Don’t Get Fooled
Have you ever been fooled? Most of us have been bamboozled into buying something or hoodwinked into doing something regretful. When it happens we feel ridiculous about the circumstance thinking, “How foolish could I be?” Too often we blame ourselves for being naïve becoming cynical and self-protective in the process. We say things like, “I won’t be duped like that again” or “next time I’ll be more careful” in an effort to feel not so foolish.
We need to learn from our mistakes because many of us regularly have to deal with unscrupulous salespersons, or dishonest contractors, or crooked office politics, or the deceitful relative, etc. So we embrace the proverbial wisdom “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me” because we don’t like being played the fool. But honestly, it’s hard to fool-proof your life! Sometimes it seems like foolishness is everywhere because it shows up where you least expect it. In fact, sensible expectations are frequently ruined by the foolhardy.
“It is folly to expect men to do all that they may reasonably be expected to do” –Archbishop Richard Whately
Careless conduct can be particularly difficult and disappointing in close relationships. Tricks like hidden agendas, pretentiousness, manipulation, control tactics, patronization, broken promises and a host of other egocentric behaviors will erode the foundation of trust with a flood of excuses, lies, insults and accusations. Friendships usually don’t die a natural death, neglect or narcissism is often the destroyer, and the foolishness can be brutal.
Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly. –Proverbs 17:12 NIV
The Bible is full of people who have made foolish mistakes, and the truth is, everyone makes them. But there is a big difference between stupid mistakes and an obnoxious persona. Some foolishly believe that they can do whatever they like, hurt whomever they wish, and take advantage of every situation. But the Bible says, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” (Gal. 6:7). In other words; don’t be fooled, nobody can make a fool of God and get away with it! If you sow bad seeds you’re going to reap a harvest of weeds.
For me the story of King Saul epitomizes the fool. If you remember, King Saul had it all; he was handsome and tall, hand-picked by God to lead, and he was successful. Saul united the people and defeated the Ammonites, Amalekites and a lot of the Philistines, but his love for glory and honor ruined him. In his foolishness he stopped listening to the voice of God (the Prophet Samuel), then he stopped listening to the voice of reason (Jonathan and David), because he had more interest in following his own voice, obsessed with his own way, convinced that he was always right.
Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. –Proverbs 26:12 NKJV
Eventually King Saul met his fate on Mount Gilboa, falling on his sword with his armor-bearer, because God will not be mocked by the fool. And the lesson is clear for us, like Saul, we too can be fooled into becoming the fool.
Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a “fool” so that he may become wise. –1 Corinthians 3:18 NIV
Self deception is the hardest to recognize and the most sinister form of trickery. We get fooled when we think we are smarter, or more skillful, or more anointed, or more experienced, or more spiritual, or more deserving, or more whatever. God help us to know the truth about ourselves, and the grace and wisdom to relate with others, so that we don’t get fooled; because nobody likes to stand with a fool.
David sang a song when the Lord saved him from the hand of Saul. Part of it goes like this, “To the faithful you show yourself faithful; to those with integrity you show integrity. To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the wicked you show yourself hostile. You rescue the humble, but you humiliate the proud. You light a lamp for me. The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness…The Lord lives! Praise to my Rock! May the God of my salvation be exalted!” –Psalm 18:25-28, 46 NLT
Spiritual Revolution
Are you free? We live in the freest nation on the face of the earth and for those of us who have Christ in our hearts know that where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty, right? (2 Cor. 3:17). But are you truly free? Or does fear, anger, shame, failure, worry, rejection, doubt, or un-forgiveness (etc.) keep you in bondage? Because honestly, we can be free, but not really free. Many of us, or should I say most of us, are still living under the tyranny of soul. The god of this world is trying to oppress the people of God at every turn; physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. But…
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. –Galatians 5:1a NIV
God wants us to be completely free; body, soul and spirit. But freedom is never free. If we are going to experience true freedom then a Spiritual Revolution must happen with each of us on a very personal level.
Think about this Nation’s history; long before the Boston Tea Party or the “shots heard around the world” at Concord and Bunker Hill, long before independence was declared and the back of British oppression was broken, the “True-born Sons of Liberty” were willing to die to be free. They were willing to die to live in the reality of their identity. Are we?
There is no doubt that when we gave our hearts to Jesus we became true-born sons of liberty. But the question remains “Are we willing to die?” Die to sin and self, or die for the cause of Christ? –On the job, at church, in the store, at the gym, in the Dr.’s office, at home with the spouse and kids, or when nobody else is watching; are we willing to be Freedom Fighters for Christ? Are you ready, willing and able for a spiritual revolution in your life?
Lately I’ve noticed too many battle weary, shell-shocked souls. And some have gone completely AWOL. Too many have surrendered to the tactics of the enemy. Today more than ever Christians are choosing to go their own way, making decisions that seem right in their own eyes, and ignoring the ways of God. And the Bible clearly warns us; “Don’t slip back into your old ways of doing evil” (1 Peter 1:14b NLT) because freedom has never been a free-for-all.
[Live] as free people, [yet] without employing your freedom as a pretext for wickedness; but [live at all times] as servants of God. –1 Peter 2:16 Amplified Bible
Our culture places freedom as the highest value, liberty is the greatest goal, but look around, what kind of freedom is being pursued? –drunkenness, adultery, gambling, carousing, pre-marital sex, etc… A lot of wicked behavior has been defined as freedom today, and unfortunately there are a lot of Christians that are participating. But the Bible is very clear on the matter that “those who practice such things will notinherit the kingdom of God.” (Gal. 5:21 NKJV).
Did you know that the Pilgrim Fathers of America were so concerned about an unrighteous definition of liberty in the New World that they drafted a list of sins that they said would lead to “Extreme Liberty”? They were afraid that a society that wrongly defined freedom would lead to a culture of immorality. And they were right. Now more than ever we need a spiritual revolution to turn this Nation back to God.
“Everything is permissible”-but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”-but not everything is constructive. –1 Corinthians 10:23 NIV
Permissibility is not always beneficial or constructive. But I’ve noticed something else; we live in a world that says “Yes” to everything? No boundaries for adults or kids. Parents today are allowing their kids to do whatever they want to do because they’re afraid that if they don’t, they might lose them somehow or harm them in some way or the kids might miss-out on something. But the very opposite is true.
Some years ago there was an interesting study that was conducted on school children playing at recess. They wanted to see how much play area the average group of school kids would utilize during their play-time. The results were interesting; they found when the kids were in an unfenced area, they would tend to huddle together and play in only a small portion of the playground. But if the area was fenced, the kids would utilize the entire playground; they would spread out and play right up to the limits of the fence. The fence provided safety which empowered freedom.
Freedom is not striping off every limitation in life. God wants us to be Free, but He also wants us to be Safe, and the two go hand in hand, not only for our own good, but also for the people in our lives. He wants us to live well, and also help others to live well too. So we must be very careful how we live (Eph. 5:15) this life of liberty.
Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. –1 Corinthians 8:9-10 NIV
It’s so easy to be influenced by the wrong people or have the wrong focus on the wrong things. It’s so easy to get our priorities out of whack or careless with our relationships. And the wrong focus and priorities can easily influence others the wrong way. Elton Trueblood was right when he said that “Discipline is the price of freedom”.
If we are going to experience the freedom that Christ set us free to live, then we have to be ready, willing, and able to have Him control of every aspect. Spiritual Revolution takes place when we say “yes” to God every time, every day, every way with everything. He set us free from the lesser, so that we can reach the greater. He longs for us all to live in the greater reality of our identity, as True-born Sons and Daughters of Liberty. So Be Free!
Significant Stones…
Have you noticed how significant stones are in the Bible? They were used to build important structures like; altars, temples, memorials, walls, and boundary stones. God used them to mark or define places and events where He did or said something significant in the life of the believer. And they were also essential elements used to maintain peace and to protect life. Stones were indispensable for relating with other people and with God.
Jacob set up a stone pillar at the place where God had talked with him… –Gen. 35:14a NIV
But have you noticed that stones are hard and heavy? They are very tough things that must be handled correctly and appropriately placed. They are often difficult to move, awkward to manage, and challenging to position. And they can be painful too; toes can get smashed, fingers crushed, and blisters can quickly form. But they are also solid and durable, and when done right, the structures are lasting and significant.
There are times in our lives when God asks us to establish stones. Some are memorials where Christ marks significant events along the journey, places to look back and see divine crossings or happenings. Salvation and baptism experiences are common memorials, and are among other encounters unique to each of us in our pursuit of God. Constructing memorials often are exciting activities, but there are other stone projects that are not nearly as fun or pleasurable.
Build there an altar to the Lord your God, an altar of stones… –Deut. 27:5a NIV
Altars are places where God requires sacrifice. Hard heavy stones laid upon hard heavy stones, until they are covered with blood, sweat and tears. They are places of surrender and death, but they’re also places of worship and renewed promise. Many times God will take us through difficult places where He helps us “let go” of the past, so that we can embrace the future. The patriarchs built these types of altar; Noah (Gen. 8:15-20), Abraham (Gen. 22:9-18), Isaac (Gen. 26:22-25) and Jacob (Gen. 35:7-9), but the story of Jacob has a few significant stones that we should notice here.
If you recall, Jacob was in difficult situation relationally with his brother Esau. And the Bible says that he found himself in a “certain place” a lonely place, stressed-out and tired. And it says that Jacob “took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep. Then he dreamed…” (Gen. 28:11). In that hard place, on that hard stone, God began to show him the movement of heaven; Jacob’s ladder was revealed and the promise of God was renewed. Then the Bible says that Jacob anointed that particular stone with oil and named the place “Bethel” the “house of God” and the “gate of heaven” because “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” (Gen. 28:16-17). God will take us to hard places and then un-expectantly reveal himself through the uncertainty.
But that’s not all, the story doesn’t end there. If you recall, Jacob finds himself in another difficult situation relationally, this time with his father-in-law Laban. The two men reconciled at a place called ‘the watch’ where they “gathered some stones” and “ate there by the heap” and then “offered a sacrifice there” as they reestablished a covenant of grace. (Gen. 31:43-54). The Lord was at work, but He still wasn’t finished. A short-time later we find Jacob still dealing with a rocky relationship with Esau, but the Bible says that the “angels of God” were in the camp and Jacob soon finds himself wrestling with God and being ‘blessed’ with a limp. But there, in that difficult place, he reunites with Esau in a tearful embrace. (Gen. 32:22-33:4). Afterward Jacob settles in ‘Bethel’ and built an altar there to God, and the Lord changed his name to Israel. (Gen. 35:1-9).
All of those places are where God used significant stones in Jacob’s life, transforming his heart and his relationships. When we walk through difficult relational places embracing hard and heavy issues, building altars in our lives, God will change us too and set us free to be the person we are destined to be; “living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God”. (Rom. 12:1).
So the next time you find yourself between a rock and a hard place, remember that it might just be a stone that God wants to use to shape something significant in your life –so worship Him there!
A Funny Way of Seeing Things
Perceptions are a funny thing. Have you ever noticed the way you see things can be very different from the way someone else will see the same thing? It happens all the time in all sorts of relationships; with family, friends and associates. People say, “I see it my way, and you see it your way –let’s just agree to disagree” (which is still disagreement). Funny thing too, sometimes the more you try to explain yourself the more mixed-up things can get. And other times just a-look or a gesture (or no gesture at all) can be perceived to say much more, or something completely different. Has it happened to you? People misunderstand, misconstrue and misinterpret, because we have a funny way of seeing things.
Over the years I have been misjudged many times; I’m sure you have too. People have misread my intentions, misheard my message, and have misrepresented me to others. And the funny thing is; I’m sure I’ve done the same to some of them. We don’t like it when it happens to us, yet do the very thing to other people; funny huh?
And often what we perceive about a person will determine how we interact (or not) with them. Have you said or heard; “She seems mad, I better let her alone today” or “He seems tired, I won’t bother him now” or “They seem so busy, I’ll just do it myself”? Many times perceptions are a way of conceiving something in our mind to protect, excuse, or justify the way we feel about someone or something. But they are often wrong, and frequently used as a springboard for accusation; “She’s an angry person” or “He’s unapproachable” or “They don’t care”. Perception can be deceiving.
For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? –1 Corinthians 2:11a NIV
Sadly many Spirit-filled Christians label perceptions as ‘discernment’. People say, “The Lord showed me something about that person” and then critically change the way they treat them or feel compelled to help them with ‘their problem’. But the funny thing is many times we’re seeing the ‘speck’ in someone else’s eye but do not perceive the plank in our own (see Luke 6:41). We must be careful not to spiritualize a critical spirit in our own lives because “the heart is deceitful above all things” (Jer. 17:9). There is no question that we need discernment, but the Bible says that:
The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out. –Proverbs 18:15 NIV.
We must remain hungry for the knowledge of the truth concerning other people and circumstances, and be diligent to seek it out; but even more so with our own hearts. Especially with our own hearts! Lord, help us to perceive the right way, from your perspective, and change our funny way of seeing things.