Proverbs
How to start your day
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I find myself often rushing, eager to dive into email and reading blogs and just getting about my business.
But every day for the past couple of weeks, I start with just a plain notebook, silence, and then a moment of reading through the Bible. Right now, I focus on Psalms and Proverbs.
My take away for today on how to start the day:
My soul, wait silently for God alone. (Psa 62:5)
There are other areas where silence is essential and called for in the Bible. But to start the day allows us to trust the craziness and the business and the junk and put it into His hands. We cannot let God’s wisdom and power flow through us when we tend to what we want to do.
Challenge
Instead of diving into the stuff of the day, take silence in the beginning and ask God to help prioritize. This will seem counter-intuitive because, man, the clock is ticking, gotta go go go! And it will take time, our synapses haven’t been trained to wait for God first thing in the morning, but that is a wonderful way to start the day.
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Four types you should stop hanging out with
The path of wisdom inspired by King Solomon has many references to the types of relationships that we have. In reading through, he makes recommendations on the type of people to avoid or perhaps to no longer associate with.
That can be a hard decision for some people to make. I, myself, in retrospect have associated too long with people who have some of these characteristics, but it has become clear that we should take note of the following.
As you read these, I invite you to do a quick inventory for yourself to identify these types of people:
A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much. Proverbs 20:19
Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn his ways and get yourself ensared. Proverbs 22:24-25
Do not speak to a fool, for he will scorn the wisdom of your words. Proverbs 23:9
Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags. Proverbs 23:20-21
So what does this mean?
1. Do not hang out with untrustworthy or gossipy people
2. Do not be around someone with a bad temper
3. Don’t hang out with someone who is “foolish” — more on this definition later, Proverbs gives much better descriptions.
4. Don’t hang out with total gluttons.
This last one might be the hardest — these folks are just having fun, right? What’s wrong with a fun night out? I think the passage is focusing on those who do “too much” of both.
But the broader context is, take a look at your existing relationships. Can you do an inventory of who they are and what they stand for? How do those “friendships” strengthen you and, conversely, how do you strengthen them?
Proverbs: Thoughts, Work, and Plans
Although not known for absolute certain, Proverbs is said to have been written by the wisest of kings, King Solomon. As part of this blog, I include thoughts and meditations on Proverbs that bring out key concepts towards living a life of leadership and success in this world.
For myself, I know I am constantly battling with, “What are my plans and what are *my* ideas. How will I succeed in this world?”
These three Proverbs have been impactful for me in the right emotional and mental posture and discipline:
“We can gather our thoughts, but the LORD gives the right answer.” Proverbs 16:1
“Commit your work to the LORD, and then your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16:3
“We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.”
Proverbs 16:9
These are pretty self-explanatory, pretty much saying the same thing. The nuances play out in how one practices them.
The way I am trying to go about executing these:
Allow God as part of the Planning Session
“Gathering thoughts” is the planning of all the ideas and thoughts that come throughout the day or through discplined planning. What would it be like to have a brain-storm session with God in the mix, to ask him, “What is the right answer?” Where should I focus? Should this be in high-tech? Do I want something that will give me flexibility in work and life? Is it worth spending my savings on it?
Planning is Important, allow God to help us execute and prioritize
Notice how the brainstorming and planning is still something that we do. It isn’t all about letting God tell us what to do and we follow blindly.
There needs to be planning, a desire of where one wants to go — as done in the first part with God providing the right answer.
Then once we have plans, the goal-making process usually involves the specific steps and the sequence of how to get there. It’s more tactical. I think this part involves letting go and trusting God, because “the LORD *determines* our steps.”
This part is really asking and being guided and is the hardest part to do when one wants to be productive and go-go. But getting the first part right is so important…because if the planning and “gathering thoughts” stage didn’t include God….”determines our steps” may not be where we think we are going!
Execution as Worship
Do the things as if doing them unto God, not unto man. To give one’s work, committing it to God by trusting him and doing it in His name, is a form of worship and is critical to the success of your plans. Is it better to succeed in a God-formed planned that isn’t 100% yours, or to have 100% of a plan without God’s success?
