A TEACHABLE HEART

I was reading Proverbs 4 today for the second time and these are my meditations and the message I believe God wanted me to see:

It seems that the main theme is that godly wisdom will keep you from evil if you seek and embrace that wisdom. One important aspect of wisdom - as expressed in this passage - is a teachable spirit and a willingness to learn.

Verse 13 says: "Hold on to instruction...guard it well, for it is your life."
Verse 20 says: "...Pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words."

Many people today - especially youth - seem to think that they can get wise on their own, and they don't want to be taught or instructed by others. But the older I get, the more I realize that I continually need to have a teachable heart/spirit and be willing to learn, otherwise I will do what Proverbs 3:7 warns against -- become wise in my own eyes.

Learning to have a teachable heart is an important goal for all of us as believers, no matter how old we are, what stage we are at in our lives, or what circumstances are facing us...but for me, especially at this time, it is profound.

I will soon be entering a very different culture than my own, learning a new language and finding my place as part of an existing ministry team -- all these things require that I do not come with my own wisdom, but with an attitude of being willing to learn from others.

Lord, please help me to have a willing and teachable spirit and to accept advice and instruction from others, even when I would like to be able to feel confident in my own understanding. Lord Jesus, in my interactions and relationships with others may I reflect your submission to your Father. Amen.

TRAVELLIN' LIGHT

The Talleys sing a song called "Travellin' Light" and the words of the chorus go like this:

I'm travellin' light on this journey I'm on,

Don't need any baggage, 'cause I'm goin' home.

The weight of this world will only slow me down;

I'm walkin' on by faith and not by sight, and I'm travellin' light!

Due to the increasingly rigid restrictions for baggage on airline flights, I am working hard to pack light for my trip to Ukraine (even though I am going for 2 years). The funny thing is, now that I have to, I am realizing how much I really can do without -- and that frees me up from the stress of trying to fit everything in!

The gospel song is talking about our journey to our real home -- heaven -- and so it's really not about physical baggage. So as I was thinking about this, I recalled the words of the apostle Paul in Colossians 3:

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God…

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature:

sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry...

You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.

But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self,

which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator…

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved,

clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly

as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks to God the Father through him.

These are some instructions for what kind of "baggage" to get rid of and what to replace it with. And though this is considerably more difficult than simply narrowing down my selection of clothing, it is significantly more important in an eternal perspective.

When we do not "put off" the things of our earthly nature, it creates hurt, disappointment and trouble and it weighs us down with stress, unhappiness and sin. But when we do choose to clothe ourselves with the qualities God desires to see in us, it frees us up to live peaceably with one another and usually we are happier too.

I am thankful that we are "being renewed in the image of [our] Creator," but I am not there yet. By the end of August, my suitcases will be packed for my life overseas, but the process of becoming more like Christ in my thoughts, attitudes, words and actions will continue until the day I go to my real home.

Until then, I will practice "travelling light."