Verse of the Day - Proverbs 10:5

A wise youth works hard all summer; a youth who sleeps away the hour of opportunity brings shame. ~ Proverbs 10:5 (NLT, 1st Edition)

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The book of Proverbs is kind of a funny animal -- not written like other Bible story books, or even in poetry form. It's snippets of wisdom, all strung together, seemingly with no real connection. One verse might talk about taking correction as wise, while the very next verse talks about hiding hatred and slandering others as foolish (Proverbs 10:17-18). All good advice, but rather disconnected! You simply have to read Proverbs for what it is...nuggets of wisdom and truth, each one pretty much standing alone. (If you just want to spend an evening with your Bible reading for the 'bigger picture', this isn't the book... :-)...try 1 Samuel, or Matthew, or Acts, or ???...I challenge you to read and find out!)

King Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived, wise because God gave Him wisdom like none other. When we read Proverbs (not written entirely by him, but he is a major contributor), we shake our heads in assent...we think of examples in our world or through history, where life bears out the truth of the wise and the foolish.

So, it makes me wonder what Solomon was thinking when he penned this verse...did he have a son he was chastising for all eternity with his pen? Was this a clever way to say, "Boy, you really messed up last summer, with your lazy toosh -- now look at you...all your friends worked hard and saved enough money for college, and where are you now? Sittin' on your duff, playing video games, watching life pass you by..." . . . ?

Okay, so the video games was a stretch...but you get the idea.

Youth sometimes doesn't think very far into the future, doesn't plan for a rainy day, doesn't seize opportunity when it shows up. Youth thinks there's always tomorrow, always time. Why do today what you can put off til tomorrow, huh? An old song says, "Manana, manana, manana is soon enough for me..." Why fix the broken window where the rain is getting me wet, when, if we wait a few days, the sun will come out, and who needs a window on a sunny day? And although this song speaks disparagingly to the Hispanic community which I do not condone, I mention it because this procrastinative mentality can be a real stumbling block for all of us, not just youth or any particular culture. We can all be lazy and think we have all the time in the world to get things done, to make stuff happen.

Face it. Alot of us think we have time to get into shape, to reverse the effects of overeating and undersleeping and the ticking clock. We think, tomorrow...tomorrow...tomorrow is soon enough for me. But tomorrow truly is "always a day away", and it never comes. And we'll always find excuses to put opportunity off for yet another day. We need to beware, because opportunity may knock once or twice, but when you finally open the door, all you see is a flyer that says, 'sorry we missed you'...and it's too late. The morgue is full of those who thought they had time to get it together...but strokes and heart attacks said otherwise.

And what about our spiritual health, huh? Do we wait around for some conference to come to town, or a revival at church before we step out and get serious with God? What are we waiting for? Or how about talking to that person at work that needs to hear about the love God has for them, and how He can change their life? Still waiting for that perfect opportunity? God may be saying, I gave you a chance last week, remember, in the lunchroom? Why didn't you tell them then when they told you how cruddy life was for them? Or how about the week before when they were broken up over the divorce papers they received? What are you waiting for, My child? Tomorrow may not come, for you or for them...

Of course, we could all beat ourselves up for the missed opportunities all along our lives. And maybe some holy conviction is in order. But after that, let's seize the day today -- carpe diem! Whatever it is that we can do today, we should do, with God's strength. Don't put off tomorrow what you can do today...be active, be purposeful, be committed TODAY. Tomorrow may never come, but Today is here every day. Live in the day you are given by God and run with it!

So, what are you waiting for?

Love,
Joelene