"Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life." -- Proverbs 16:31-33

Isn't it funny how times have changed?  Today, many of us try to conceal our gray hair.  Products that will cover it up, take it out, and make it go away are huge sellers.  Why?  Could it be because in our culture we value youth and virility over age and wisdom?  Could it be because we have it a bit backwards?  In the day of this Proverb, to have lived long enough to have gray hair was to have beaten the odds.  Generally, people did not live past what we now consider middle age.  And if they did live that long, it was attributed to living a righteous life.  The formula was: live righteously = live long.  Today, we still celebrate those who live long, and hope to do so ourselves, but forget about the path to it. People live long much because of making good choices along the way.  There still remains a path of righteousness to the golden years.  So as your hair begins to gray, don't hide it, for it remains a crown of splendor.  May you live beyond the gray years and into the white!

Readings:  1 Kings 7:1-51; Acts 7:30-50; Psalm 128:1-6; Proverbs 16:31-33

"Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." -- Psalm 127:1

An actor looking at a script for the first time might ask, "What's my motivation here?"  This is a good lesson for us.  In all of our actions, we should ask, "what is my motivation here?"  By doing so, we can screen out those things that are not of God and God's desire.  When we embark on an endeavor that is merely interesting or entertaining, it will be fleeting.   But when we take on a project because of a sense of call, and a recognition that it is rooted in God's will, success is destined.  Who will get in the way?  This is not to say we can't confuse our own will for God's at times.  This is hubris, and will be our downfall if we allow it.  But when we humbly approach a work as part of the Body of Christ, we will be driven not just physically and mentally, but spiritually.  This is the most powerful drive of all.  So who's the foreman on your projects?

Readings:  1 Kings 5:1-6:38; Acts 7:1-29; Psalm 127:1-5; Proverbs 16:28-30

Testing Character through Action: 1 Kings 3:16-29

A Bible Story:
Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. One of them said, "Pardon me, my lord. This woman and I live in the same house, and I had a baby while she was there with me. The third day after my child was born, this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there was no one in the house but the two of us."  During the night this woman’s son died because she lay on him. So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I your servant was asleep. She put him by her breast and put her dead son by my breast. The next morning, I got up to nurse my son—and he was dead! But when I looked at him closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn’t the son I had borne.”  The other woman said, "No! The living one is my son; the dead one is yours."


But the first one insisted, "No! The dead one is yours; the living one is mine." And so they argued before the king.

The king said, "This one says, ‘My son is alive and your son is dead,' while that one says, 'No! Your son is dead and mine is alive.'" 


Then the king said, "Bring me a sword." So they brought a sword for the king.  He then gave an order: "Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other."


The woman whose son was alive was deeply moved out of love for her son and said to the king, "Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!"

But the other said, "Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!"

Then the king gave his ruling: "Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother."

When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdomfrom God to administer justice.


-- 1 Kings 3:16-29
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People will know the truth of what you say based not on your words, but your actions.

Readings:  1 Kings 3:4-4:34; Acts 6:1-15; Psalm 126:1-6; Proverbs 16:26-27

"Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forever." -- Psalm 125:1-2

I have in front of me some US coins.  On them remain the words "In God We Trust".  There have been individuals and groups over the years who would like to see that phrase removed because it references God and they wish us to be a purely secular culture.  I suspect that one day it will be removed, but not because of the reference to God.  I think it will be removed because of the word "we".  It would be too weird to write, "In God, some of us trust."  But the reality is, as a society, we do not place our trust in God.  We trust money, sports and entertainment, leaders, weapons... all to make us feel like everything is going to be okay.  In our society, God seems to take a back seat to these others-- if any seat at all.   But in our private and personal lives, it's a little different.  We know that all of these will and have let us down.  But God remains steadfast.  When we live with that trust and that knowledge, we become steadfast too.  Our lives take on rhythm, meaning, and purpose.  The world can fray and even tear, but God remains.  And we remain in God.  Place your trust in that which warrants it.

Readings:  1 Kings 2:1-3:3; Acts 5:1-42; Psalm 125:1-5; Proverbs 16:25

"He is 'the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.' Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." -- Acts 4:11-12

Here Peter is addressing the rulers and elders gathered who are demanding to know by what power they healed a crippled man.  Peter's response is clear: it is by the power of Jesus of Nazareth.  He quotes the Psalm in order to claim messiah status to Jesus, and to make known that he (Jesus) is truly the way to salvation.   So the question I pose to you is when you do things that have impact, power, and are transformative in nature, by what power and in whose name are you doing it?  Are these things done in the name of God?  In the name of some other being?  In the name of yourself?  If you're not sure, examine the motive.  Is the motive selfless or selfish in nature?  

What in the name of God are you doing?

Readings:  1 Kings 1:1-53; Acts 4:1-37; Psalm 124:1-8; Proverbs 16:24

"Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us, for we have endured much contempt. We have endured much ridicule from the proud, much contempt from the arrogant." -- Psalm 123:3-4

When you choose to follow Christ, it's not an issue of if you will be ridiculed, but when.  Are you prepared to be looked down upon for such "foolishness"?  Are you prepared to be left out of some circles because of your beliefs?  Can you stomach the laughter of powerful and successful people over your choice to follow?  To be a Christian requires you to recognize that not all will understand your decision, and you could lose friends and other relationships over it.  It shouldn't be so, but sadly, in some cases it is. If you are experiencing this sort of social persecution, be understanding and patient.  Love these people who laugh at you anyway.  Clearly they do not know this God you profess.  Once they do, they will laugh no more.

Readings:  2 Samuel 23:24-24:25; Acts 3:1-26; Psalm 123:1-4; Proverbs 16:21-23

"Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language." -- Acts 2:5-6

It should seem no miracle today for people of different languages to communicate the language of God to one another.  The language barrier we may have with people of different cultures and nationalities cannot hold when we express to others the essence and nature of God.  Like music, which is understood by people of different countries, love is also understood by those who speak different languages.  While it would be nice to learn different languages-- and we should-- we don't have to wait to speak them before communicating God's love to the world.  Our job first and foremost is to love.  By this they will know that we are his disciples.

Readings:  2 Samuel 22:21-23:23; Acts 2:1-47; Psalm 122:1-9; Proverbs 16:19-20