Sometimes it concerns me that I may share too much. Especially when it comes to some of my daily lessons when the resulting journals are hard for me to swallow and step on my toes.
Proverbs 18:20-24 NLT
Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction. The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences. The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord . The poor plead for mercy; the rich answer with insults. There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.
You see, I don’t know that my words are very wise at all. It spends me at times whether my words are bringing life or death, because I sure do speak a lot.
But I do know that the Lord has found me, and that I want to be his treasure, I want to bring him favor and honor and glory. But I am poor in spirit and I am weak in action, so I plead for mercy and try to avoid insults – instead planting seeds of what I know, trusting that I am leaving a trail of crumbs along the narrow path I am so eager to walk, but in my weakness I find myself stumbling and bumbling about.
So there are those who might ask, as I ask myself at times – why do you think that it is okay to share crumbs with others, isn’t that foolish and prideful to think that you are enlightened enough to tell others?
And my answer is this – I don’t leave crumbs because I am leading the charge all alone, thinking myself to be at the front of the charge – no, I leave crumbs just as my fellow brothers in arms are leaving crumbs for one another. We are standing close and firm as a band of brothers, helping each other and healing each other and caring for each other.
1 Timothy 4:12 NLT
Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.
Yes, I am young in my walk. No, I do not have the depth of theological training of the great religious teachers, nor do I value or desire that as much as I desire to live my life as an example of Christ living in me and through me. Yes, I want to live like Christ. Yes, every one of you can probably look at my life and point out all of the clearly visible faults, because I sure can see them.
I feel like I fail you each day with my poor example that falls so short of the glory of God. But I’m reaching for that high bar, friend. And I hope you are too. And I trust that if we can keep our eyes on Him, we will one day see past each others’ faults, and recognize the Christ that is alive in each other. That we will stand together upright and sure footed upon the rock of our salvation.
We do this together.
We are the body of Christ.
We stand united, as a band of real friends, who stand closer than brothers.
Can I call you friend, friend?
Will you stand with me, friend?
Will you too share the crumbs of your testimony, or the strength of your healing, or the wisdom of your wise counsel?
Together we stand, because divided the enemy will fall.
Unity.
Harold J. Ballinger 