WISER & HAPPIER • TIME OF GRACE 1ForewordYou’ve heard the phrase “sadder but wiser,” haven’t you?Has a lot of your life-wisdom come through pain? Thatmemorable phrase comes from a mostly forgotten poem,“Answer to a Child’s Question,” by the English writerSamuel Taylor Coleridge:“He went like one that hath been stunned,And is of sense forlorn:A sadder and a wiser manHe rose the morrow morn.”Coleridge put his finger squarely on one of life’s iron rules:there are generally only two ways to learn – through words orthrough pain. God has certainly gotten a lot done in my ownlife through pain, and you can probably say the same. But hewould much rather make us wiser through words. In this waywe wouldn’t be sadder but wiser; we would be wiser and happier.The Bible’s Book of Proverbs is an absolute gold mine ofwisdom for the daily decisions you must make. It will help youdevelop your personal values and tune your life’s agenda moreclosely to resemble God’s. Your life will inevitably be happier.Here is a “proverbial” nugget for each dayof your month. Ready? Let’s go!Pastor Mark Jeske

ONE:Waking UpOne of the most miserable sights inAmerica is the televised pressconference called by a politicianwho has been caught with aprostitute, gay lover, congressional page, or intern. Theystruggle, squirm, make excuses, evade direct questions,and look miserable. Sometimes they appear on camerastanding next to ashen-faced spouses.Think how much damage can be done to people’s liveswith a moment of impulsive and reckless sin. If only theyhad thought about that potential damage before theyacted on their selfish impulses. If only someone hadawakened them from their immoral stupor before they didall that harm to the people in their families.That’s the essence of learning by words instead of pain.Now is the time to listen to God’s word. Now is the timeto take his words to heart. Now is the time to wake upand remember what’s at stake. “Blessed is the man whofinds wisdom, the man who gains understanding” (3:13).Here is wisdom: to remember our past, embrace our trueidentity, reaffirm our mission, and reclaim our power.BY PASTOR MARK JESKE

Direct quotations from the Bible (NIV) are printed in bold. Copyright © 2007 Time of Grace Ministry

&GRACE MOMENTSInspiring daily readings about God’s grace in your life.

WISERHAPPIERWISER & HAPPIER • TIME OF GRACE 2Remember What You WereThere are some bad boys out there who have forgottenabout their quadruple bypass operation and are eating fatfriedfood again. There are some bad girls who haveforgotten about their emphysema and have startedsmoking again. There are some reckless diabetics who arecareless with their insulin injections. Such peopleapparently have lost their fear of – and respect for – theirdisease.A real danger for people who have been Christians for awhile is that they grow sleepy and careless in theirsecurity. They forget who they were and where they camefrom. They have lost their shock and awe at the fearfulwrath of God on all evil. “The Lord’s curse is on thehouse of the wicked” (3:33).We all need to remember the terrible punishment that ourSavior, Jesus Christ, absorbed for our sake on the cross. Weall need to re-appreciate how expensive the forgiveness isthat he bought for us there. We all need to respect and fearour enemy from hell. We all need to reaffirm our gratitudefor word and sacrament that bond us to Christ now andforever. Lord, wake us.Remember Who You AreImagine that someone was trying to steal yourinheritance by keeping you from claiming your rights as ason or daughter of royalty. Imagine that the strategy wasto get you to doubt that you really had royal blood at all.Satan is trying to steal your joy and persuade you to doubtyour legal identity. Don’t let him. Through your adoptionpapers (i.e. baptismal certificate) God is named as your

Father. St. Peter called you no less than God’s chosenpeople, God’s royal priests.Your royal identity ironically explains why your life is sohard sometimes. “The Lord disciplines those he loves,as a father the son he delights in” (3:12). What acomfort it is to know that our loving Father has an eye onour hardships to make sure that we are not overwhelmed.What a comfort it is to know that none of our suffering isin vain – he will make every bit of it work for our good inone way or another.Remember Whom You ServeWouldn’t it be silly if a receptionist answered the phoneand didn’t know the name of the company she wasrepresenting? Wouldn’t it be silly if a sales rep nevermentioned the name of his company? Wouldn’t it be sillyif an employee forgot that she was an employee andimagined that she was the owner?Silly but believable. People do the same thing to God allthe time. We all go through foggy stretches where we getconfused about our mission in life. We forget that we’reall managers in God’s company, that our great purpose inlife is to give God glory, receive and reflect his love, andact as his agents in bringing benefit to the lives of otherpeople. That’s why you were created. That’s why you wereredeemed.What is your life’s main purpose? Here’s one way to put it:“In all your ways acknowledge him” (3:6). Isn’t itamazing how much easier our daily decision-making getswhen we begin the day by saying, “God, I am working foryou today. Thanks for letting me into your company.”Remember the Power You HaveOne of Obi-wan Kenobi’s most difficult tasks in trainingLuke Skywalker to be a true Jedi knight was to help himaccess all his resources. “Use the Force, Luke!” Obi-wanwould exhort him. We all know that this talk of “theForce” is just space mythology cooked up by GeorgeLucas, right? You don’t have a Force within you.Or do you? George Lucas was perhaps closer than herealized to a powerful truth of authentic Christianity: thethird person of the Trinity, God the Holy Spirit, comes tolive within the hearts of all believers when they arebaptized. Scripture promises that your baptism is awashing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. TheSpirit is power from God for thinking, saying, and doingthings that are pleasing to God.The Spirit brings you God’s wisdom from heaventhrough his wonderful word. The Spirit also brings youGod’s power to act on what you know. “Trust in theLord with all your heart and lean not on your ownunderstanding … and he will make your pathsstraight” (3:5-6).Use the Force.WISER & HAPPIER • TIME OF GRACE 3

TWO:Work EthicTodd Rundgren got it right. There isa sound track running in most guys’brains (and probably a lot of women’s,too), and it goes like this: “I don’twant to work. I just want to bang on de drum all day.”When children are babies, their parents are their servants,even slaves, because they are so helpless. Teenagers kind ofwant it to stay that way. Teaching my own children towork willingly has proven to be one of the hardest aspectsof my parenting (and it brings back faint memories of myown resistance to my father). They don’t want to work.I think Satan himself wears a feed cap that says, “Take thisjob and shove it.” Let us pray for God’s help and strengthand guidance so that this generation of adults does not failto pass on God’s mindset to the next. “Discipline yourson, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party tohis death” (19:18).Hey, kid – take this job and love it.Self ControlIn 1885 Scottish author Robert Louis Stevensonconceived of a marvelous “bogey tale,” as he called it, toillustrate the duality of human nature. He called it, “TheStrange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” It was a great hitwith the reading public. People resonated immediatelywith the good doctor’s daily dilemma of an internalstruggle to keep the beast in him at bay.Some day we will be without sin. Some day we will nolonger be schizophrenic. In heaven we will be whole. Inheaven we will never again have to wrestle with the Mr.Hyde inside.In the meantime, we labor at self-control. A loving Godshares his power with us, power that streams into ourminds and hearts through his wonderful word. He promisesthat we can rebuke the devil, and he will flee from us.We can also rebuke the junior version of the devil withinus. “A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, anda man of understanding is even-tempered” (17:27).Work HardIt is undeniable that the poor have a special place in God’sheart. He promises over and over to look after the poor,the needy, widows, outcasts, and orphans. Perhaps youhave survived some desperate times in your life throughGod’s timely intervention. What a comfort it is to knowthat if we do suffer financial setbacks or stretches ofunemployment God will be there for us.However – God’s compassion for the poor doesn’t meanthat poverty is acceptable as a life goal for you and yourchildren. Poverty sometimes must be suffered and enduredbut never settled for if God has given you opportunities toadvance. “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding

of the hands to rest – and poverty will come on you likea bandit, and scarcity like an armed man” (6:10-11).Jesus said once, “My Father works, and I work.” Those ofus who are fathers have a special obligation andcommission to mentor and teach young people to growout of their instinctive laziness and choose to love work.Some of my greatest personal heroes are retired peoplewho have never slowed down. They are now free to workfor God according to their passion.No Short CutsEvery day my children show me what I must have beenlike to my parents when I was growing up. Some days aregood; some are not pretty. I occasionally have 30-yearflashbacks, when I can hear my father’s voice in my ownas I am scolding the troops.It is part of our sinful inheritance to want the harvestwithout the work. Satan is a liar and cheater, and so weshouldn’t be surprised to see such a strong inclination toshort cuts in ourselves and others. Fantasizing abouthitting a jackpot through gambling will always sound likemore fun than working. Cheating and stealing alwaysseem to go so much faster and easier than working.Satan owns the short term. Sin always provides that shortburst of excitement. “Food gained by fraud tastes sweetto a man, but he ends up with a mouth full of gravel”(20:17). God alone owns the long term. There are noshort cuts to satisfaction and true peace of mind. You reallywon’t like the taste of gravel.Build Your ReputationA friend of mine had a T-shirt that read, “If I had knownI was going to live this long, I would have taken bettercare of myself years ago.” Ain’t that the truth! And it’strue not only of health issues, but sex, money, and crimeas well. Mistakes and sins of the past never go away, andmany come ’round to bite us later.Every year idealistic and excited people try to get a loanto buy their first home only to find out that they hadruined their credit rating long ago. Because of theirreputation, no bank will lend them a dime. If you suffer ajewelry theft, or if you total your car, those things can bereplaced. If you ruin your reputation, you will find that itis ten times harder to restore.“A good name is more desirable than great riches; to beesteemed is better than silver or gold” (22:1). Tell thetruth. Pay your bills. Live within your means. Keep yourword. Do what you say you’re going to do. Wait till youcan afford it. Do I sound like your father? I do? Thank you!WISER & HAPPIER • TIME OF GRACE 4Share Your ToysHave you noticed by now how many teachings ofChrist are paradoxes (that is, they seem tocontradict established principles of human life)?When Jesus said that in God’s world, “The last shall

be first and the first shall be last,” he really meant it.God’s economics sometimes require a leap of faith,but here’s the amazing thing – his principles workjust as he promises!Here’s an example: “A generous man will prosper;he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed”(11:25). You’d think that this is absurd. After all, if Igive my stuff to other people, I will automaticallyhave less. But in Godonomics, people who trust hiswords and dare to live them will find his magic and“refreshing” all over the place.God loves it when you show hospitality...share foodwith the hungry…contribute to a homelessshelter… volunteer at a thrift store…mentor afatherless kid… hire a disabled adult…guard aschool crossing…drive an elderly person to the doctor…Leave a LegacyThe potential client was listening to the lifeinsurance guy and interrupted: “So let me get thisstraight. If I die …” He couldn’t finish the sentencebecause the salesman was laughing. “What do youmean, if you die?”Call me naïve, but I’m a family guy, and I’ve alwayskind of assumed that most people have given someserious thought to getting their financial records inorder for the time when they die, so that theirestate can be passed on to their heirs in an orderlyway, and so that they can give a gift to the Lord’swork one last time.How wrong I was. State probate officials report thatalmost 70% of Americans die intestate (without awill). How is it possible for otherwise reasonablybright people to push that important planning intoperpetual mañana?Wouldn’t you like to leave your children and yourchurch something besides debts? “A good manleaves an inheritance for his children’s children”(13:22).

THREE:Money MattersOne of the marks of religious fanaticism isseeing everything in black and white.Fanatics are extremely sure of themselves and know exactly whotheir enemies are.One of the marks of religious sanity is to be aware of the dangersof extremes on both sides and to keep steering from the middle.Take money, for instance. Some Christians are so disgusted bypressure and begging and bribing to get them to give moremoney to the church that they turn off to it all. Every church

and televangelist money scandal just makes it worse. Somepeople refuse to listen to any Bible talk about money.But that’s an exteme position to take. God’s word is full of storiesand teaching about money and wealth, and rightly so. It’s a bigpart of everybody’s life – of course God has some importantthings to say about it. Money matters!Making Money God’s WayOne of the things that everybody knows for sure about money isthat it is the root of all evil, right? Well, er, no. The Bible says –actually – that it is the love of money that is a root of all kinds ofevil. Can you see the difference?Money is just a tool. It is portable power. It is an extremelyconvenient way to turn labor into goods and the need for goodsinto labor. Money is a far better way to store wealth thanlivestock.If you are poor, God most certainly loves you, and he will helpyou survive. And yes, materialism and cash-idolatry are deadlysins indeed. But it is certainly not God’s desire that his peopleshould all be poor. He approves of your making money, and hewould like you to build wealth for your family’s needs, forcommunity investment, and for generosity in spreading theGospel. “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent handsbring wealth” (10:4).Did you catch that? God not only allows you to pursue buildingwealth, he actually promises to bless your hard work.Giving Money God’s WayI was crushed. As I was greeting people after worship oneSunday, one of the members came by and said, “Gosh, Pastor, if Ihad known that this was going to be Stewardship Sunday, Iwould not have brought a friend.” Ouch! Was I that bad? Had Imade Jesus look bad that day? Had I turned one of a Christian’smost joyful privileges into a joyless duty?Giving is worship. Giving to God acknowledges him as: Maker ofall (remember – “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it”);Giver of all (remember – “What do you have that you did not firstreceive?”); and worthy of our best (remember – “He made himselfpoor, so that we through his poverty might become rich”).WISER & HAPPIER • TIME OF GRACE 5Giving God’s money back to him is a wanna, not a hafta.“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruitsof your crops; then your barns will be filled tooverflowing, and your vats will brim over with newwine” (3:9-10).God is already living in your future, and he is capable ofgiving back to you faster than you can give to him. Feelthe love. Feel the joy.Spending Money God’s WayDo you tend to be a Scrooge – or a spendaholic? Here isanother example of when it’s best to steer from the middlecourse in life. God gives no special honor to misers andskinflints, but there is also terrible danger in out-ofcontrolspending.Be intentional about the money flowing from you. Do you

go shopping when you are feeling bad about yourself? Doyou need new clothes to feel important? Do you just lovespoiling yourself? Do you have trouble saying “no” to yoururges? Do you just love to party? Are these hard words tohear: “He who loves pleasure will become poor” (21:7)?Far too many people live in misery and fear because theyhave maxed out four credit cards and now can’t evenmake the minimum payments. They bought way toomuch house, their ARM just went up again, andforeclosure looms.You know, of course, that there are groups like AA to helpproblem drinkers. Did you know that there is help forproblem spenders?Saving Money God’s WayAs recently as the mid-1980s, Americans were savingmoney at a 10% rate. That is, for every $100 they grossed,they would save $10. Do you know what the savings rateis now? 0%. Yep, you heard me. 0%. That sounds to melike the behavior of people who either think they have nofuture or who are simply assuming that someone else willtake care of them when they are old.The Bible does indeed warn us of the dangers ofmaterialism. Money can easily become a god that peopleadore and trust. But that doesn’t mean that povertyshould be a life goal for Christians. God vigorouslyapproves of the concept of building wealth for you andyour family.A few fortunate people build their retirement fundsthrough a large inheritance or gift. The rest of us need togrow it bit by bit. It is a wonderful discipline to spend lessthan you make and save the difference. Here is Solomon’sadvice: “He who gathers money little by little makes itgrow” (13:11). Start young.

FOUR:Talking andListeningWalt Disney knew that childrenwished animals could talk. And so he gave them a talkingmouse, duck, and dog, plus an entire chatty menagerie.Even after seven decades of Disney, however, animals stilldon’t talk. People alone can do that.God talks. It was his marvelous decision to share thatability with his children. But with that ability comesserious responsibility. When your mother was comfortingyou about playground bullies, she encouraged you to shrugoff mean words, since “names will never hurt me.” Nicetry, Mom, but you know that’s not true.Words have enormous power. In fact, “The tongue hasthe power of life and death” (18:21). Words can crush

the life and hope out of a person. Words can help a brokenheart start beating again. Words are God’s chosen vehiclefor sharing the good news of our Savior, Jesus Christ.We could all stand a tongue overhaul in God’s shop.Listen first.Two Ears, One MouthOkay, let’s get right at it. Why is it so hard to get people tolisten to you? For the same reason you don’t like to do it.Listening is an act of surrender – you surrender the agendato the speaker. You lose control of the conversation. Thespeaker will probably start telling you what to do (Godforbid). You probably know everything the person is goingto say (blah, blah, blah; yada, yada, yada). Listeningseems weak.Except that it’s good. And godly. And smart. “He whoanswers before listening – that is his folly and shame”(18:13). You can’t learn when you’re talking. Listeningshows respect to someone else. Listening first helps youavoid revealing that you don’t know what you’re talkingabout. Listening first gives you time to organize and focusyour thoughts, so that when it is your turn, your wordswill have greater impact.Practicing listening to other people is also excellenttraining to help you listen better to God.WISER & HAPPIER • TIME OF GRACE 6News about FriendsOne of my dearest friends loves to yak on the phone, and she isa never-ending source of information about people we know.“But it’s not gossip,” she says. “It’s just news about friends.”How can you tell the difference? Gossip damages people’sreputations. Gossip passes on rumors as though they weretruth. Gossips enjoy other people’s difficulties. Gossips try tomake themselves taller by stepping on other people. Gossipsuse behind-the-back talk as a form of revenge.Gossip hurts not only the gossipee but the gossiper as well.“The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go downto a man’s inward parts” (18:8). Get the point? Swapping juicybits of information can taste like chocolate in the mouth, but asyou swallow it you poison and corrupt your soul.God has a better way. Use your tongue to build up.Build UpI think I know why I am so stingy with compliments. Half thetime I am so aware of my own failings and shortcomings that Ican’t waste any energy on lifting up anybody else. I convincemyself that it will take all my strength to cope with my owntroubles. I think maybe if I brag enough about myself I can talkother people (and myself) into thinking that I am important.As usual in God’s world, his reality is the exact opposite (youknow, that “last shall be first” stuff). Here’s another wonderfulsecret from God’s vault: the best way to deal with your owninsecurity is to praise somebody else. Seriously! “An anxiousheart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up”(12:25).

Are you ready to dare to be a servant (instead of trying topretend you are a lord)? All around you are broken anddispirited people who are running on fumes. A few words ofappreciation and praise cost you even less than what you putinto a parking meter.Make PeaceHere’s a riddle for you: why are newspapers andplayground bullies similar? Answer: because they bothlove a fight. Television and print editors gravitate tocovering violence (“if it bleeds, it leads”). Voyeuristicspectators get a thrill out of others in combat: “Fight!Fight!”Any idiot can start a fight. Any idiot can continue afight long after it should have been over. It is atrademark of Jesus’ followers to make peace. “Better adry crust with peace and quiet than a house full offeasting and strife” (17:1).Our hero is the Prince of Peace, who turned God’swithering judgment upon himself so that he could turnGod’s forgiveness and mercy upon us. Are you willingto trust God that there is far greater satisfaction inending a quarrel than in starting or continuing one?Are there two people in conflict in your life that youcould bring together today?Heal“You are so stupid.” “You’re worthless.” “You will neveramount to anything.” “I hate you.” “You are such aloser.” I hope you have never heard those words, and Ihope that you’ve never said them. But a great manypeople you know have been beaten down with wordslike those.Words like those can damage people permanently. Ourworld is full of wounded adults who were badly hurt aschildren long ago. But that’s where you come in:“Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongueof the wise brings healing” (12:18).Our wounded spirits have been healed, and are still inthe process of being healed, by the gospel’s lovemessages from God. What a thrill it is to be useful toGod by passing on his kindness to people who arestarving for it. Let’s practice: “Great job!” “I really likewhat you’ve done with your home.” “I appreciate you somuch.” “Thanks for being my friend.” “I value youradvice.” “I love you.”WISER & HAPPIER • TIME OF GRACE 7

FIVE:HappilyEver AfterKing Solomon, the chief author of

the book of Proverbs, had quite a bit to say aboutmarriage. No surprise there – he believed in marriage tosuch an absurd extent that he acquired 700 wives. Hisreckless and insatiable appetite for building a haremproved to be his undoing, though. I Kings 11 sadly relatesthat his heart was no longer fully devoted to the Lord hisGod, and that he did evil in the eyes of the Lord.But his proverbs on marriage are spot-on. They includedozens of sharp observations on human sexuality and therelationship between men and women. Let’s take a walkthrough Proverbs’ provocative and rather frank teachingsabout sex, love, and marriage.Sex SellsThe most disgusting thing about human slavery inAmerica’s past is that some people treated other peoplelike things, chattels, objects – instead of human beings.Sad to say, the entire sex-for-money world does the verysame thing. It feeds on people’s appetites and at the sametime dehumanizes them.Whether it’s pornography, prostitution, or strip joints ormen use women for gratification and women use men formoney. These actions are sick parodies of true humanlove, and the longer people live in that fantasy world theless able they are to form real relationships and healthymarriages. Men just view women as sperm receptacles andwomen view men as ATM machines.Here is wisdom from God – can you accept it? “Aprostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread, and theadulteress preys on your very life” (6:26). “Her houseis a highway to the grave” (7:27).Till death Us Do PartThere’s an old joke about a classroom blooper: the teacherasks, “What is the word to describe one man stayingmarried to one woman?” A kid responds, “Monotony.”Ha ha. A beautiful ceremony, two expensive rings, and awedding license are not sufficient to keep peoplecommitted to each other. Even the great King Davidcould not keep his eyes (and hands) off Bathsheba. Godhad the sordid details of David’s theft, adultery, lying,and murder written down so that we could learn from it.The momentary flash of excitement gave way to monthsand years of misery and damaged many other people’slives as well.Jesus himself taught that it was God’s original (andcurrent) marriage intent that what he had joinedtogether no one should separate. One man/one womantill death us do part is still his promise for a happy life.Proverbs 5:15 puts it like this: “Drink water from yourown cistern, running water from your own well.”Do you believe this?Mood QueenGod designed men with generally bigger bodies and

greater muscle mass. But he certainly didn’t leave womendefenseless. Most women, along with their beauty, comeequipped with a tongue that can cut like a stiletto. Thatoral fillet knife, coupled with an unhappy heart and moodswings, can do a lot of damage to a relationship.“Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome andill-tempered wife,” Solomon wrote (21:19).“A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping”(19:13). Memo to wives: be careful of your tongue. Bitterwords once set free can’t be sucked back down the throat.You have the power to use words to chop a man down,but you afterwards might find that he doesn’t stand quiteas tall any more.Don’t nag, either. You cannot change your husband. Onlyhe can change himself, and if you make him feel small, hewill resist you out of spite. If you persistently make him feelsmall, he will live down to your expectations. Build himup, and he may just grow up into your high praise. Just asChrist has treated you better than you deserve, soften thattongue and speak to your husband better than he deserves.God’s GiftHappy is the man who has learned to say, “I marriedabove myself.” I have heard this dozens of times fromfellow pastors, who give huge credit to their wives fortaking them through “finishing school.”Marriage is far more beneficial than just helping men finda way to express sexuality without sin. Wives help malesunderstand the way the other 50% of the world thinks.Wives bring grace and beauty, fragrance and flowers intolife. Wives bring intuition and sensitivity, attention torelationships and heart-emotion. It is to women thathuman reproduction has been granted, and only throughthem can babies be born into a lonely home.The only way Adam could get his missing rib back was tobe married. He was excited to meet Eve. Adam’s sons stillthrill to be given one of Eve’s daughters. “He who finds awife finds what is good and receives favor from theLord” (18:22).Husbands, are you listening? Say it with me: “Thankyou, Lord, for your gift of my wife.”WISER & HAPPIER • TIME OF GRACE 8Trophy WifeDonald Trump wasn’t the first, and he assuredly won’tbe the last to trade in an older wife for a newer model.It seems to be a status thing for some men who have“made it” in life to put in for a spouse upgrade.Guys, who are the husbands that you think are theluckiest? What’s your definition of a trophy wife? S.I.swimsuit-model figure? Vogue magazine face? Here’s aconcept: “A wife of noble character is her husband’scrown” (12:4). Or this: “Charm is deceptive and beautyis fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to bepraised. Give her the reward that she has earned”

(31:30-31).Husbands, are you blessed to be married to a woman withcourage, integrity, and work ethic? Are you proud of her?Is she the dearest human treasure of your life, the crownyou wear with pride? Have you told her lately? Have youthanked God for her today?Tell the Truth“In wartime, truth is so precious that she should always beattended by a bodyguard of lies.” You know who said that?I bet you think it was Hitler or Goebbels. Actually, it wasWinston Churchill.Not that human beings need much urging or rationale forlying, even from Churchill. We were all born children ofSatan, and Satan’s native language is lying. Jesus calledhim the “Father of lies, a liar from the beginning.” Truthtellingis learned behavior, and it’s hard. From young on,children learn how easy it can be to evade responsibility,divert blame, cause trouble for others, and get thingsthrough lies.Lying poisons our mind, and persistent lying leaves us soconfused that we no longer can recognize the truth. “TheLord detests lying lips, but he delights in people whoare truthful” (12:22).Lord, anoint my lips today. Let me choose to speak thetruth, and let me bite back a lie, even when it costs mesomething.Cultivate HumilityRadio humorist Garrison Keillor once asked his mother,“Mom, am I good-looking? Her modest, Midwestern reply:“You’re good-looking enough, dear.”Humility is learned behavior. By nature, we are miniatureSatans: full of ourselves, prideful, interested in only oneagenda in life: ours. We imagine that we are the center ofthe solar system – no – the galaxy. Other people are justbit players and props in the drama of Me.It is natural to crave attention and to boast. It isChristian to praise others first and wait patiently forothers to discover our own brilliance. Our Lord Jesus isboth our example and teacher, the divine Redeemerwho came to earth not to be served but to serve.Can you accept this? “Let another praise you, and notyour own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips”(27:2).

SIX:Personal IntegrityAdam and Eve were created in theimage of God. They were bornloving and wanting the right things, hating and rejectingwhat was wrong. Their reckless experiment indisobedience destroyed that image in themselves and

their descendants. Bottom line – you and I were born inSatan’s image. And thus what comes easy to us arecharacteristics from Satan’s mindset: selfishness,disrespect, pride, revenge, cruelty, lies, lust.Through the splendid intervention of Jesus Christ, thepoisonous deeds of our past, present, and future wereforgiven by God. Through the planting of faith in ourhearts by the Spirit, we tap into that forgiveness andreceive it. Through the prompting of our Spirit-Counselor, we develop an interest in living our newidentity and becoming more Christ-like.But that’s work. Every feature of Christ-behavior islearned behavior. We need God’s word and God’s powerto make those changes. “Whoever gives heed toinstruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in theLord” (16:20). Do you want to prosper? Do you wantblessings in your life? Go ahead – call God’s bluff.WISER & HAPPIER • TIME OF GRACE 9Be RealIn the world in which Christ and the apostles lived andworked, slavery was not merely tolerated but widely used.In the great cities where Christianity was planted, therewould have been hundreds of thousands of slaves, andmany of them were found among the earliest believers.Paul wrote to them to gain their freedom if they could, butto learn to accept their lives and make the most of theirsituation. If you truly believe that you are a prince ofheaven and a spiritual billionaire, you don’t have to feel asthough you have to get it all right now.There’s nothing basically wrong with wanting to besomebody. We all long for importance. Where thatdesire becomes sick is when we run out of patience. Iknow too many people who spend themselves into debtthey can’t handle trying to be somebody they’re not.There is a great freedom in choosing to like your life rightnow and in accepting your present situation. “Better tobe a nobody and yet have a servant than to pretend to besomebody and have no food” (12:9).Control Your Anger“Born to be wild” is more than just a song (Steppenwolf,ca.1968). It is a summary of the basic human state ofmind when untouched by the gospel. Come on – admit it.Throwing off restraint is exhilarating.So is losing your temper. There was a time when Ithought that angry people were unhappy. Actually it’sworse than that. Blowing up and “going off” on someoneactually releases a blast of adrenaline that many peoplefind exciting. There’s a thrill to telling somebody off.Have you felt it?The problem is that anger is pure emotion, and emotionis usually irrational. Anger outbursts rarely solve anyproblems or do any good. They more often destroy thingsand people. Here is some of God’s wisdom: “He who

guards his lips guards his soul, but he who speaksrashly will come to ruin” (13:3).If you’ve lost your temper, let Jesus help you find itagain. And if you must be wild, take a ride on yourHarley.Use Power CarefullyDon’t you hate getting jerked around by small-mindedgovernment officials who seem to enjoy making you jumpthrough hoops? Don’t you hate getting “put in your place”when people in power make you feel like an outsider?It might surprise you to realize that people farther downthe food chain may have had the same experience asyou! It is not only the super-rich who can takeadvantage of the poor. Plenty of middle-class and evenworking-class people have opportunities to takeadvantage of those in society who are most vulnerable.The lowest in society have a special protector in God.Remember that. “He who oppresses the poor showscontempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to theneedy honors God” (14:31).That doesn’t mean that you have to fork over $5 to everypanhandler you meet on the street. It does encourage usnot to take advantage of people with less financial andsocial and political power.Be PatientFor a society that claims to reject organized crime, weAmericans sure like gangster movies and television, don’twe? From Al Capone to Tony Soprano we lap up thestories of revenge, violence, and naked power.What is it about those stories that we find so attractive?Well, for one thing, we all groan at the many injusticesthat the small and weak and unconnected must suffer.The judicial system often seems to work too slowly andinefficiently, and too many criminals get away with theircrime. It would go so much faster if we just took mattersin our own hands (or so we fantasize).It takes no brains to seek revenge. It takes strength andcharacter to forgive another. “A man’s wisdom gives himpatience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense”(19:11).Need help to think like this? Reflect on how God hasforgiven you. The greatness of God is shown in hiscreative and sustaining power, but it shines even morebrightly in the way in which his love triumphed overcondemnation. You can choose to forgive, as the Lord haschosen to forgive you. Which sinful fool in your life needssome mercy from you? Give it today.