Living in a Covid-19 World: Day #26

Barn Swallows

One of the pleasures that self-isolation and the Covid-19 world has not taken away is the ability to go out and watch the birds, busy with all of their springtime activity. A wooded area close to our home is a catalogue of winged wildlife: Cardinals, Warblers, Red-Winged Blackbirds, Canadian Geese, Mallard Ducks, and Herons. It gives me an odd sense of comfort to know that the pandemic hasn’t stopped everything.

Two images came to my mind as I read this verse today: visiting my uncle’s farm and an Alfred Hitchcock movie called The Birds. These images remind me of the truth of this verse; a person of integrity does not need to fear undeserved accusations. Let me explain.

I watched the classic Hitchcock movie as a boy and was terrified of birds – especially cawing crows and the tiny, darting like barn swallows. If you’ve never seen the film, it’s a case of nature gone wild. Images of birds swarming and pecking away at people kept me looking over my shoulder for many years.

The other image is my uncle’s barn, a place where I spent hours building forts and secret hideouts in the hayloft with my cousins. It was a place where I had to deal with my fears and where I learned a valuable lesson.

The lesson was this: since barn swallows feed on insects in flight, the one way to make sure that they don’t come near to you is to make sure mosquitoes and other bugs don’t come near to you. A simple application of insect repellent helped to ensure that you wouldn’t have a swallow dive-bomb towards your face, veering off at the last second.

Integrity is the insect repellent that wards off the undeserved curse. It is not that accusations or verbal persecution will never come, but they won’t stick when a person’s reputation is one of trustworthiness in their words and deeds.

Living in a Covid-19 World: Day #25

You Know Who Your Friends Are When …

Like a bad tooth or a lame foot, is reliance on the unfaithful in times of trouble. Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar poured on soda, is one who sings songs to a heavy heart. (Proverbs 25:19-20)

The current circumstances have offered ample opportunity for people to show their true colours. Whether is has been a health issue, or financial strain, many people have fallen into hardship during these months of social distancing and the shutdown of our economy. It’s a time when many of us have seen who our true friends are; people who stick with us through the good times and the bad.

True friends show their worth when they come to our aid, or bring a word of encouragement that helps us focus on the One who meets our greatest needs. Solomon is quick to identify these people.

Like the coolness of snow at harvest time is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the spirit of his masters. (Prov. 25:14)

A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in setting of silver. (Prov. 25:12)

Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land. (Prov. 25:25)

We are given the opportunity during these days to demonstrate the kind of a friend we are. The Scriptures speak of this in many places, reminding us that it is God’s love, given freely to us, that He expects to give to others:

We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19)

A friends loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. (Prov. 17:17)

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:12-13)

Like so many other things in the Scriptures, we are given bad examples as a warning, not to justify a pity-party. The issue is never, “who has come to help me,” but rather, “who have I reached out to and shown my true friendship?”

Living in a Covid-19 World: Day #24

When Trials Come

... for though a righteous man fall seven times, he rises again,

but the wicked are brought down by calamity. (Proverbs 24:16)

One of the surprises of life in our pandemic world is the generosity and free music that has been available over the internet. I have particularity enjoyed watching a weekly worship concert put on by Keith and Kristyn Getty. This married couple writes songs that reflect the Irish ballads of their homeland, and the depth of their lyrics speaks of the pain Irish Christians experienced in the midst of trials. Much of their music can be summed up in the title of one of their songs, When Trials Come.

One of the mysteries of the Christian life is the way God draws near to us in times of trouble. As followers of Christ we are not promised that trials will never come, but rather that when they do come, that God walks with us. Read the lyrics below or go to the link that will take you to this song as you ponder your situation, whether it be times of trial – for they surely will come – or in times of great rejoicing.

When Trials Come

Written by Keith & Kristyn Getty

When trials come no longer fear

For in the pain our God draws near

To fire a faith worth more than gold

And there His faithfulness is told (2x)

Within the night I know Your peace

The breath of God brings strength to me

And new each morning mercy flows

As treasures of the darkness grow (2x)

I turn to Wisdom not my own

For every battle You have known

My confidence will rest in You

Your love endures Your ways are good (2x)

When I am weary with the cost

I see the triumph of the cross

So in it’s shadow I shall run

Till He completes the work begun (2x)

One day all things will be made new

I’ll see the hope You called me to

And in your kingdom paved with gold

I’ll praise your faithfulness of old (2x)

If you want to listen to the song, click here.

Living in a Covid-19 World: Day #23

Do not get Drunk on Wine ...

Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper. Your eyes will see strange sights and your mind imagine confusing things. (Proverbs 23:31-33)

Solomon doesn’t mince his words in these verses. The bottom line is this: if you get caught in the trap of alcohol or drugs (or any other unhealthy addiction), you will pay for it in the end. It is a matter of control. The reports in the news confirm this in our current situation, as alcohol-induced household violence is on the rise.

But isn’t it interesting that the same word picture is used by Paul in the New Testament? The issue of control extends to a person controlled by the Holy Spirit. We read in Ephesians 5:15-18:

Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is: Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 5:15-18)

Bob Dylan had a short-lived conversion to Christianity in the late 1970s, and wrote a song, You Gotta Serve Somebody. The fact that he slipped back into a life of fame, drugs and alcohol probably means that it will get lost in some historic time warp, but the words told a tale that repeats itself; either you control the appetites of your sinful nature, or you will be controlled.

The Proverbs speak of a control that is obtained through seeking wisdom, understanding, and God’s path. This same kind of control is spoken in the New Testament using the imagery of being under the control of God’s indwelling Spirit; not to make us perfect or without sin, but to give us forgiveness and replicate the character of Christ in us. In both of these (wisdom and the Holy Spirit), we are offered power for living and a hope to live a life controlled by God.

Living in a Covid-19 World: Day #22

True Riches: The Value of a Good Name

A good name is more desirable than great riches;

to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. (Proverbs 22:1)

We live in a world where the question “what’s in it for me?” is the measuring rod of all that people do and say. We see it as nations jostle for position as they protect their own interests. It will surely be seen in individuals as a vaccine for the Covid-19 virus is developed, wanting to make sure that they get the shot that will ensure their safety.

This is a world that complains about the integrity of politicians as they make lofty promises, but deliver little. A “dog-eat-dog” mentality rules the business sector and corruption is not only expected, there are times that it is applauded. I wish I could say that followers of Christ live radically different than others around them, but that is often not the case. What’s a person to do in such a world?

The Greek word for sincerity helps me understand the value of a good name. The literal translation, Sin Cera, or “without wax” refers to a marketplace description. Vendors of marble statues would cover blemishes in their artwork with a white pasty wax, and polish the final product. If a statue was “sincere,” it would be placed in the direct sunlight where such cover-ups would quickly be exposed. 

The heat of the day would show whether or not it was without wax.

In the same way, it is in the midst of the pressures and temptations of life that our sincerity is revealed. A good name (integrity of character in word and deed) is described in this verse as something more desirable than riches; more important than what we get in return for our actions and words. It is one of the ways that we please God, and stand out from others. It is one area in which I need the Holy Spirit to produce Christ-like character and the Fruit of the Spirit in me. That’s my prayer today as I face the pressures of life; as I face the challenges of living in a Covid-19 world.

Living in a Covid-19 World: Day #21

The “Shees” of the Question

To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. (Proverbs 21:3)

OK – you have to be a Brazilian to understand the title of this colorful Portuguese saying; but it gets to the point of this verse. The literal translation of ‘Xis’ da Questão is to say “the X of a question,” or the main point of a matter.

I bring this up because I see an alarming number of people, Christ-followers included, who defend their behavior with an “ends justifying the means” sense of logic. It doesn’t matter how I act or what I say if the eventual outcome aligns itself with a good outcome. Our current Covid-19 crisis has brought this attitude to the forefront in the lives of political leaders, social media stars, and ordinary people.

But God is more concerned about who we are than the outcome of what we do. He is pleased when we choose to live our lives out of loving obedience, and not for what we other people might think, or what we might gain.

This theme rings true throughout the Bible. Consider the truth of the following verses and allow them to shape the way you live today:

Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. (I Samuel 12:22-23)

With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with a thousand of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:6-8)

Living in a Covid-19 World: Day #20

The Darkest Place on Earth

The lamp of the LORD searches the spirit of a man;
it searches out his inmost being. (Proverbs 20:27)

I spoke the other day to a friend who is passing through a deep depression. His confidence has been rocked by the events of the crisis and he’s wondering if he’ll ever see light at the end of his personal “Covid-19 tunnel.” I asked him if he’d ever gone down into a deep cave and experienced absolute darkness? Then I told him this story.

As a young boy our family visited the Lewis & Clarke caverns in Montana. At one point of the tour our cleaver guide warned us that he was turning off the lights. Before he did this he explained the dangers of the cave, including flying bats and scurrying rats. When he turned off the light and we all stood in utter complete darkness, and it was then that my brother – who stood in front of me – took a small step backward. All I could think of was a rat nibbling at my shoes, so I gave a good kick to rid myself of the unseen menace. My brother yelped like a hound dog kicked by a horse. I don’t think he ever forgave me.

The perceived danger of my situation was far worse than anything that was real, but my mind played tricks on me.

In many ways, our minds can become dark places where we lose focus and confidence in God. When we read God’s word, we are often exposed to that darkness of our own hearts and minds. Consider these verses:

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. (Psalm 119:105)

The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. (Psalm 119:130)

For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life. (Prov. 6:23)

My prayer today as I read the Proverbs is this: Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24)