Shownotes
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 164 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.
Proverbs [4:10]-17 Life is Like a Journey for Wisdom
Thank you for joining us for our 7 days a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 164 of our Trek, and yesterday we covered the first nine verses of the 4th chapter in Proverbs. For the next few days, we are going to remain at camp as we continue to explore Proverbs 4. If you miss any days of our Wisdom-Trek, please go to Wisdom-Trek.com to listen to them and read the daily journal.
We are recording our podcast from our studio at Home2 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The fall weather has set in with cooler temperatures. With being away for over a week, we have a substantial workload to complete but are very excited and grateful to be busy and have the ability to complete the work.
We also have the opportunity to watch our grandson Kip or Harold Guthrie Chamberlain, V, as he is off from his pre-school for Veteran’s Day and his parents have to work. The blessing of working from our homes is that we can include these special moments as part of our daily routine.
For today, let’s gather back around the campfire as we continue our exploration for wisdom that is found in Proverbs Chapter 4. Take a moment right now and imagine that we are listening to the crackling of the burning wood of the campfire. If you listen closely, it sounds almost as if someone is whispering in your ear, and this is how the wisdom nuggets in the book of Proverbs are revealed to us. As we allow them to permeate our minds, they will provide insight, discernment, and understanding. This insight will help us on our daily trek through life, and as we digest these nuggets each day, they will help us to create our living legacy for life.
Proverbs [4:10]-17
This passage returns to the idea that life is like a journey.
10 My child, listen to me and do as I say,
and you will have a long, good life.
If we plan our journeys wisely, then we are safer. We can avoid many dangers. In the same way, if we are wise, then our lives will be safer.
11 I will teach you wisdom’s ways
and lead you in straight paths.
We shall not walk alone. Wisdom will be our guide and our guard. Remember that this whole book is about God’s wisdom! God protects us when we live our lives in his way. Jesus said in the good news according to Matthew 6:28-34, “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”
God cares for us. He will provide what we need for each day. He will lead us to our home in heaven.
12 When you walk, you won’t be held back;
when you run, you won’t stumble.
The people who trust in God will become stronger. They will be so strong that they will be like the eagle. As Isaiah [40:31], one of my favorite verses, states,
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.
13 Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go.
Guard them, for they are the key to life.
We must guard the good things that God has given to us. Sometimes evil things might seem attractive. We might remember our behavior before we knew God. We might see an evil action, and we might want to do the same. Jesus tells us in Mark 14:38, “Keep watch and pray so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
14 Don’t do as the wicked do,
and don’t follow the path of evildoers.
15 Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way.
Turn away and keep moving.
Solomon emphasizes his words. We should not behave like evil people. We should not listen to their advice. Their advice is never wise. We must not do the same things that evil people do. Their behavior is never wise. If we copy their actions, then we are in great danger.
16 For evil people can’t sleep until they’ve done their evil deed for the day.
They can’t rest until they’ve caused someone to stumble.
As Solomon emphasizes the lesson, he uses humor. He tells us to imagine the evil person. This person is very evil. So, he cannot even sleep until he has done an evil action. At midnight, he gets up. He has still not done his evil action. He struggles to think an evil thought. The time is very late, but this man must act now. He cannot even sleep until he has completed his evil task.
The story shows us that evil thinking is powerful. Evil thinking will control us, like dangerous drugs or alcohol. We can become like slaves, to our evil actions. God can set us free, but we must turn to him.
17 They eat the food of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence!
Solomon continues his joke. The evil person has woken. He is eating a meal. We are looking at his food. We expect to find bread or meat or vegetables. The evil man is eating none of these. This man does not want food. Instead, he chooses evil behavior. He does not think that food will make him strong. Instead, he thinks that his evil actions will make him strong. He wants to do evil things, more than he desires his food. He thinks that evil things are essential for his life.
This evil man does not think that he needs milk or water or wine. He supposes that he can manage without these things. He does not want something to drink. Instead, he thinks that cruelty is essential for his life. He wants cruelty, more than he wants a drink. This is how addictions in our lives manifest themselves. They control our thoughts and control our lives.
As we reflected around our campfire today, life is compared to a trek. If we take the wrong paths or if we think the wrong thoughts, then our lives will be controlled by the choices we make. We will become addicted to these behaviors, and they will negatively impact all areas of our lives. Let us not take these paths in our lives. The lessons that we can learn from each other are valuable, so encourage your friends and family to the join us each day and come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy. Tomorrow we will remain in camp as we continue with our investigation in Proverbs 4.
That will finish our podcast for today. Remember to listen to your daily dose of wisdom on Wisdom-Trek.com, or subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, Spreaker, SoundCloud, Stitcher, or YouTube so the episodes will be downloaded to you automatically each day. Please share Wisdom-Trek with your family and friends through email, Facebook, Twitter, or in person so they can come along with us each day.
The journal for today’s Trek can be found at Wisdom-Trek.com. Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
- Live Abundantly (Fully)
- Love Unconditionally
- Listen Intentionally
- Learn Continuously
- Lend to others Generously
- Lead with Integrity
- Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow!