Love Never Tears Down

Proverbs 13: 1

“The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands.”

There are people who are builders.  These are people who lend a helping hand to people, who say an encouraging word when one is needed, who are all too willing to listen and not talk, who seek out the people who are in need.  They offer their presence.  They seek God’s guidance.  They never tear down.

Then there are those who do nothing but tear down.  They tear down with their words and with their actions.  They love to hear themselves speak and rarely listen.  They stir the pot if it makes them look smart.  Their will is the only will.  They confuse their own voice with the voice of God.  When the walls collapse, they blame others.

Christians are to be known for their love.   Love never tears down.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” (1 Cor. 13:4-7)

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

Knowledge and Discipline

Proverbs 12: 1

“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but those who hate to be rebuked are stupid.”

Anyone who ever played a musical instrument, danced, or played a sport; anyone who ever wanted to be good at their job, or wanted to be good at anything for that matter, knows that knowledge and discipline go hand in hand.  

Without knowledge we will not get very far, and without discipline we will never be very good.  There are no short-cuts.

The Christian spiritual life also requires knowledge and discipline in the areas of prayer, worship, scripture, service, and sacrifice.  We must make time for these things and each requires study and practice over the length of our lifetimes.  

There are no short-cuts in the spiritual life.  

The difficult, disciplined way is the only way.

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:13-14)

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

Pride

Proverbs 11: 2

“When pride comes, then comes disgrace; but wisdom is with the humble.”

We have all heard people say something like, “He should take pride in himself” , or “Take pride in your work.”  Pride, used in this way, is a positive thing.  

But, pride can become destructive if we are not careful, and can interfere with our spiritual lives.  Pride destroys our humility.  In order to approach God, we have to be humble in heart, not just in words.  

Pride causes us to see ourselves as better than others.  We lose empathy for others and our desire to help others in need suffers.  

With prideful hearts we ignore, deny, or are ignorant of our sins.  In this state we do not ask for forgiveness and our relationship with God is broken.

Pride causes us to put our hope in the things of this world instead of the things of God. And when we do that, we lose sight of God altogether.

Pray for a humble heart.

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” (James 4:10)

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

God’s Treasure

Proverbs 8:8-11

“8 All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.  9 They are all straight to one who understands and right to those who find knowledge. 10 Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold; 11 for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.”

In the church where I was raised, there was a woman who was raising six children in a small home in the public housing projects.  Her husband was an alcoholic who was unable to hold a job.  I thought of them as being poor.  And I saw her as being a victim of poverty.  

But now, as an adult, I see her differently.  I see her as a woman of extraordinary faith.  She was a cheerful person, not fake, but deep down in her soul,  cheerful that only a mature faith can give.  

Her children were brought to church each Sunday, dressed, brushed, and shined.  She was involved in the church; teaching a children’s Sunday School class and serving on various committees.  She sang in the choir, and as her children became old enough, each of them sang with her.  

Some of her children went to college.  One became a minister.  Most are married and have good lives and families of their own.  One of her daughters was later murdered, and it was her faith and her faith community that got her through.

Her husband found Christ and became a member of her church,  and, of course, he sang in the choir with her.  

I no longer see her as a victim of poverty.  

In fact, she may have been the richest person I have ever known.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

The Path of Righteousness

Proverbs 4: 18

“But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter until full day.”

Have you ever sat on a mountain or sea shore and watched the sun rise? There is nothing like it.   The red or orange sun slowly peeks over the horizon, as if it, too, is still sleepy.  

Then, imperceptibly, it creeps higher into the sky, painting the clouds red, orange, yellow and turquoise as it goes, until the entire horizon is filled with God’s beauty.  

The serenity and peace and silence in which all of this happens fills our hearts with awe and quiet.  And our souls are stilled. It is as if the hand of God has touched us.

The lives of Christians are to be like the light of dawn to a world encased in darkness, filling the world with the light, the peace, the love, and the mercy of Christ.

And when people see our lives, they will also see and be filled with the beauty and love of God.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

Trust in the Lord

Proverbs 3:5-6

“5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,  and do not rely on your own insight. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Years ago I took my dog walking in the woods near our home.  We walked for about an hour before I turned around and began walking back.  I headed in the direction I thought was correct only to find that nothing looked familiar.  I finally admitted to myself that I was lost.   My only recourse was to trust that my dog knew the way.  I stooped down and said, “Let’s go home.”  He led the way at once, and I followed.   After a while, things began to look familiar again and we arrived safely at our house.

In our spiritual lives we often wander off in the wrong direction, trusting in our own sense of direction.  At some point we discover that we are lost, that nothing looks familiar and that we need help to find the way home.  

At these times we are to put our trust in the Lord and let Him lead the way. Soon, the crooked path will become straight, and the way forward will be clear.

And the green grass of home will never look so good.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

Faith of the Heart

Proverbs 3: 1-2

“1 My child,  do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; 2 for length of days and years of life and the abundant welfare they will give you.”

One of my favorite books is “All I Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten”, by Robert Fulghum.  It is Fulghum’s contention that people learn most of what is necessary to live a meaningful life by the time they graduate from kindergarten; that all we really need to know “about how to live, what to do and how to be” was learned by the time we reached the age of six.  Fulghum wrote that wisdom “was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sand pile at Sunday School.”

And to a certain degree this has been true for me.  I left home when I was 18 and, for all practical purposes, I never returned.  But no matter where I was led, what graduate degree I received, or what kind of job I held, it was the teachings I received in my first 18 years at home that guided me in my dealings with other people.  

Christians are God’s children.  At His feet we have learned His ways.  God asks that these teachings not reside on our lips but in our hearts.  If these teachings reside in our hearts, they will be with us throughout our lives, giving us comfort, peace and a sense of God’s presence.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)