Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Hello, dear ones.

Two little boys showed up here again this morning about 6:30am. Our day will be largely influenced. I’ve already spent some time responding to Kaden’s requests, drawing pictures of dump trucks, track hoes, trailers, etc. I’ve been allowing him to climb up on my studio work table to draw and cut paper. He’s coming to think that’s his place.

need to follow through with applying graphics to a big rig truck today…and have it ready to leave for a commercial hauling jog this evening. I have the components ready to go, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to pull off. After that, I hope to get in another round of sawmill work.

After I put the garbage beside the road, I hope to knock out a little jog…not because I’m so excited about doing so, but because I’m so aware of how much I need to keep this up.

Blessings on your day.

Love, Dad/Ray.

Let’s briefly take apart verses 5 and 6: “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

Besides the point that “a faith not worth sharing is not worth having,” I think there is a valid principle contained in this short prayer by Paul for Philemon that deserves our attention. Notice the REQUEST: “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith.” Now consider the REASON: “So that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.” Are you following this line of reasoning? In other words motivation in the activity of imparting your faith actually primes the pump of understanding. I think it stands to reason that the person who is not inclined toward PRESENTATION is not likely to be engaged in PREPARATION. Indeed this lazy and inactive approach can cause one’s faith to procrastinate, disintegrate, degenerate, deteriorate, suffocate, vegetate, and fornicate. Sharing your faith, however, will cause it to invigorate, stimulate, appreciate, activate, motivate, rejuvenate, and communicate. Since you can’t give away something you don’t have, the effective impartation of your faith requires an understanding of your faith. And understanding requires study, research, and thought, all of which are positive components of growth and strength. Please don’t allow yourself to believe that this is only a matter of cold shear boring discipline. Please consider (and ask God for) the delight factor that David presents in describing the man who is blessed of God. “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:2). (Question: How often is day and night?)

Do you agree that this prayer Paul prays for Philemon is a good prayer for us to pray for ourselves?