Shade Tree Wisdom 10/7/10

When you land at Busch Intercontinental airport in Houston, you fly over large open spaces. What will delight you is that the airport grows and cuts hay on these acres and sells it at a profit of nearly 200,000 a year. I know that knowing that delights your frugal self, does it not? (Authority getting something right!)

It seems as if an endless stream of words comes out of that sad report from Rutgers University. And the Christian must be asking, “Is there a definite help for this situation?” Let’s go back to Moses. The children of Israel are just finishjjng their 40 years wandering in the wilderness and are on the brink of the Promised Land. So Moses, who will not enter the land himself, speaks words of advice, and God’s wisdom for their ears. This fills the Book of Deuteronomy. Chapter 4 has this, v.2, “Do not add to what I command you, and do not subtract from it”. V.6. “observe them carefully” the nations will hear of this and say, “surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people”. V.6.

And where does this teaching start? In the Home. Read Deuteronomy chapter 6, 3-9, The Shema. “The Lord our God, is One Lord”. Have the words ready for teaching, for discussion, for thinking about. “Write them on the doorframes of your house and on your gates.” V.9 Use every teachable moment to have this Word ready at hand.

If you remember the history of the Reformation, the first Catechism was printed on charts that were hung on the kitchen walls of homes.

The thought behind this is for God’s people to get their culture from God, not from the world.
If I might put Moses speech for today he said, “That land is a mess religiously. They stumble around and don’t know right from wrong. Don’t follow them. Do not be like them. You stick with God’s will and God’s Word that I give you this day”.

The Lord repeats this message again and again, and yet again through the prophets, then Jesus taught it, then the Apostles. It always meant the same thing. The land is a mess, “Do not let the world crowd you into its mold”. As Paul said in Romans chapter 12.

St. Peter teaches, “They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you.” 1 Peter 4,4.

Jesus called you “The salt of the earth” and “The light of the world”. So teach your children to follow the culture of that Light, not that of TV, or mouthings of strangers, or of some self-seeking person. But follow God’s Word as the True beacon and shining light.

May God bless you as you live as God’s child I this messy world.

GPD 10/7/10