willfully childless marriages. The quickest way to a spick and span home, office, life, etc. is not to live or work or share it at all. But where there is life and productivity and relationship, there is mayhem. This is the way.

I Only Believe in Science

This Friday our church is having a Nacho Libre viewing party. That classic Christian tale of conscience, conversion, and courtship rumbles the belly with laughter and draws a sweet tear from the eye. Among countless classic lines, Nacho’s sidekick Steven (Esqueleto) has a standout. When Nacho expresses concern that he had not been baptized, he replies, “I don’t know why you always have to be judging me, because I only believe in science.” Brilliant.

Believe in science. That’s the religion of the day. But those who believe the Scriptures need not fear the often-changing findings of the natural sciences. The realities after which they grasp are, in themselves (at the bottom), perfectly consistent with all that the Bible teaches. Why? Because the same God who inspired the Scriptures created the world. The psalmist exhorts us to this knowledge: “Know that the LORD, he is God!” In other words, the God of the Bible is the God of nature. So let us learn about him from all that he has made without fear.

Why Can’t We Get Enough?

“More, more, more!” is the cry of the day. Materialism, sensuality, social media reaccs…we want everything and plenty of it. But will it ever be enough? Of course not. Because satisfaction is not found in the amount experienced but in the eye of the experiencer. Consider the Proverbs:

The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite,

but the belly of the wicked suffers want.

(Prov 13:25)

But wait a second. If you have read the Bible (or lived for that matter) you know that the wicked often have more than the righteous…more wealth, more power, more pleasure. So how can it be that they suffer want while the righteous are satisfied?

To be sure, in the age to come (come quickly Lord Jesus) God’s people will enter into the plenteous joy of their Master and taste the cosmic fruits of Christ’s victory over sin and death, while those who refuse to bow before his loving rule will suffer want forever and ever.

But that’s not all folks. Even now God’s children enjoy satisfaction in the simplest pleasures and modestest (it’s a word) portions while the wicked, for all their extravagance, are never content. “It is not how much we have,” said Spurgeon, “but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.”

Let us then, whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, do all to God’s glory.

That Hideous Hemorrhage

Some years ago I was driving on the interstate and came up to a huge dump truck with the clear message STAY BACK, STAY ALIVE written on the back. I did, and here I am.

It reminds me of Proverbs 13:3:

Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life;

he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

More dangerous than crashing into a mountain of avalanching gravel at high speeds is speaking any and all words that suggest themselves to us. Once that hideous hemorrhage begins, there is no stopping it. In any given social or professional setting, letting our words go unchecked quickly reduces us to situational ruin. Let us set a guard upon our mouth today that we may speak wisely.

STAY SILENT, STAY ALIVE.

The Clue of Christ

The knowledge of Jesus Christ is the very marrow and kernel of all the Scriptures...the right knowledge of Jesus Christ, like a clue, leads you through the whole labyrinth of the Scriptures.

John Flavel

The Bible can be hard to understand. It’s easy to get disoriented, especially in the Old Testament. The remedy is to take a step back and view the whole sweep of the Bible. What’s it all about? When we zoom out, we see that the Bible is a fairly simple story about God saving his fallen world through his Son Jesus Christ. In other words, the Bible is all about Jesus. Every smaller story in the Bible, every gem of wisdom, leads the believing reader to him. He is the key to understanding the Scriptures and obtaining the eternal life they offer freely to all. Let us follow the Clue of Christ in all our readings of God’s word.