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Use your own canteen…

A lot of the Proverbs at the start of this chapter a day adventure have to do with purity and particularly in the area of marital faithfulness. There are many warnings about straying and it is clear that God is very interested in setting boundaries – for our good – in the way we order the most intimate of relationships.

I am truly blessed to have fallen head over heels with this guy…

and so reading through those was kind of like…eh…doesn’t pertain to me…

But God’s word is ALWAYS relevant and ALWAYS has a purpose…and so I took a three way approach to some of those more ick-factor Proverbs.

First, they serve as a standard for us. The give us wisdom so that our conversations with others, whether they are young or old, single or married, are framed safely within the context of God’s Truth. With our thoughts lined up with His, our words are seasoned with wisdom.

We never know the influence and power our words can be on another who is considering a fatal mistake. These truths of God will come out in the way we speak as we work them deep into our spirits.

Second, they strengthen and affirm us IF and WHEN temptation ever does decide to catch us unaware. They help us remember that we can be taken off guard when we are UNGUARDED. Our culture is rife with humor and innuendo and a general lack of accountability. There is no end to the material that the enemy could use to pull even the most solid relationship under the current.

Like all Scripture, getting it in our head and writing it on our hearts helps to shape the way we think and react.

And third, just because I do not have a wandering eye when it comes to my marriage doesn’t mean these Proverbs don’t have a warning for me.

Take Proverbs 5:15.

Drink water from  your own cistern, and running water from your own well. 

As I read that passage, I understood that it is speaking about the fidelity of marriage in the most literal sense based on the context.

But the more I thought about it, because I kept being drawn to that passage in particular…and I had a lovely conversation with God about how this didn’t apply to me….

He gently and kindly reminded me of how I have a habit of desiring to take on what I envy in others.

Perhaps it is a talent someone has, or an area where God has given them influence.

And I want that.

I want it more than what God has given me to do, be, create, bless.

So I wrote this translation of Proverbs 5:15 as my own warning…

Laura….be content with what is yours…don’t satisfy longings of fulfillment with what belongs to other people.

I understand that I will always struggle with a propensity to compare myself with others and think the grass is greener for them.

That somehow their efforts produce better than mine…they do relationships better than I do…they have more class…more talent…more of whatever it is I lack.

But thanks to the Proverbs, I can make the WISE choice to get up out of the swamp of self-pity…

and be content in the provisions of God that He has blessed me with to use for His Glory <3

 

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2 Comments

  1. Great words of caution, that we need to stay guarded with respect to our hearts in our marriages. The enemy is sneaky and our armor has to be on at all times.
    As far as thinking the grass is greener over the fence, it’s easy to do but we also need to guard our hearts there as well. I believe it is a joy stealer when we entertain those thoughts of comparison where we think we’ve ended up with the short end of the stick in some area of our lives. My reminder to myself when those thoughts begin to form is that God has created me to accomplish something that others either aren’t able to do, willing to do, or that because of where He has placed me, I’m able to use my giftings for a purpose others aren’t in a position to do. To that, I also believe some of the talents, and accomplishments others possess could possibly be a hinderance to their spiritual growth or even worse yet, to their awareness that they need a relationship with God at all. I have grown to be content (at most times) with the simple life and simple giftings God has provided to me. I feel that the simplicity of my life has been a blessing because it has kept the path to a relationship with Jesus less cluttered with idols I’d have to put aside. For that I’m grateful. Thanks for sharing your life in Christ with others.

    1. I am always blessed by a visit with you – whether in person or through your thoughtful comment or the blessing of a “bouquet” delivered with a joyful thought on my phone <3 You carry the Light of Christ well and it would be easy to assume you do not struggle with same issues. But we all do, don't we? It's how we wrestle them out of our lives through prayer and faith that makes the difference and thus we are able to minister where God has placed us. You do that well, and you inspire me <3

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