HEAVENLY WISDOM VS. EARTHLY WISDOM David,in the well known Psalms 23 talks about the Shepherd using Boththe rod and the staff in verse 4. The Shepherd loves the sheep andknows when to use the rod and when to use the staff. Because Davidknew that God loved him he said that they both comforted him. Therod was used to chastise with when the sheep strayed away from thefold. The staff had a hook on the end that the shepherd used to liftup a lamb that had fallen down an incline and needed help to get backon his feet and into the flock again. Wesee how Jesus used the two – both rod and staff with the disciples. Whenthey gloried that the demons were subject to them He told them torather glory in the fact that their names were written in heaven. He rebukedthem for their lack of faith and shamed them for their desire to bethe greatest by washing their feet. But when they were down and discouragedHe was so gentle and lifted them up. “Children, do you have anyfood? Come and eat breakfast!” The staff was in play as He lifted themup. They had played hooky from preaching and went fishing. TheApostle Paul asked the disobedient Corinthians; What do you want? shallI come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness? Paulconsidered himself as their spiritual father and as a father who modeledas both loving and disciplining his children. They respected him andaccepted his admonishment because they knew that Paul dearly loved them.Peter warns us to not lord it over the flock but to be an example to themin love, patience and longsuffering. I canremember only one time that my dad physically punished me. Mom couldusually keep me in line just by warning me that she “would tell dad on mewhen he came home from work if I didn’t straighten up.” I would Iwould have much rather been whipped by a belt from her than be talked to by mydad who I so respected and feared his voice of reproach. Onthe occasion that dad severely punished me I was 16. I was a big boy sixfoot tall and my dad was 5’ 8”. My cousin Delevan, was visiting me andwe were doing all the things boys at that age do except at that time drugs weren’t in use like today. I never smoked becausewhen I was 10 years old Itried a cigarette and got sick and never smoked another one. My cousin smokedand my little brother Ernie was with us as we sat on a bed out in theyard as it was summer time. For some unknown reason Cousin Delavan reachedover with his cigarette and stuck it to my brother Ernie’s arm. Ithurt and Ernie began to cry. Just then mom called us to come eat. Wesat at the table and Ernie was crying. Dad looked at him and ask “ Ernie,what’s wrong?” Ernie looked at my cousin but blurted out “ Deanburned me with a cigarette.” Dad became furious. He told me to standup and he began punching me in the face. He dared me to fight him. Ijust stood there dumb, taking the punches. Dad told me that I was at the “smartalec age and that he was going to beat it out of me. He couldn’t finishhis meal and went in to his bed room, sick for what he had done. Later,when mom found out from Ernie what had really happened and shetold dad it broke his heart. He came and so humbly asked my forgiveness. I canhonestly say I never for a moment felt resentment towards my dad forwhat he did because I knew he loved me. I said “It’s alright dad, I didn’t burnErnie with a cigarette but I have been a smart alec and I deserve the punishmentyou gave me and we hugged. My dad was such a wonderful exampleto me of what a father should be towards his son. I confess thatI failed with my own children. I do dearly love them but being a missionaryI expected them to be examples and was never satisfied with theirbehavior because I so feared what other people were thinking as they lookedat my children. Sadly enough we can’t do it over. All I can sayis that I’m sorry I used the rod so muchand the staff so seldom. Kids, I dolove you, please forgive me for my harshness. Instead of driving them tothe Lord I drove them away from the Lord. God, forgive me! I continue topray for each one of them that they will know God’s great love for them. As aparent or as a Spiritual leader we not only have the right to exhort, rebuke,discipline, teach and guide our children or the flock God gives us asoverseer’s and guardians we also have a responsibility to do so. What makes allthe difference is how we go about doing it. James3:13-18 talks about the wisdom that comes from above that is first pure, thenpeaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits , withoutpartiality and without hypocrisy. In contrast James tells us what earthlywisdom consists of and he goes so far as to call it sensual & demonic. V.16 -For where envy, and self- seeking exist,confusion and everyevil thing are there. V. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown inpeace by those who make peace. Whenthe church I attended years ago called another Pastor because the wellloved, previous Pastor retired A number of young candidates came andtried out for the Pastorate. However, the older believers insisted that weneeded an older, more mature person. So, they got one and he was a bitterold man that gave us a weekly bawling out for not living more holy. Mydad, who recently had started back to attending church after years of beingabsent told mom that he was tired of getting beat up every Sunday whenhe was trying his best to serve God. I went to the Pastor and triedto talk to him about the morale in our church. He sadly shook hishead and said” Dean, “you don’t know how hard it is for me to keepthese people saved.” I agreed with him if that’s what he was tryingto do. He soon left the church and the last I knew of him he wasselling furniture. Dad was invited to a retreat for men and reluctantlywent. He returned all fired up and remained that way. Oneof the speakers said in his message, the church is the place forsinners to get encouragement and help to live for God. The thoughtthat really grabbed him was “Over every church entrance thereshould be a sign that reads “For Sinners Only”. Jesus said” Ididn’t come to save the righteous, the well don’t need a doctor, Icame to call sinners to repentance. The way He did it was to show themlove. Look how He ministered to the woman at the well, the womantaken in adultery, the tax collectors, the thief on the cross, theGadarene demon possessed man, the disciples who played hookyfrom preaching and went fishing, etc. etc. He was no mamby pamby,the rod came down on the religious leaders. Aftera message that talked entirely about the believers that were absent amember remarked to the Pastor afterwards, “Pastor I wish you would havetaught something to us who did attend the meeting.” It isinteresting that the apostle Paul who penned and taught the deeper doctrinesin the New Testament said in 1 Corinthians 2: 1-5 That he didn’tgo to them with excellence of speech or wisdom. His teaching ofJesus Christ & Him crucified was his message. Paul said that he was withthem in fear and trembling, and that his speech was not with persuasive wordsof human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and power, thatyour faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. Becauseof knowing that his preaching was in the power of the Holy Spirit Paulcould expect the believers at the time of receiving his writings to repentand mature in the Lord. As Ilay awake in the early morning these thoughts come into my mind and Iwrite them because they first minister to my own heart and I hope thatthey will also speak to you. |
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