I just said “no” to another media craze requested by my two teenagers this week. Since I feel like I say “no” a lot these days, I really do intentionally say “yes” when I can.
This would be why we have a pet rat. Heh.
I’ve evaluated these “no” answers pretty heavily lately because my response has to go way deeper than my desire to be in charge or to control every last detail of their lives. These boys-turning-men of mine are rightfully becoming more and more independent, and in order for them to fully manage their own lives and choices in just a few short years, they need more than that. They deserve more than that. So we’re breaking it down in these parts, and I’m learning a few things about myself in the process (God always does that, you know).
“As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.” – Ecclesiastes 10:1
We see it all the time…
A decorated professional athlete gives in to the compromise. A ministry leader with decades of influence falls in a moment of temptation. A respected wife in the community gives that second look to another. An honorable businessman is swayed into thinking that just one small sacrifice of integrity won’t be noticed. After all, everyone else is doing it. And in one moment of weakness, they forfeit a lifetime of honor.
But folly isn’t exclusive to the high profile, and its choices aren’t limited to the hot topics on the public square.
It happens to you. It happens to me.
It’s a compromised media choice here; a slight modification of the truth there. It’s a harsh word spoken in anger, a prayer request turned into gossip, a heart jealous for revenge, an indulgence taken a little too far. Folly exposes our weaknesses and reveals our pride and selfish pursuits. It pollutes our best efforts and leaves a lingering stench that isn’t easily forgotten. And if it teaches us anything, it’s that there’s no way we can conjure up a life of wisdom and honor on our own.
That’s why Jesus came.
“We ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.” But Wisdom himself saved us (Titus 3:3-5). Only Jesus can take our foolish hearts and set us free. Once we realize that the narrow path of wisdom isn’t for our imprisonment but rather for our freedom, we no longer respond out of self-preservation or obligation to a list of legalistic rules. We follow hard after wisdom out of worship for our Savior.
Listen, this is it: the love of my Savior deserves more than just my half-hearted effort.
This depth of love calls for more than just a polished, neatly packaged exterior, but rather a devotion that can be found even in the most hidden places.
Jesus gave His all, and He is worthy of all of me.
“Oh, the breadth of the love of Christ! Shall such a love as this have only half our hearts? Shall it have a cold love in return? Shall Jesus’ marvelous loving-kindness and tender care be met with only faint response and delayed acknowledgment? My soul, tune your harp to a glad song of thanksgiving! Go to your rest rejoicing, for you are not a desolate wanderer but a beloved child, watched over, cared for, supplied, and defended by your Lord.” – Spurgeon
Father, thank you that I am no longer a desolate wanderer but a beloved child. Give me a heart of wisdom so that others can see the sweet aroma of Christ in me…
“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ,
and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.”
*LET’S TALK: TODAY, how can you flee folly and choose wisdom so that your life gives off the sweet aroma of Christ?
At His feet,
As I sat in awe of who God is this morning and His love for us! You are a God who loves us!!! I am so thankful – I bow down in my heart before you. Father God the only words I have are THANK YOU—SO THANKFUL, SO AMAZING!
Oh gratitude is a perfect way to avoid folly. I think when we cultivate an attitude of thankfulness we are more aware of His presence on our lives. ~Sheila LGG Encourager
Beautiful words, Anne. Sometimes it’s so nice to just sit back and love Him. It’s so easy when we see all the blessings around us.
Lindsay, LGG Encourager
Oh, love your simple prayer….it’s simple and yet it says it all….yes, Father God, give us a heart of wisdom so the others can see the sweet aroma of Christ in us. Thank you that we are redeemed and cleanse child of God.
Marilyn you radiate that aroma! We can see it flowing sweetly off of your life. ~Sheila, LGG Encourager
By taking all things to Christ I hope to flee folly as much as I can. This is something I’m still learning how to do and so badly wish I knew how to do it better and more consistently. Thank you for your post.
Julie setting and spending time with just Him each day definitely is a great place to start. I admit this is something He is leading me back to recently. Just setting in a quiet place with a journal and writing what is in your heart and asking Him what He has to say about that is a great way to avoid folly. Because out of the heart flows the issues of life and those issues are what leads us to folly and foolish thinking and behaving. So submitting them to him. So have no agenda other than to allow your deepest parts of your heart to connect with Him <3 ~Sheila, LGG Encourager
Julie, it is something we all have to learn and relearn daily, but the fact that you want to is a step in the right direction. Stay positive and focused! The Holy Spirit will see you through.
Lindsay, LGG Encourager
This post was…wow. So good! God spoke to me through it…I love when that happens! —By being in God’s Word daily, I’m more likely to follow hard after His wisdom and apply it to my life, rather than succumbing to folly and slipping into the depths of foolish choices. I still make mistakes…I definitely need Jesus’ grace each and every day! But I’m making imperfect progress because I’m making a daily decision to be close to Him, to learn from His Word…to seek His forgiveness when I make a bad choice.
Audra, so true! It is a daily decision we make to be in God’s word. Not taking that time is a slippery slope. The less we surround ourselves with it, the more we stray from it. That’s why I’m so grateful for these studies. So glad you’re with us!
Lindsay, LGG Encourager
This post came exactly when I needed it…. I usually read this and have my devotion time in the morning but I didn’t have enough time to do it this morning and things happened during the day with a situation involving folly and social media and I just read this and… wow! It’s what I needed to hear and I know that God had planned for me to read this until this afternoon and be comforted in Him and His goodness!
Good mornig! This study is so good. I am learn so much about life and and it is so refreshing. This is my second study and already I am so used to waking up early to spend time with God. i don’t need my alarm most time, God wakes me uP even before it rings. So thank full.
But like so many of us I stuggle to take everything to Christ during the day and end up in folly. i hope to improve my communication to my Lord everytime and not just to limit it to my morning talk.
So yes Lord. Thank you for accepting me as your child. Give me your wisdom daily so others can see you sweet aroma in me too.. I Jesus name I pray. Amen
Thank yo Whitney,LGG team for your encouragement. Stay blessed!
Coming to Jesus when you find yourself in moments of temptation. I wrestle with stress eating. Yesterday I was super stressed out and frustrated by end of work day. I wanted a big pile of chocolate so badly! But I kept reminding myself it wouldn’t make me feel better. I just prayed to Jesus to take away the urges and kept repeating that prayer. I called my mom to distract my mind until I had picked up my girls for I knew they’d relieve stress. And by the time I was home the temptation had subsided! It felt so good to not give in.
I am not doing very well with this yet but trying to work on memorizing scriptures as well to lean on. And definitely that daily time with Jesus. I definitely notice the days I do I handle life better than on days I don’t. Intentional discipline with being in the word and praying is key but oh so difficult. Please Jesus give me wisdom to order my days around you.
I try to focus on letting my words be few because I know that I tend to dribble on and on, especially if I’m angry. The scripture passages for Wednesday and Thursday definitely brought about conviction for me, and this devotional very much hit me where I needed it to as well. I was not kind to one of the children in my care yesterday, and it was very clear this morning that he remembered. When I pick him up from school today, I will be pulling over to have a connecting moment when I will apologize and hug this little boy and explain where my mind was yesterday. Even mamas have a bad day now and then, but that was not his fault. Praise the Lord for the forgiving hearts of little ones. Thanks for helping to lead me to this conviction.
This touched my heart. And you are right, children are so forgiving. We can certainly learn from them!
Oh Kendra, thank you for your honesty and for sharing your heart! Yes indeed, little ones are so forgiving <3 Such a blessing!
Blessings, Marlene – LGG Encourager