Proverbs 7. Today’s Proverbs covers the adulteress (seductress), whom I spoke heavily about on the 5th. It’s a great message, which I encourage you to read, but verse 2 (NIV) stood out to me today above all others. (2) “Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye”.
Too many times in the past I saw the teachings of the Bible as “limitations” on my life. That is, a listing of “fun” things that I couldn’t do. Oh, how wrong I was. I realize now I was the fool refusing discipline, shunning words of wisdom (which were there to make my life better). The things I thought were “fun” were actually destroying my life, and the lives of others; not very “fun” in the end. I now realize, thank the Lord, that the teachings of the Bible are not “limitations” on my life, rather they are teachings to help me live my life more abundantly! As verse 2 states, “Keep my commands and you will LIVE”, not exist, not make it through, but truly LIVE. That being said, what should we do with the teachings?
We should, (2) “guard my teachings as the apple of your eye”. I absolutely love the wording of this verse. When I say “apple” different images appear to different people. Some like bright red delicious, some golden, some Washington or Fiji. But for me there is only one apple, the apple of my eye, the Granny Smith. Therefore, offer me others, I will take them and eat them, but the Granny Smith is my absolute favorite. It is the apple that I compare all others to. “This apple is good, but it’s no Granny Smith”. “This apple is nothing like a Granny Smith, it’s terrible”. When given a choice of many, I will pick the Granny Smith every time.
This is exactly what verse 2 is saying about the Bible’s teachings. You will get much advice (apples) in your life, some good (nice apples) some bad (rotten apples), but the Word from the Bible is the very best advice (favorite apple, the apple of your eye). Therefore, we should guard the teachings of the Bible, compare the advice we get to the Bible and, if the advice doesn’t hold up, discard it like a bad apple and follow the Bible’s. You wouldn’t throw away your best apple and eat a rotten one, so why discard the Bible’s teachings and follow the bad advice of others? Oh, how I wish I learned this earlier in life, it would have saved me much heartache.
Lord, please help me to study and learn Your teachings, to guard them and use them, so I can live life more abundantly for You and bless the lives of others, all for Your glory.
Too many times in the past I saw the teachings of the Bible as “limitations” on my life. That is, a listing of “fun” things that I couldn’t do. Oh, how wrong I was. I realize now I was the fool refusing discipline, shunning words of wisdom (which were there to make my life better). The things I thought were “fun” were actually destroying my life, and the lives of others; not very “fun” in the end. I now realize, thank the Lord, that the teachings of the Bible are not “limitations” on my life, rather they are teachings to help me live my life more abundantly! As verse 2 states, “Keep my commands and you will LIVE”, not exist, not make it through, but truly LIVE. That being said, what should we do with the teachings?
We should, (2) “guard my teachings as the apple of your eye”. I absolutely love the wording of this verse. When I say “apple” different images appear to different people. Some like bright red delicious, some golden, some Washington or Fiji. But for me there is only one apple, the apple of my eye, the Granny Smith. Therefore, offer me others, I will take them and eat them, but the Granny Smith is my absolute favorite. It is the apple that I compare all others to. “This apple is good, but it’s no Granny Smith”. “This apple is nothing like a Granny Smith, it’s terrible”. When given a choice of many, I will pick the Granny Smith every time.
This is exactly what verse 2 is saying about the Bible’s teachings. You will get much advice (apples) in your life, some good (nice apples) some bad (rotten apples), but the Word from the Bible is the very best advice (favorite apple, the apple of your eye). Therefore, we should guard the teachings of the Bible, compare the advice we get to the Bible and, if the advice doesn’t hold up, discard it like a bad apple and follow the Bible’s. You wouldn’t throw away your best apple and eat a rotten one, so why discard the Bible’s teachings and follow the bad advice of others? Oh, how I wish I learned this earlier in life, it would have saved me much heartache.
Lord, please help me to study and learn Your teachings, to guard them and use them, so I can live life more abundantly for You and bless the lives of others, all for Your glory.
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