MondayReflection

  19^th June 2023

Kevin Carson asks

WHO WILL YOU
LISTEN TO THIS WEEK?

We have so many voices in life all around us.
People who love us. Friends. Others who care. Family.
Church family. Etc.

In preparation for preaching this past Sunday, I spent extra time
in Proverbs. I was impressed once again with this particular
passage:

Does not wisdom cry out,
And understanding lift up her voice?

.....Proverbs 8:1-5

Let me suggest, as does Lady Wisdom in this speech, that we
listen to God's voice of wisdom this week.

Lady wisdom cries out and lifts up her voice for you to listen to her.
She calls out and her voice is to all of us.
She is urgently trying to speak to us.
Notice the places she stands:
she stands on the high hill so people can hear,
stands on the busy street, where people are passing,
where people are coming and going.

Her voice points us to God.
While you consider if you will, or not, let me share her final thoughts
on why it would be important to listen to her this week.

"Now therefore, listen to me, my children,
 For blessed are those who keep my ways.
 Hear instruction and be wise,
 And do not disdain it.
 Blessed is the man who listens to me,
 Watching daily at my gates,
 Waiting at the posts of my doors.
 For whoever finds me finds life,
 And obtains favour from the Lord;
 But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul;
 All those who hate me love death."

.....Proverbs 8:32-36

This week, let's strive to listen to Lady Wisdom.

In addition

I listened, last night, to someone engaging in a public forum online.
As I listened to the way people were responding to each other,
I wondered if they forgot the person on 'the other end'
is an actual person.

What I heard about, almost none of us would make a habit of
saying to another person face-to-face.
I thought, what could this person share that would be helpful
to this group?
How might I help?

Then, in the middle of the night, I woke up with it on my mind.
I prayed and thought about it a few minutes when these questions
came to mind.
I got up and typed them all out before I went back to sleep.

As Paul said,

"I press toward the mark of the high calling of Jesus" -

which includes the way one uses social media.

This is where I am at - when posting.
What about love of my neighbour?
How does the post reflect the love of Jesus?

What is my goal for writing this post?
Do I want to encourage someone?

Could Jesus read the post and accept it as reflective of him?

As we write our post, are we guessing another person's motive or
thinking?
Is it possible we do not know everything we need to know?

When another person, who does not follow Jesus,
reads what we post or say, will that person be drawn to the grace,
love, mercy, and kindness of Jesus Christ?
Or, is it possible, that the post would discourage a non-follower
of Jesus Christ?

Is the Bible accurate when it teaches,

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me?"

Does the post reflect the power of Jesus or
a heart of discontentment?

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

.....Psalm 19:14

© 2023 KEVINCARSON.COM
Kevin Carson pastors Sonrise Baptist in Ozark, MO
(www.sonrisebaptist.com) and is the
Department Chair of Biblical Counseling at Baptist Bible College
and Theological Seminary in Springfield, MO