ARE WE KEEPING GOD'S BLESSINGS FOR OURSELVES?
Proverbs 31:10–31, the wife of noble character, is very familiar to many of us. But recently my attention was drawn to the first part of that chapter — verses 1–9 — which is a message that King Lemuel’s mother taught him. (The identity of King Lemuel and his mother are unknown, but her counsel is nevertheless wise!)
A king is powerful, and he can have whatever he wants (up to a point). The desire for women and alcohol is common among men, and given a king’s position and resources, he can freely indulge those appetites if he chooses. There are plenty of examples of kings and other kinds of influential people doing just that. (Sadly, this even includes spiritual leaders.)
But King Lemuel’s mother counsels him against giving in to such temptations. She counsels him not to spend his energy enjoying women; that would be unwise. More than one king (or leader) has been ruined by indulging his appetite for women! Similarly, it’s not wise for a king to drink excessive amounts of wine or other alcoholic drinks, for doing so impairs his judgement, even causing him to forget the law, and deny others their rights. Rather, a king should use his power and influence for the benefit of others, especially the poor and helpless.
Now, you and I aren’t kings, nor do we have a king’s resources at our disposal. But God has blessed each of us with a certain amount of influence and other resources. King Lemuel’s mother would advise us to use those blessings not just for our own benefit, but for the benefit of others also. Consider these verses:
Rom. 12:13: Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
Phil. 2:4: Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Heb. 13:16: Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
These are just three of the many verses in the Bible that tell us that God has blessed us so that we can bless others.
Are we keeping God’s blessings just for ourselves?
A king is powerful, and he can have whatever he wants (up to a point). The desire for women and alcohol is common among men, and given a king’s position and resources, he can freely indulge those appetites if he chooses. There are plenty of examples of kings and other kinds of influential people doing just that. (Sadly, this even includes spiritual leaders.)
But King Lemuel’s mother counsels him against giving in to such temptations. She counsels him not to spend his energy enjoying women; that would be unwise. More than one king (or leader) has been ruined by indulging his appetite for women! Similarly, it’s not wise for a king to drink excessive amounts of wine or other alcoholic drinks, for doing so impairs his judgement, even causing him to forget the law, and deny others their rights. Rather, a king should use his power and influence for the benefit of others, especially the poor and helpless.
Now, you and I aren’t kings, nor do we have a king’s resources at our disposal. But God has blessed each of us with a certain amount of influence and other resources. King Lemuel’s mother would advise us to use those blessings not just for our own benefit, but for the benefit of others also. Consider these verses:
Rom. 12:13: Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
Phil. 2:4: Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Heb. 13:16: Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
These are just three of the many verses in the Bible that tell us that God has blessed us so that we can bless others.
Are we keeping God’s blessings just for ourselves?
by Darrel Eppler
Posted in Faith Blogs
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