"Then their father Israel said to them, 'If it must be so, then do this: take some of the best products of the land in your bags, and carry down to the man as a present, a little balm and a little honey, aromatic gum and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. Take double the money in your hand, and take back in your hand the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was a mistake.'" -Genesis 43.11-12
The brothers made camp and when they went to feed the animals they discovered the money that they had paid for the grain with. They aren't sure what happened, but suddenly they are afraid. Eventually they would need more food, and they still had a brother there in Egypt, but now it would seem as if they had stolen their money back.
The time came to go back. They had convinced their father to send Benjamin with them, but there is still the issue of money. Their father offers his wisdom. Take double the money and what was returned. In addition to this, take some of what we have and offer it as a gift. Do what is right.
Men, what do you do when you get too much change? What do you do when you end up accidently getting something for nothing? Do you make it right, or smile at your fortune and let it go? I've found myself in both situations. When I've gotten too much change I've given it back. I have to admit there was one time I got something for nothing and didn't do anything about it. It was late, I bought IBC Root Beer for a guys night, and after I had gotten back on campus I realized the cashier had only charged me for one of the three packs I had bought. Had I caught it at the store I would have said something, but since I was on the other side of town at 1:30 AM, I just went with it.
I wouldn't do that again. I want to be a man who always does the right thing. I don't want anything to compromise my integrity. Yes, it was only $5, but still, it was $5 of material I hadn't paid for. Men, let us always do the right thing.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Showing posts with label Integrity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Integrity. Show all posts
Friday, April 18, 2014
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Falsely Accused
"When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled outside, she called to the men of her household and said to them, 'See, he has brought in a Hebrew to us to make sport of us; he came in to me to lie with me, and I screamed. When he heard that I raised my voice and screamed, he left his garment beside me and fled and went outside.'... Now when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spoke to him, saying, 'This is what your slave did to me,' his anger burned. So Joseph’s master took him and put him into the jail, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined; and he was there in the jail." -Genesis 39.13-15, 19-20
The man was innocent and blameless. But the woman was rejected and shamed. She devised a plan to get back at him. If he wouldn't give in to her, she would ruin his life. When she had grabbed hold of his cloak he shed it in order to get away, and she would use that to undo him. She devises a lie, tells her husband who believes her, and Joseph is arrested and thrown in jail. An innocent man was punished and the guilty party got away with everything.
We live in a world where things like this happen everyday. The innocent suffer while the corrupt advance. The blameless are accused and the guilty escape justice. The world is full of false accusations. I've been apart of one. In the last church there was a guy who wanted a leadership role, but was not capable of handling it. Since he couldn't have what he wanted he began to spread rumors about the leaders in the church, myself included. Fortunately, we were able to deal with it before any serious damage was done, but the lies he had spread did leave a mess to be cleaned up.
Men, you cannot stop anyone from spreading a rumor about you, but you can live in such a way the discredits it from the beginning. Joseph's situation was a little different. He was a slave, and his master's wife made an accusation against him. His master had to do something in order to save face, but I'm guessing the wife had a history of behavior like this, and Potiphar knew it, because Joseph isn't put to death.
Men, what does your life look like? If someone spread a rumor that you were stealing money from your work, are you living with integrity where people would say, "There's no way he would ever do that. I know him, and that's not who he is." Or would their response be, "Doesn't surprise me, he always did seem kind of shady." The way you live can kill a rumor because the people who hear it will know the character of the one who is being spoken about.
How are you living? Would a false accusation stand against you? Or would it be smothered as soon as it was spoken?
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
The man was innocent and blameless. But the woman was rejected and shamed. She devised a plan to get back at him. If he wouldn't give in to her, she would ruin his life. When she had grabbed hold of his cloak he shed it in order to get away, and she would use that to undo him. She devises a lie, tells her husband who believes her, and Joseph is arrested and thrown in jail. An innocent man was punished and the guilty party got away with everything.
We live in a world where things like this happen everyday. The innocent suffer while the corrupt advance. The blameless are accused and the guilty escape justice. The world is full of false accusations. I've been apart of one. In the last church there was a guy who wanted a leadership role, but was not capable of handling it. Since he couldn't have what he wanted he began to spread rumors about the leaders in the church, myself included. Fortunately, we were able to deal with it before any serious damage was done, but the lies he had spread did leave a mess to be cleaned up.
Men, you cannot stop anyone from spreading a rumor about you, but you can live in such a way the discredits it from the beginning. Joseph's situation was a little different. He was a slave, and his master's wife made an accusation against him. His master had to do something in order to save face, but I'm guessing the wife had a history of behavior like this, and Potiphar knew it, because Joseph isn't put to death.
Men, what does your life look like? If someone spread a rumor that you were stealing money from your work, are you living with integrity where people would say, "There's no way he would ever do that. I know him, and that's not who he is." Or would their response be, "Doesn't surprise me, he always did seem kind of shady." The way you live can kill a rumor because the people who hear it will know the character of the one who is being spoken about.
How are you living? Would a false accusation stand against you? Or would it be smothered as soon as it was spoken?
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Friday, April 4, 2014
Caution
"Now it happened one day that he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the household was there inside." -Genesis 39.11
The day began like every other day, Joseph shows up on the job site for work. But today something is different, there is no one else there. Joseph enters the house, and aside from his master's wife, he is the only one there. There is no way he could have known this, and there is no way he could have known what was about to happen, but from this story we learn a very important lesson. Let us live with caution.
When I use the word caution I don't mean be a germaphobe who never leaves his apartment. I mean keep your guard up. Joseph walked right into a trap and ends up in prison as we'll see shortly. How many men have fallen into similar traps because they have dropped their guard? How many men have been falsely accused, and their integrity shattered simply because they allowed themselves to be in the wrong situation?
Men, live with cation. The enemy wants to take you out. You, as a man striving after God, are among his primary targets. He wants to take you out, and when you drop your guard and walk right into the trap that he has set you make his job all too easy. And remember, it isn't about what happens, but what people think and say happened.
Don't let yourself be caught in a trap. Make up your mind about the rules you'll live by and don't compromise on them ever. I won't ride in an elevator or car alone with a woman who isn't my wife or other family member. That way no one can accuse me of anything. I won't handle money from the church in any capacity so that no one can accuse me of improper use of church funds, or worse, stealing it. The more you keep your guard up, the less vulnerable you are.
We have a very real enemy who has countless traps laid to take us out. Be a survivor, not a statistic. Live with caution.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
The day began like every other day, Joseph shows up on the job site for work. But today something is different, there is no one else there. Joseph enters the house, and aside from his master's wife, he is the only one there. There is no way he could have known this, and there is no way he could have known what was about to happen, but from this story we learn a very important lesson. Let us live with caution.
When I use the word caution I don't mean be a germaphobe who never leaves his apartment. I mean keep your guard up. Joseph walked right into a trap and ends up in prison as we'll see shortly. How many men have fallen into similar traps because they have dropped their guard? How many men have been falsely accused, and their integrity shattered simply because they allowed themselves to be in the wrong situation?
Men, live with cation. The enemy wants to take you out. You, as a man striving after God, are among his primary targets. He wants to take you out, and when you drop your guard and walk right into the trap that he has set you make his job all too easy. And remember, it isn't about what happens, but what people think and say happened.
Don't let yourself be caught in a trap. Make up your mind about the rules you'll live by and don't compromise on them ever. I won't ride in an elevator or car alone with a woman who isn't my wife or other family member. That way no one can accuse me of anything. I won't handle money from the church in any capacity so that no one can accuse me of improper use of church funds, or worse, stealing it. The more you keep your guard up, the less vulnerable you are.
We have a very real enemy who has countless traps laid to take us out. Be a survivor, not a statistic. Live with caution.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Fix or Avoid?
"Now Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit; so he tore his garments. He returned to his brothers and said, 'The boy is not there; as for me, where am I to go?'" -Genesis 37.29-30
Reuben had a plan. He had had an affair with one of his father's concubines, and his father found out about it. He had lost honor and integrity with his actions, and for some time had been trying to figure out how to regain it. He had made a mistake, gotten caught, and now was trying to fix it. Then one day the annoying little brother shows up and the other brothers decide they have had enough and to off him. At last, the opportunity he's been waiting for.
The first part of the plan goes well. He talks them out of killing him, and Joseph ends up alive in a pit. Now all that's left is to get him out secretly, and take him home. He'll explain what happened, how he saved the life of the father's favorite son, and all will be forgiven. Later he heads back to the pit for step two of the plan, but now the pit is empty. Joseph is gone, and so is the one hope he had of fixing his mistake.
He had a plan that might have worked, but the problem is he needed a plan to begin with. Reuben never should have compromised himself and fallen into the need of a redemptive act. Men, how many times do we try to fix our mistakes? We say something we shouldn't have and we try to apologize. We get caught in the wrong place at the wrong time and we try to make excuses for why we're there, or we throw someone else under the bus to try to save our own skin. We change our environment so that the truth doesn't get found out. We put so much work into trying to fix our faults, instead of putting all of that energy into avoiding them to begin with.
With Reuben, he gave in to a desire for pleasure. He didn't think he'd get caught, but as soon as he does he begins to work on a plan to try to fix it. How many men have fallen into a similar trap and reacted in a similar way? You've compromised your integrity, and truthfully, there is no way for you to undo that. It's like chopping down a tree. One mistake won't topple you, just like one strike of an ax won't bring down a tree, but it leaves a mark that will always be there. Try as we might, there is no way to undo it, the mark will always be there.
Men, we cannot fix our mistakes. We can't take back the words we say. We can't hide from the truth forever. So instead of working so hard to try and fix them, let's put the energy into avoiding them. Let us flee from temptation and evil. Let us learn self-control, and how to tame the tongue. Let us focus on God, and growing in righteousness.
I have been dwelling on Proverbs 3.5-8 for several months now, and when we get there I'll write more on it, but if we would avoid mistakes, this is where our focus needs to be. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones."
I've used the word "mistake" in this post, but I don't mean the little things like coloring outside the lines. I'm talking about the big things. The things that destroy us. I'm talking about sin. And while sin can be forgiven by God, we have to live with the consequences of our actions, and that means damaged integrity. But if we trust in God and acknowledge Him in all things, not leaning on our own understanding, He will make our paths straight. If we are humble and fear Him, turning away from evil, we will have peace.
Men, let us pour ourselves into avoiding sin at all costs. Let us flee from everything that could compromise our integrity. Once the damage is done, it's impossible to fix it. Reuben's plan didn't work, and neither will your's. Let's not get ourselves into the situation where we have to try to fix it. Rather, let us focus all of our energy on walking the path of righteousness and avoiding sin at all costs.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Reuben had a plan. He had had an affair with one of his father's concubines, and his father found out about it. He had lost honor and integrity with his actions, and for some time had been trying to figure out how to regain it. He had made a mistake, gotten caught, and now was trying to fix it. Then one day the annoying little brother shows up and the other brothers decide they have had enough and to off him. At last, the opportunity he's been waiting for.
The first part of the plan goes well. He talks them out of killing him, and Joseph ends up alive in a pit. Now all that's left is to get him out secretly, and take him home. He'll explain what happened, how he saved the life of the father's favorite son, and all will be forgiven. Later he heads back to the pit for step two of the plan, but now the pit is empty. Joseph is gone, and so is the one hope he had of fixing his mistake.
He had a plan that might have worked, but the problem is he needed a plan to begin with. Reuben never should have compromised himself and fallen into the need of a redemptive act. Men, how many times do we try to fix our mistakes? We say something we shouldn't have and we try to apologize. We get caught in the wrong place at the wrong time and we try to make excuses for why we're there, or we throw someone else under the bus to try to save our own skin. We change our environment so that the truth doesn't get found out. We put so much work into trying to fix our faults, instead of putting all of that energy into avoiding them to begin with.
With Reuben, he gave in to a desire for pleasure. He didn't think he'd get caught, but as soon as he does he begins to work on a plan to try to fix it. How many men have fallen into a similar trap and reacted in a similar way? You've compromised your integrity, and truthfully, there is no way for you to undo that. It's like chopping down a tree. One mistake won't topple you, just like one strike of an ax won't bring down a tree, but it leaves a mark that will always be there. Try as we might, there is no way to undo it, the mark will always be there.
Men, we cannot fix our mistakes. We can't take back the words we say. We can't hide from the truth forever. So instead of working so hard to try and fix them, let's put the energy into avoiding them. Let us flee from temptation and evil. Let us learn self-control, and how to tame the tongue. Let us focus on God, and growing in righteousness.
I have been dwelling on Proverbs 3.5-8 for several months now, and when we get there I'll write more on it, but if we would avoid mistakes, this is where our focus needs to be. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones."
I've used the word "mistake" in this post, but I don't mean the little things like coloring outside the lines. I'm talking about the big things. The things that destroy us. I'm talking about sin. And while sin can be forgiven by God, we have to live with the consequences of our actions, and that means damaged integrity. But if we trust in God and acknowledge Him in all things, not leaning on our own understanding, He will make our paths straight. If we are humble and fear Him, turning away from evil, we will have peace.
Men, let us pour ourselves into avoiding sin at all costs. Let us flee from everything that could compromise our integrity. Once the damage is done, it's impossible to fix it. Reuben's plan didn't work, and neither will your's. Let's not get ourselves into the situation where we have to try to fix it. Rather, let us focus all of our energy on walking the path of righteousness and avoiding sin at all costs.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Monday, January 6, 2014
Passing the Blame
"The man said, 'The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.'" -Genesis 3.12
Adam messed up. He failed to act, and failed to play the man. And now it's time to face the consequences. First he hides from God, and then when God asks him a direct question he throws his wife under the bus. "Did you eat?" "She made me do it!" Since the beginning men have found themselves in the position of inaction. And shortly there after, we find ourselves in the situation of not owning up to our mistakes.
Why? Is it an attempt to try and preserve some sort of tainted sense of our own innocence? Is it out of embarrassment because we know we messed up? Are we trying to have ourselves overlooked in the judgment? Yes. A man who has failed doesn't want everyone else to find out about it. That's actually one of the biggest fears of all men, to be found out as a fraud. And so they do whatever they can to avoid that, and protect a false image.
Guys, part of being a man is owning up to our mistakes and failures. A man doesn't let his wife take the blame for his failures. Remember, Adam was right there watching everything unfold, and he did nothing. And now to make it worse, he blames the woman. When we fail at protecting and leading, we can't blame others for not following. You can't follow where no one will lead you.
And we also have to make sure that we don't blame God. Look at that verse again. "The woman whom You gave to be with me," so now this is partly God's fault. How often do we do this? I know I have blamed God for how things have turned out. The past year has involved a lot of that. But really, who am I to blame God? What right do I have to point the finger at Him and say "This is Your fault!" No matter how slight or indirect the jab might be, it's still there, and it does nothing for our growth or honor.
Men, let's own up. We're not perfect, and we're not going to be. And trying to make it seem like we are only makes things worse. Owning a mistake does more for our integrity than lying and covering one up ever will.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Adam messed up. He failed to act, and failed to play the man. And now it's time to face the consequences. First he hides from God, and then when God asks him a direct question he throws his wife under the bus. "Did you eat?" "She made me do it!" Since the beginning men have found themselves in the position of inaction. And shortly there after, we find ourselves in the situation of not owning up to our mistakes.
Why? Is it an attempt to try and preserve some sort of tainted sense of our own innocence? Is it out of embarrassment because we know we messed up? Are we trying to have ourselves overlooked in the judgment? Yes. A man who has failed doesn't want everyone else to find out about it. That's actually one of the biggest fears of all men, to be found out as a fraud. And so they do whatever they can to avoid that, and protect a false image.
Guys, part of being a man is owning up to our mistakes and failures. A man doesn't let his wife take the blame for his failures. Remember, Adam was right there watching everything unfold, and he did nothing. And now to make it worse, he blames the woman. When we fail at protecting and leading, we can't blame others for not following. You can't follow where no one will lead you.
And we also have to make sure that we don't blame God. Look at that verse again. "The woman whom You gave to be with me," so now this is partly God's fault. How often do we do this? I know I have blamed God for how things have turned out. The past year has involved a lot of that. But really, who am I to blame God? What right do I have to point the finger at Him and say "This is Your fault!" No matter how slight or indirect the jab might be, it's still there, and it does nothing for our growth or honor.
Men, let's own up. We're not perfect, and we're not going to be. And trying to make it seem like we are only makes things worse. Owning a mistake does more for our integrity than lying and covering one up ever will.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
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