“let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance.” Proverbs 1:5

My lovely wife has been working a lot lately… and her boss noticed. The notice turned into some extra money and I decided to help her spend it!!! She had mentioned a desire several times over the last couple months, and though it sounded a little strange, even for her, I encouraged her by taking her to the local music store. There, she picked out a bright, shiny red, bass guitar! Yes… my wife is COOL!

I met my wife 41 years ago as I was playing drums in a band. Though that ended my music career (“Oh no! Your not playing in another bar,” she said) I still have the drums. We have some family members who play the guitar, but no one plays the bass! One thing led to another and her desire led to reality.

She was kind of sheepish to get started. “Don’t laugh,” she said. As she sat there plucking the strings all I could do was smile… from the other room of course. She likes to learn in private. After about an hour she came out of the room and said, “I’ll bet that drove you crazy! All that Bloom, bloom!” All I could do was smile bigger with pride! Like I said, my wife is cool!

Having learned to play piano, tuba and drums I could never get into a guitar. It seemed too difficult for my taste! I didn’t want to take the time to learn the complexities of a guitar, but I appreciate those who have. The bass seems a lot easier. No chords… just one note at a time. In reality… it is a lot easier to learn. All you have to do is put your finger on the right string and on the right position, then pluck! The sound will either correspond to the music.. or it won’t! The thing is, EVERYONE will know.

God LOVES for us to be open minded and WANTS for us to learn new things about Him. He has given us His Word, the Bible, for over 3500 years. He promises that if we take the time to seek and learn His tune, then live our lives corresponding to it, the music we make together will be beautiful. But it takes PRACTICE! Read, apply, pluck… then do it again.

God is real and His Word is true! I can attest to it because I have tried and applied it for years. I can also verify it though the lives of others who join in the symphony that God is building. How does YOUR life sound? Why not be cool like my wife… and try Him! I can guarantee He will be smiling!

“I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of ‘knowing Christ Jesus my Lord,’ for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.” Philippians 3:8

Mike just bought a house in town. He already owns a condo in another town. So Mike had to, like the Beverly Hillbillies, load up a truck and move! Yesterday, a few of us went to help unload. As a stack of old wood came off, one of the guys said, “Hey Mike, you’ve got a problem here!” There on the boards were hundreds of termites that, coincidentally, just happened to be moving at the very same time as Mike! After a quick conference, Mike decided to move that wood to the trash pile! Mike is smart!

Termites eat wood. They are often hard to see because they burrow into their meal, then hide, eat and breed there. They don’t like light and generally like it damp and rotten. Humans generally like the opposite environment, so we don’t generally go looking for them… until evidence is discovered and it is too late!

I know that my sin is like a nest of termites. That is obvious. As I hold, coddle, nurture and feed my flesh, its nest only grows bigger, darker and more rotten. But Paul goes a WHOLE lot further than fleshy sin in this verse. Sadly, his point will be lost on a LOT of supposedly, ‘good folks.’ Because he isn’t just talking about bad stuff here. He’s referring to even the BEST stuff this life offers! So now, “he’s gone to meddlin!”

Paul lived among the elite. Born, raised and destined for the high life of society, he chose to choose Christ. And it cost him EVERYTHING! Losing his status, position, home, family and friends, Paul went from the penthouse to the pen! And here he explains that he hasn’t gone far enough! Moving even further away from worldly good stuff meant he didn’t just need to relocate, he had to refocus! He calls all the ‘good life stuff’ of the world ‘garbage.’ The King James says ‘dung!’ Which is just a nice word for _____! Yes… that word!

As sinful human beings, we should be shocked at the possibility of being able to personally KNOW God in the first place. Once I met Jesus Christ and started moving out the old to bring in the new, I found that He isn’t interested in ANY of the old stuff ‘I’ thought was important! I learned He wasn’t interested helping me move, He wanted to takeover! I had to ask myself, “Do I REALLY want to KNOW Jesus Christ THAT much?” Well… sign me up Paul!

It has been said that, ‘Experience is the best teacher.’ MY experience has proven that the more I grow to know Jesus Christ as my Lord, the better He becomes. When He points at something in my life that needs to be thrown on the trash pile, I find myself arguing less and agreeing more. In light of how big my trash pile has grown, I am coming to realize that “You’re right!” is just another way of saying, “Amen!”

So what’s eating you?