Insightful Musings on the Scripturesby
Ray Sparre, NU class of '67
Ray has a wealth of experience as a Husband, Father, Pastor, Missionary, and student of the Word. He believes and practices his faith where the rubber meets the road. You'll find his writings to be practical, insightful, and grounded in a truly Christ-centered world view.
Below are links to a printable daily Bible reading guide which Ray has followed, and an archive of all his daily devotional writings for 2010 and 2011.
| Sparre Home Page | Daily Reading Guide | 2011 Devotion Archives | 2010 Devotion Archives |
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5 Dec 11
Good chilly morning, special people.
I trust this morning finds you primed and prepared to take on the uncertainties of your day with A HEART AFTER GOD. I can’t imagine a safer approach.
A big list is staring at me…I guess I better stare back and get moving.
God bless your endeavors today.
Love, Dad/Ray.
5 December 2011
Proverbs 5
Focus: “The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast. He will die for lack of discipline, led away by his own great folly.” Proverbs 5:22-23.
Let’s talk about “loopholes.” I just checked my dictionary to see if that word is listed. It is, with this definition: “A way of escaping a difficulty, especially an ambiguity or omission, as in the wording of a contract or law, that provides a means of evasion.” I suppose I could add a definition of my own: “Dirty little tricks that dirty little human hearts devise to allow them to do dirty deeds and hide the dirt.”
Let’s be aware that loopholes are all over the place. They are in (or out of) legal contracts, tax reporting, financial accounting, political maneuvering, product disclosures, law-making (driven by lobbyists), law enforcement, church governments, theological statements (belief claims), and personal relationships. I think most all of it flows out of a residue of the dismal dirty Jeremiah 17:9 condition of human hearts—“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (KJV)”
If you have read this chapter, you have to know it contains a great deal of sex—the good and the bad—the right and the wrong. I think Solomon’s motives were pure as he composed these lines. He makes it pretty clear that extramarital sex was just about the worst form of immorality out there—sin that affects far more than those involved—the biggest, baddest, surest way to damage one’s life. But to be very honest with my overview and assessment of the author, I have to charge him with speaking with forked tongue, saying, “Do what I say, not what I do!” I can’t see how I can avoid rubbing Solomon’s nose in some of his own dirt by pointing out that he also had a pretty fancy loophole available to him—a way to escape the condemnation of doing sex outside of marriage. He just married them! Since his cultural environment didn’t denounce polygamy, his off-the-chart extravagant lusts could team up with his off-the-chart extravagant resources, allowing every “fling” to be brought within the parameters of marriage! Bingo! Problem solved! (Or was it?) Pretty clever extravagant loophole, eh?
Question: Is there any wonder that Solomon went on to become a cynical depressed emotional basket case who later exclaims over and over that life is just a bunch of stupid nonsense? All those exotic loopholes sure didn’t pay off in the long run, did they?—leaving him bankrupt of peace and purpose in the end—the very consequence he warned of. Is this not a case of sad and tragic irony? Are there not lessons here worth passing on to our youth? It would seem, however, that Solomon’s sense of responsibility and purpose returned near his end as evidenced by how he wraps up Ecclesiastes: “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).
Once again, the glory of the Biblical Gospel shines forth—confession, repentance, and forgiveness trump guilt by means of God’s AMAZING GRACE! Just bear in mind Solomon’s sound practical warning: “The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast. He will die for lack of discipline, led away by his own great folly.”
“No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible.”