listen

07
Feb
2024

Apply your Heart and your Ear

Apply your heart to instruction

And your ear to words of knowledge.

Proverbs 23:12

 

I like to read. If you spend any length of time with me, you will hear me start expounding the virtues of listening to books. I started listening to books last year, and it has opened up a whole new world for me. Do you realize how many listening hours you have? Do you realize how many wasted hours we have in our day that we could be listening to a book? I listen to books while I am driving (obvious), doing laundry, doing dishes, making meals, doing other chores around the house. Sometimes, if the book is really good and I can’t wait to find out what happens next, I will listen while I am outside feeding the birds and the cats. I don’t like to do that very often though because when I am outside I want to hear all the beautiful creatures and outside noises. I read/listened (because I still actually do read) 70 books last year. My goal for this year is 100 books. In January, I listened to 10 books so I am well on my way.

I listen to a wide variety of books, but the books that I take the time to actually read the printed word are books that help me in my Christian walk. I call these my “counseling books.” They are the books that help me to better understand the people that God has sent for me to use His Word to counsel them through the difficult circumstances of life. No matter what book I am reading to assist someone else, there are always truths from God’s Word that I can apply to my own life.

As a believer in Jesus Christ and what He did for me on the cross, I am always endeavoring to progress in my sanctification. I want to be more like Christ every day. Progressive sanctification is a process whereby I take the truth of God’s Word and apply it to my life so that each day I look more and more like Christ and less and less like my “old self.”(Eph. 4: 22) I will not accomplish this overnight nor will I accomplish it this side of heaven, but I want to be progressing. I want to be growing.

What are you applying yourself to? What are you listening to? What are you spending your time doing? One of the books that I listened to talked about the impact of our cell phones. It was a secular book, but I was very convicted by what it said. Because of that book, I have started turning my phone to airplane mode while I am spending time with the Lord. That way I don’t have to be distracted by it. When I am reading my Bible and spending time in prayer, this needs to be uninterrupted time with my Lord. How can I apply myself to the truth of Scripture if I keep allowing myself to be interrupted by my phone?

The idea of applying your heart (Prov. 23:12) gives us the idea that we need to apply our desires and the things that we love to instruction. Do we want to allow our desires to learn the truth of Scripture or do we want to allow them to run rampant in our lives? What we are filling our thoughts and our time with shows us what it is that we desire.

Are we desiring to grow in our sanctification? We will diligently apply ourselves and listen to things that help us to grow and be more like Christ. What do we listen to? We also need to “apply our ears to words of knowledge.” (Prov. 23:12). As the saying goes “garbage in, garbage out.”

We all have the same 24 hours in our day. We also have control over many parts of our day. During the times that you can control, what are you choosing to apply yourself to? What are you choosing to listen to? You know how you spend your time. Allow the Lord to convict you as He has me, to be spending your time applying yourself to the learning and practicing of His Word. Let 2024 be the year, that you look more like Christ and less like your old self.

Posted by ddykema5@gmail.com in The Seasons of Motherhood, 2 comments
26
Jul
2023

Strife or Advice

“By insolence comes nothing but strife,

But with those who take advice is wisdom.”

Proverbs 13:10

For those of you that have been reading my blog, you know that I have been listening to books. I have been listening to a bit of a variety of books, but recently have been listening to some historical fiction. I just finished a book about the personal librarian of J.P. Morgan. I didn’t even know that J.P. Morgan had a personal library, which is now open to the public, but to have a personal librarian that did nothing but work for him in his library. As I listened to this book I was struck by a number of things, but the one thing I want to elaborate on today has to do with our verse. J.P. Morgan was a very powerful man with a lot of money. He and his librarian had a dream about what the vision for the library should be. As they hunted down original manuscripts and art work, it had to fit in with this vision. J.P. Morgan trusted his librarian as an expert. He knew that she was doing nothing but devote her life to his library. She was well read and did much to educate herself even to teach herself other languages so she could read the manuscripts she was acquiring to be sure that they were authentic. Even though J.P. Morgan had the money, he trusted his librarian and her skill and knowledge in acquiring the valuable treasures that they obtained.

If at the end of the day, J.P. Morgan did not think that a certain item should be purchased his librarian had to submit to his final decision. On most occasions, J.P. Morgan submitted to her decisions since she was wholly vested in this project.

Imagine if either one of them in their endeavors to accomplish their purpose for the library were insolent or proud and were not interested in the opinion of the other. This would have caused nothing but strife. There would have been no peace and no decision would have been made. Rather, they were willing to take the advice of the other and reach a conclusion.

So often when a decision in our life needs to be made, we tend to only see this decision through our eyes and not through the eyes of anyone else. We only see the steps and the outcomes that we envision, and we don’t think that an outcome will turn out any other way than how we think it will turn out. There are many others that have gone before us that would gladly tell you that they wished they would have sought the advice of another or listened to the advice of another, and now they are stuck in a hard place. They think to themselves, “if only I would have listened…”

When we are proud or insolent, we don’t want to listen to what someone else has to say. We are not eager to glean advice from someone else and if we do seek advice from someone else and we are proud, we think that the other person does not know what they are talking about. This causes strife in the relationship. Do you have a relationship that is tense, full of strife, or you are not on the best terms with that person? Is there a relationship that was once close and now because of something that someone said to you caused you to retreat from the relationship because you didn’t like the advice that was given? The relationship might still be intact, but is it superficial?

God gave people into our lives for relationship. He gave us people to help us through life. If we think we know everything and don’t need to listen to advice from others especially our parents or those that are older than us, we will continue to cause conflict in our relationships. There will be strife with others.

What is the conclusion we must make from this Proverb for our lives. Be willing to listen. Be willing to ask questions when someone gives you advice and you don’t understand why they said what they said. Be willing to ponder over the relationship and take into account the care, love, and concern the speaker has for you. Too often we are blind to what others see; we have blind spots in our lives. Just like a driver who may have a blind spot when driving, so we have blind spots in our lives and need to heed the advice of others so we don’t miss out on wise counsel. When we are unwilling to listen, there will be strife in a relationship and we will miss out on the wisdom that will help us better live out God’s purpose in our lives.

Posted by ddykema5@gmail.com in The Seasons of Motherhood, 2 comments
05
Apr
2023

Confusion or Clarity

There are various methods for Bible study. As I have been writing this blog on the book of Proverbs, I have been making columns of the positives and negatives that are in each chapter. It certainly has helped me to organize the main concepts and ideas in each chapter. Proverbs calls these positives and negatives the way of the wise and the way of the fool. How many of us want someone to call us a fool? Wise? There are many different characteristics that define those that are wise or foolish. While we are on this side of heaven there will daily be things in our lives that would be characterized as foolish. The goal that God has for us is that with each day we live more wisely and continue to put off the foolish ways of our old self. (Eph. 4: 22-24).

As we enter Proverbs 5, we see wisdom contrasted with foolishness. Both wisdom and foolishness are referred to often as “she.” Proverbs 5 has four main characters. The father is speaking again to his son. We have seen this in the last four chapters. He is telling his son that he needs to be aware of the “forbidden woman” and be satisfied with the love of his wife.

Just because the father is speaking to his son, does not mean that there are only principles for young men in this Proverbs. There are principles in this Proverb for all.

Solomon says again that his son needs to listen, be attentive, incline his ear, and not depart from the wise words he was sharing with his son.  How many times have we as parents told our kids the same thing only in different ways?

I homeschooled my kids. I remember teaching a concept to one of our daughters. I explained the concept to her a number of different ways. Finally, the last way she understood it and said, “Why didn’t you explain it to me this way in the first place?” We all have different learning styles. We explain things how we understand them best first. That is what I did in this particular situation, but that was not the best way for her learn.

God has been using the pen of Solomon to tell us the same thing in different ways over and over again, and will continue to do so throughout the entire book of Proverbs. Why? We all learn different ways, and need things explained in different ways.

We understand the wisdom that Solomon was trying to impart on his son and also consequently on us. He keeps reminding him to listen. Do we listen to those that are wise?

The negatives in this chapter are the description of the forbidden woman, but no one is saying that only women are evil and men are perfect. Since Solomon was speaking to his son in this book, he would be warning him about the forbidden woman. If he was speaking to his daughter, he would have warned her about the forbidden man.

Let’s look at these qualities of the foolish person. They are deceptive (Prov. 5:3), leave us with a feeling of uneasiness (5:4), lead to a bad/deadly outcome (5:5), no thought to the consequences of their actions (5:6), no direction or goals (5:6), and self-deceived (5:6).

What happens to us when we do not listen and allow our lives to become entangled with a foolish person? We will lose our reputation and our integrity (5:9). The foolish are deceivers and manage to swindle others. God has called us to be good stewards of what He has given to us, but when we seek to satisfy our selfish desires the satisfaction we are seeking through these selfish desires never satisfies.

What is the conclusion of this chapter that compares and contrasts the wise and the foolish person? Proverbs 5:12-14 tell us what the foolish person looks like so then the converse of this would be the characteristics of a wise person.

“And you say, ‘How I hated discipline, and my heart despised reproof! I did not listen to the voice of my teachers, or incline my ear to my instructors. I am at the brink of utter ruin in the assembled congregation.’” (Prov. 5:1-14)

The wise person listens to those that are wise, searches God’s Word for the principles necessary to live a life of wisdom, and surrounds themselves with people that are wise. Do you run to God first when seeking to make a decision? Do you seek the counsel of those that are wise when making a decision? Do the people that you surround yourself with have godly goals?

The foolish person will leave us with a feeling of uneasiness or confusion. They will deceive you into helping them fulfill their desires, but have no care for what your desires are. They are seeking for others to meet their needs.

“For a man’s/woman’s ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and he ponders all his paths.” (Prov. 5:21)

Posted by ddykema5@gmail.com in The Seasons of Motherhood, 0 comments
15
Mar
2023

When Solomon Speaks…

As a child, I grew up in a small town. We had three different channels on T.V. maybe 4 on a good day. I was the remote control. My dad would have me stand at the T.V. and change the channel for him. For that matter, I was also the garage door opener. I can remember my dad falling asleep on the couch watching something on T.V. that I didn’t want to watch, so I would get up and slowly turn down the volume of what he was watching. Then I would change the channel and slowly turn up the volume. It was my finest hour if I could watch a show I wanted to watch and he remained asleep. Remember, there were only 3-4 channels to watch so the choices weren’t that great.

There is one commercial that I still remember to this day. It ran for about 15 years. The commercial was generally set with a crowd of people. One person would lean in as if to tell a secret to another person, and say “My broker is E.F. Hutton, and E. F. Hutton says.” When the actor said E.F Hutton a hush would fall over the crowd and everyone would stop what they were doing and lean in so they could hear the financial advice that came from E.F. Hutton. We never would hear what E.F. Hutton was advising, but we certainly knew that whatever it was, it must be worth listening to.

As I have been studying and writing these blogs on Proverbs, I have been reminded of the E.F Hutton commercial. Each chapter that we have looked at so far keeps reminding us to listen. Proverbs 4:1 starts with “hear.” Solomon doesn’t tell us over and over to talk. Rather, he tells us to hear. He tells us to hear, to be attentive.

Solomon, who wrote Proverbs, was the son of King David and Bathsheba. King David is said to be a “man after God’s own heart.” (I Sam. 13:14). King David who killed a lion and a bear with his slingshot as a boy, and then killed the mighty giant Goliath. King David who humbly served King Saul and would do nothing to hurt “God’s anointed.” (I Sam 24:10). King David who was anointed to be King by God and Samuel, but he would not take the throne from Saul. He honored Saul, even though Saul was not honorable.

This same David was the father of Solomon. Was David perfect? No. He committed some sins that most of us would count as big bad sins. Yet, Solomon saw the value of listening to his father. “When I (Solomon) was a son with my father (King David), tender (meaning he was young) the only one in the sight of my mother (Bathsheba). He (King David) taught me and said to me (Solomon), ‘Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.’” (Proverbs 4:3-5).

The beauty of this whole thing is that Solomon valued what he learned from his father so much, he taught it to his son. “Hear, my son, and accept my words.” (Prov. 4:10).

Imagine with me being in the court of Solomon. There is conversation going on around in Solomon’s court. Then Solomon clears his throat and says to his son, “Son, be attentive, Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight. Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her. She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.” (Proverbs 4:5-9).

Solomon is telling his son that in order to have the honor that his father David had, “he needed to listen to what he had to say, and do not forsake his teaching.” (Prov. 4:2).

In other words, when Solomon speaks, everyone listens.

There is nothing more sweet to a parent than to hear their children repeat the things that they have heard their parents say. Imagine how proud David would have been to know that Solomon was quoting him to his son. When we teach and live out what we have been taught, we know that it has taken root.

In order to be wise, Solomon says we must listen. In order to listen, we must be humble. Those that were surrounding the actor quoting E.F. Hutton knew that what E.F Hutton says was worth listening to. This requires humility to realize that you don’t know everything and need to learn from those who do.

“I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble.” (Proverbs 4:11, 12)

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25
Jan
2023

Valuable Words

As we continue our study of Proverbs, let us revisit the definition of wisdom. What is wisdom? Wisdom is the ability to navigate life. Everyone is navigating life. The question is how are we navigating life? The remainder of Proverbs 1 gives us some clues as to how to determine if you are navigating life in a way of wisdom or a way of folly. Every decision we make will affect our lives. We do not realize or think about how each decision will impact the decisions we make in the future.

We all understand this when it comes to what we eat, at least I think we do.  If you eat 1 doughnut every day, that does not seem to be that big of a deal, but that 1 doughnut provides no nutritional value and adds calories that our body has to burn. Pretty soon we will have added 20 pounds to our body and our joints will wear out sooner and our cholesterol will be elevated. One doughnut seems like no big deal, but over time that choice will affect our future health.

Wisdom

How we navigate life – WISDOM – is made up of tiny little choices that we make every day.

My last two blogs (To Know and Receive Wisdom and Fear God or Foolishness) gave us an introduction to Proverbs. The remainder of Proverbs chapter one I have condensed into two different lists. The two lists are the way of wisdom and the foolishness.

The first thing on the list is to listen to your father and your mother’s teaching. The book of Proverbs is addressed to a “son” of Solomon. The word “son” is used 55 times in the book of Proverbs. The word “Father” is used 26 times and the word “Mother” is used 14 times.

Solomon is trying to tell his son and also all of those that have come after him that read the book of Proverbs that the most important thing we can do in order to be wise and navigate life in a way that is wise is to listen as children to our parents and to their teaching.

Listen

Why should a child listen to their parents? God gave each parent the child/children that He knew would need those parents. I could have had any number of parents and yet God chose the parents that he knew that I needed. He chose the parents that He knew you needed as well. He chose the children you have to be your children.

1. Lived Life

Since God chose these particular people to be our parents, there must be a reason or two. The first reason is that each of our parents have lived life longer than we have. They have made decisions, both good and bad decisions, and they want to be sure that you learn from them so you do not make the same poor choices that have hurt them or you make the same godly choices that have helped them.

2. Know Us

The second reason that we need to listen to our parents is because they know us. Just as God knows everything about us, He has given us parents that know us. They know what we like and what we don’t like. They know our strengths and our weaknesses. They have walked through every day of life with us so they know and share the memories that we have.

Whenever there is a choice to make, we should consult our parents and include them in our decisions. As we age, we begin to make decisions on our own because we have been practicing with our parents how to navigate life –WISDOM- in a way that is honoring God.

Our parents have sacrificed so much for us. I have sacrificed so much for my kids, and I would do it all over again. Parents have done so much to invest in the lives of their kids. Why would we not want their input and words of wisdom in our lives? Why would we shy away from their advice?

If we do shy away from their advice, what is our reasoning? Do we shy away from their advice, because it contradicts what we want? We must ask ourselves, why does it contradict?

As we continue the study the book of Proverbs, we will delve into these ideas in future blog posts. For now, consider with me how valuable your parents are and how valuable the words they want to share with you are.

Proverbs 1:8 “Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching”

 

I have also kept the list in this post of what we see in someone that is wise and someone that is foolish from Proverbs 1.

 

Wise

Hear your father’s instruction

Do not forsake your mother’s teaching

Does not consent to enticement by sinners/foolish

Does not walk in the way with the foolish

Wisdom cries aloud the truth

Dwell secure

Easier life in the end because of the difficult choice to listen to wisdom in the beginning

Does not dread what is to come

Foolish

Entice others

Looks for ways to ambush the innocent –manipulates others

Looks for ways to take from others

Manipulates them into thinking that they will split all things (v. 14)

Runs to evil

Greedy

Takes from others unjustly

Simple

Scoff at the truth

Hate knowledge

Refuses to listen

Ignores wisdom’s counsel

Calamity will strike

Will be distressed and anguished

Hate knowledge

Did not choose the fear of the Lord

They will get what is coming to them because of their foolish choices

Complacent

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