Down The Middle

[dave c]

HEALING SHELTER MINISTRIES #129b Re-Written 18OCT08 http://groups.msn.com/AHealingShelter/welcome.msnw

Gatekeepers—Part Two: Down The Middle

by rev dave c

Proverbs 4:1 Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. 2 I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching. 3 When I was a boy in my father's house, still tender, and an only child of my mother, 4 he taught me and said, "Lay hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands and you will live. 5 Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them. 6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. 7 Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. 8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you. 9 She will set a garland of grace on your head and present you with a crown of splendor." 10 Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many. 11 I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. 12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble. 13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life. 14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men. 15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way. 16 For they cannot sleep till they do evil; they are robbed of slumber till they make someone fall. 17 They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. 18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. 19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble. 20 My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. 21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; 22 for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. 23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. 24 Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. 25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. 26 Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. 27 Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

For obvious reasons there is much talk these days of the Right and the Left— Conservatives and Liberals— Republicans and Democrats. I would offer that the way of righteousness is straight down the middle of God’s Word. If I drift to the right I enter the hypocrisy of the Pharisaical Hebrews (Mt 16:6-12); if I drift to the left I am fraternizing with the Hellenizing Sadducees (Mt 16:6-12); and if I look only inward, to my interests alone, then I embrace New Age Herodianism” through the self-indulgence of eclectic pragmatism (Mk 8:15). The Lord God declares to all people everywhere and throughout time: "...My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," ..."As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Is 55:8&9, NIV).

In Proverbs 14 we read: 1 The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down. 2 He whose walk is upright fears the LORD, but he whose ways are devious despises him. 3 A fool's talk brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them. ...5 A truthful witness does not deceive, but a false witness pours out lies. 6 The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning. 7 Stay away from a foolish man, for you will not find knowledge on his lips. 8 The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception. 9 Fools mock at making amends for sin, but goodwill is found among the upright. ...11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish. 12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death (NIV). There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

Within the corruptions of our culture we confuse information for knowledge, knowledge for understanding, understanding for enlightenment, enlightenment for wisdom, wisdom for righteousness, and righteousness for truth. Through Scripture and experience Christians have learned that there is only one Truth and that is the living person of Jesus Christ, through Whom is the only way to righteousness, wisdom, enlightenment, understanding, and the full knowledge of a life that is both abundant and eternal. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ (Co 2:8; NIV). But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough (2Co 11:3&4; NIV).

Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. If we think as Christians that we can compartmentalize our lives into church/work/politics/economics/education/healthcare, we are badly deceived—and we are deceiving others. "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them (Ma 7:13-16; NIV). Amen.