Wisdom for Summer

Summer is just around the corner, and that means camps, vacations, trips, and a general change in routine.  I’ve been thinking about wisdom recently and think there are some great thoughts from the Bible’s wisdom literature that is helpful.  I feel like the joy and difficulty of parenting in the midst of these transitional times was made crystal clear yesterday as our family enjoyed some friends’ wedding.  The kids got to see both sets of grandparents and as a result consume too much sugar, dance with abandon, and play with all kinds of new friends.  All of the joy and excitement came crashing in with harsh words, emotional melting, weeping and gnashing of teeth…and that was just me as we tried to settle into bed.  But in reality, I think this just illustrates the struggles of parenting as we enjoy special moments that sometimes “backfire” when they don’t conclude as planned, or end in melting, or are met with ingratitude and we are tempted to say “see, this is why we can’t do special things!”

But thinking of wisdom there are three voices in the Bible.  Proverbs gives wise quips where if you are intentional to pursue goodness, good things will result.  Ecclesiastes responds to that idea with experience that says “hold on a second, there are chance times when things don’t work out that way.”  And Job adds his aged wisdom saying, “yes, although you may be intentional to do good, and life deals you a raw deal, God is no less present in the midst of it and loves you as he walks with you through the good and bad.”

So what?  Well there is a word in Ecclesiastes that is used 38 times called “hevel” which is translated in some English versions as “meaningless,” but can also be understood as vapor, elusive, or absurd. I think this is so helpful as we think about the summer, we may be tempted to wish the summer away in anticipation of the routine of the school year.  Maybe, we dwell on the fun we had on vacation or that weekend away and lament that we aren’t enjoying those better times, and lose the present moments. Finally, we may get frustrated when things don’t go as planned, picnics rained out, flat tires, or crowds thwart our expected fun.  

In this tension, make good plans, but hold them loosely, enjoy the present moments, and reflect on the fun, but don’t become so focused on it that you miss this moment you’re in. Finally, take even the unexpected as divine moments to look for and experience God’s presence.  Thinking back to my childhood, some of the most memorable moments were the unexpected.  I remember getting stuck in our camper playing blackjack because it was storming outside, or my dad throwing away his wallet while paying for ice-cream in Washington DC, or riding an adult tricycle around my Great Grandmas retirement village while we were on a Disney World trip.  It’s amazing how we hang onto the most obscure details, and usually the ones we as parents least expect or least want, but in the midst of every moment, savor your summer, seek God, be intentional to look for His hand in every moment and enjoy the gift of your family at this moment that is fleeting, but oh so sweet!  Praying for you and your family this summer!

A blessing to the families of the world

Recently I was asked the question “if you were to have a scripture tattooed on your body, what scripture would you choose?”  No matter your stance on tattoos, please keep reading, this has less to do with tattoos but more to do with the wrestling with scripture and wearing it boldly like a tattoo.  All scripture is God-breathed and useful, but each of us seem to have those passages that float to the top of our minds because or circumstances or situations that they seemed to take root deeply in our hearts.  For the longest time my life verse has been Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.  And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”  It seems like that would be a logical choice, but as I’ve been reading through the Bible again this year, I noticed a message given to Jacob, that repeats the same theme as the promise given to Abraham, and I think as children of God, we can make the logical jump that this could apply to us as well.

Genesis 28:14b “and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” Wow!  There is both promise and responsibility here.  In verse 15 God says “Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go…”  As a child of God, He promises to be with me and keep me, but also to use me to bless all the families of the earth.  So here is where I have been challenged recently.  If I’m living by faith in God, how is my life blessing my family, my neighbors, the people I work with, see at the store, on the road, at my church, in my town, and around the world?  What actions am I taking, in obedience to Christ, to be a blessing?  How is my role in my family blessing them and helping them to bless others?

How am I supposed to know how to bless people?  As my heart begins to line up with God’s heart, growing in wisdom from his Word and acting in every situation with obedience to God, I treat others as God would treat them.  I guess understanding both of these verses together, if I get myself out of the way and let God work in and through me as I obey his Word, He will bless the world through my life.  What a great opportunity.  I want to be a blessing to the world, I want my family to be a blessing to the world, and I hope that is your desire as well.  

How are you blessing the families of your corner of the world?  How is God working in your life right now?  I’ll be honest, I’m scared of needles so there aren’t any tattoos happening with me anytime soon, but thinking about some ink has helped me to think deeply about how God’s Word is being applied to my life.  Is the seed of this promise to bless the world through me and my family bearing fruit in the community around me?