Insightful Musings on theScriptures
by
Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67
Greetings, dear people.
Rain is falling which interferes with my following through with getting my boom truck un-stuck. Oh well—I have plenty of other stuff to do.
Becki just left with a little bit of anxiety. She’s slated to take an exam this morning that, if passed, will award her the status of a BRAIN INJURY SPECIALIST. She’s been involved in some rather intense study the last few days.
Blessings on your day.
Love, Dad/Ray.
Interesting statement—“The wicked man flees though no one pursues.” The irony of that observation is that a man’s wickedness (his NATURAL SIN NATURE) will also influence him at times to stay when he should be fleeing—because someone IS pursuing! It sounds like a case of selective or deceptive paranoia—which I suppose could partly flow out of the perverse notion, “Do unto others what you know you’d like to do unto them before they do it unto you.”
On the matter of fleeing, I think it may be helpful to review some New Testament instructions on how, when, and from what to flee:
“Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body” (1 Corinthians 6:18-19).
“So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry” (1 Corinthians 10:12-15).
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:10-12).
“Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22-23).
TOTAL TRIVIA: I’m reminded of a “limerick” authored by the late great Linfield Crowder. I have no idea why I would even remember such a crazy tongue-twister:
Entrapped, so what could they do?
The flea said, “Let’s fly!”
The fly said, “Let’s flee!”
So they flew through a flaw in the flue.
Moving right along to the second half of the FOCUS VERSE—“but the righteous are as bold as a lion.” If there is any boldness and confidence on the part of the righteous—those with a HEART AFTER GOD—I think it has to do with embracing the truth of verse 26: “He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe.” In other words, the righteous/wise person knows who he is—he recognizes that he in himself is a wimp and requires a protection bigger than himself to be kept safe. He can walk right through the valley of the shadow of death and fear no evil because he knows his Sovereign Lord is with him. And this is exactly where David shines again in Psalm 28: “The LORD is my strength and my shield, me heart trusts in him, and I am helped…the LORD is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one” (Psalm 28:7-8).