First Things First
Inside Out
"Finish your outdoor work and get your fields ready; after that, build your house." Proverbs 24:27
Proverbs is a collections of wise sayings written and passed down through generations from thousands of years ago. It is attributed to King Solomon, son of King David, preserved in the Old Testament Scriptures.
So for today, we read a verse that says, "Do your planning and prepare your fields before building your house", as another translation of this saying puts it. It makes sense, because why plant yourself in a place where you will have no source of food or income.
Which indeed is a wise saying. Priorities is its most basic theme. Meaning, some things you need to do first before others. Such is the need for proper planning, research and execution. This we all need in our daily routine, be it at work, vacation, school or home.
Essentially it is saying do these things (outside) then build the inside.
New Covenant
But as usual, Jesus comes along as recorded in the New Testament Scriptures and turns this around as was the theme of His whole life story. Jesus of Nazareth came into our world, and turned everything people believed in upside down (or right side up) and He gave them proofs so that his listeners and followers would know that what He was saying was true or will come to pass.
With Jesus, His teaching was "first clean the inside of a cup, and then the outside will also be clean." In the same way that "it is not what goes into the mouth of a man that makes him unclean, but what comes out of it".
Jesus was essentially saying what is important is what's in the inside. If it is clean, the outside will follow.
But with most if not all people, who take great lengths to make a show as if to say "hey look at me, I have this, I look good, I've done that", but all are just merely outward appearances mainly to convince others and possibly also themselves that they are indeed doing good or are good.
Jesus is telling the people in His time that is not the way, for they need to fix the unseen or the insides first -- the issues of the heart or their thoughts.
He is saying to let go of deceit, of dark or evil intents, or vain ambitions. Forget about getting back at someone, revenge or slander and murderous or adulterous thoughts -- all or most of which are hidden in the inside.
Jesus is saying to have a clean heart, pure thoughts, inner peace, joy, forgiveness, love, good conscience -- everything nice in the inside, where no one sees. Then your outside will be clean as well.
It was hard to do back in his time. It is doubly hard to do today, in our day and time -- impossible even, except for God.
Human effort cannot take you there. People have been trying for since the dawn of time. But Jesus did say He is the Way. It may be the way most will not travel on, but it could be your way, if you'd let God lead you there.
"Finish your outdoor work and get your fields ready; after that, build your house." Proverbs 24:27
Proverbs is a collections of wise sayings written and passed down through generations from thousands of years ago. It is attributed to King Solomon, son of King David, preserved in the Old Testament Scriptures.
So for today, we read a verse that says, "Do your planning and prepare your fields before building your house", as another translation of this saying puts it. It makes sense, because why plant yourself in a place where you will have no source of food or income.
Which indeed is a wise saying. Priorities is its most basic theme. Meaning, some things you need to do first before others. Such is the need for proper planning, research and execution. This we all need in our daily routine, be it at work, vacation, school or home.
Essentially it is saying do these things (outside) then build the inside.
New Covenant
But as usual, Jesus comes along as recorded in the New Testament Scriptures and turns this around as was the theme of His whole life story. Jesus of Nazareth came into our world, and turned everything people believed in upside down (or right side up) and He gave them proofs so that his listeners and followers would know that what He was saying was true or will come to pass.
With Jesus, His teaching was "first clean the inside of a cup, and then the outside will also be clean." In the same way that "it is not what goes into the mouth of a man that makes him unclean, but what comes out of it".
Jesus was essentially saying what is important is what's in the inside. If it is clean, the outside will follow.
But with most if not all people, who take great lengths to make a show as if to say "hey look at me, I have this, I look good, I've done that", but all are just merely outward appearances mainly to convince others and possibly also themselves that they are indeed doing good or are good.
Jesus is telling the people in His time that is not the way, for they need to fix the unseen or the insides first -- the issues of the heart or their thoughts.
He is saying to let go of deceit, of dark or evil intents, or vain ambitions. Forget about getting back at someone, revenge or slander and murderous or adulterous thoughts -- all or most of which are hidden in the inside.
Jesus is saying to have a clean heart, pure thoughts, inner peace, joy, forgiveness, love, good conscience -- everything nice in the inside, where no one sees. Then your outside will be clean as well.
It was hard to do back in his time. It is doubly hard to do today, in our day and time -- impossible even, except for God.
Human effort cannot take you there. People have been trying for since the dawn of time. But Jesus did say He is the Way. It may be the way most will not travel on, but it could be your way, if you'd let God lead you there.
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