THE BEST TEACHER

THE BEST TEACHER

READ:
Psalm 1

Blessed is the man who
walks not in the counsel
of the ungodly. -Psalm 1:1

In talking to young people about preparing for the future, I've had several say something like this:  "We must get into the world to experience ungodly situations and ungodly people in order to grow stronger."

This kind of thinking has swallowed up many immature Christians and eventually turned them against God.  Sure, we're in the world (John 17:15) and we're exposed to non-Christian situations (school, job, neighborhood), but we need to be careful that exposure to those situations does not lead to embracing ungodly philosophies.  All of us would mature faster by following the divine pattern suggested in Psalm 1:1.

First, let's not let our decisions and choices be controlled by the "counsel of the ungodly."  Second, we shouldn't put ourselves in a place where those who don't know Jesus can unduly influence our thought processes.  Third, let's avoid getting comfortable with those who mock God, His Word, and His role in our life so that their thinking seems right to us.

Counsel from such sources leads us away from God.  Instead, it's best to get our training, our guidance, and our advice from God's holy Word and those who know it and love it.  God and His Word, not experiences, are our best teacher. -Dave Branon

You've given us Your Spirit, Lord,
To help us grow, mature, and learn,
To teach us from Your written Word,
So truth from error we'll discern. -Sper
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Let God's Word fill your memory,
rule your heart, and guide your life.

INSIGHT
What a contrast between a stately tree firmly planted at river's edge and wheat chaff that is carried away by the slightest breeze.  Psalm 1 consists of two stanzas that develop this unique contrast.  The first (vv.1-3) shows the yielded believer delightfully preoccupied with the Word of God.  This spiritual feeding causes him to grow strong and be rooted deeply in the spiritual soil of God's truth.  By contrast, the second stanza (v..4-6) pictures an unbeliever who likely follows the advice of the ungodly about how to live.  As a result, he reaps a life of utter instability, being blown about by bad advice and decisions.

Have a blessed day.
God Our Creator's Love Always
Unity & Peace