Stephen
Terry, Director
Living
Wisely
Commentary
for the August 26, 2023, Sabbath School Lesson
"Folly brings joy to one who has no
sense, but whoever has understanding keeps a straight course." Proverbs 15:21,
NIV
Over the past week, we have had
several wildfires in the Spokane area. One even required the evacuation of a community
of about five thousand people. Almost two hundred buildings were lost. Six of
our friends lost homes and perhaps more that we do not yet know about. The
winds drove the fire so rapidly that people had little time to evacuate, and
many turned their animals loose hoping they could survive better if not
confined. A few have already managed to be reunited with their lost animals. I
do not know the fate of the hapless cow in our picture this week, but my heart
breaks for the scale of the tragedy for man and beast. As I write this many
areas are still burning and the people who live in those areas have yet to be
allowed to return to their homes to see if they are still standing or among the
many burned to the ground.
We are not alone in facing wildfire
tragedies. Yellow Knife, the capital of the Northwest Territory in Canada was threatened,
and the entire community of twenty thousand people were evacuated. Kelowna,
British Columbia with a population of over 150,000 has also been fighting fires
approaching that city. Canada has a record wildfire season this year, and
family members of ours have lost their homes to the fires there.
The application "Air Now" tracks
the breathability of the air from Good to Hazardous on a scale of one to five
hundred. The quality of the air here reached deep into the hazardous area at
489. It has since dropped into the Unhealthy area at 163. While an improvement,
that is still very bad. Despite that, even when the indicator was almost at
500, some were out mowing lawns and going for walks. We had to make an emergency
medication run to the pharmacy, and even though they were still readily
available post pandemic, we saw no one wearing any sort of mask other than us.
One person even jokingly asked me if I was afraid of a little bit of smoke? They
do not understand that when homes burn, microscopic asbestos and fiberglass fibers
are released into the air. Once breathed into our lungs, they don't usually
come back out. Unfortunately, during the Covid pandemic, wearing masks became
so politicized that many are afraid to wear them for fear they will be associated
with an opposing political party. Their health takes second place behind their
political allegiance. When I was in my twenties and thirties, I did not appreciate
how such incidental exposures could later affect my health. Now in my seventies,
the cumulative effects of all of that are telling. But like those who are young
and full of energy and fail to heed those with experience about such things, I
didn't listen either. It seems every generation is doomed to repeat the
mistakes of the previous one, but still believes they are doing things better
compared to those who went before.
It doesn't have to be that way.
The Bible presents a clear picture of our condition if we are willing to search
its pages. It says, "There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end,
it leads to death."[i] And, "The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice."[ii]
Too many are wise in their own minds, and even if their path takes them to the
grave, they will not change course. Despite the seemingly endless number of
homes torn apart by alcohol, some still eagerly pursue that addiction and other,
even worse, addictions from childhood on, believing that such "social
lubricants" are necessary for a happy and productive life. Despite all the
cases of cancer associated with its use, too many also feel their persona is
inextricably tied to the use of tobacco products, even to the extent of being
offended if others complain about the threat of passive tobacco smoke to their
health. They feel that it is not the tobacco use that is being challenged but
that an attack is directed at them as a person.
For the Christian these things
should not be. The Bible teaches us that we are the special creation of God.
Made to be a dwelling place for the Spirit of God, that presence desires the
best possible life for each of us. To that end, we are encouraged to live
cleanly as much as possible to assist the Spirit. One person put it like this.
When we buy a new automobile, we are free to do with it as we wish. We can throw
away the owner's manual and never do the scheduled maintenance the manual tells
us to do. We can ignore checking the oil or the water. Instead, we just have
the fun of driving it until it breaks. When that happens, we may or may not be
able to repair it. If we can, it will probably be far more expensive than those
oil changes would have cost had we kept the manual and followed its guidance.
We come with a manual, also. It
is the Bible. It is filled with common sense guidelines about how to live taking
care of ourselves and how to live with others. We can ignore it. We have the
freedom to do that, but it could mean a life of costly mistakes. When we reach
old age, should we be so fortunate, we may find ourselves like that car, broken,
maybe beyond repair, and without the physical or financial ability to carry on
with the style of life we chose to live. In that event, our golden years may
become dross with our carefree lifestyle replaced with feelings of depression
and helplessness. We may have felt that lifestyle represented freedom, but instead,
it led us right to where we find ourselves, without freedom or options.
The Bible promises better.
Christ says he offers real freedom. He tells us that the truth is the way to be
free.[iii]
Deceiving ourselves into believing we can ignore any restraints on our behavior
to be free only leads to despair. Being honest with ourselves and facing the
truth about our behavior brings greater freedom than succumbing to unhealthy
habits ever will. But what if we don't understand or cannot see truth so we can
make those changes. Jesus says he is the truth, not a truth, but the truth.[iv] That
implies that if we are to be truthfully honest with ourselves, it must begin
there. One of the most important questions we can ask ourselves is "Who are we
trying to please?" If I am only trying to please myself, do I really have the
power to ensure the attainment of that? If I am trying to please others, could they
provide it, or do they even care to? If Jesus is the truth, then these other
options will ultimately reveal themselves false.
Jesus tried to reach Pontius
Pilate before he had him crucified. He revealed that those who choose truth
follow him. But jaded by a lifetime of people pleasing and self-gratification,
Pilate challenged the whole idea of truth.[v] We
do the same today. Because our lifestyles lead us astray, we lose the ability
to believe that truth even exists. Instead, we believe everyone has their own
truth, that in a world of 8 billion people, there are 8 billion truths, all
equally valid. But there is one, universal truth, and that truth is "God is
love."[vi]
That is why Jesus is the truth. He was the physical embodiment of that truth.
It was the loving character of God that placed him here.[vii]
It was the will of a loving God that placed him on the cross to restore the loving
relationship with humanity that was lost in Eden.[viii]
It is the loving will of God that overlooks our transgressions to make it
possible for us to approach him to reforge that link of love we were made to
embrace.[ix]
For our part, we have only to recognize we have been on a wrong path to
nowhere. Then we can claim that same forgiveness and embrace the greatest love
known to mankind.[x] Then we can walk in truth
and light.
There is a lot of pain in life.
Walking in truth will also reveal that truth to us. The temptation is to drown
that pain in pleasure seeking and addictions. It does not work. Eventually the
pleasures come to an end. The alcohol or drugs dissipate. We are left not only
with the earlier pain, but additional pain brought about by our attempts to flee
it. The soporific effects of our refusal to acknowledge pain as a part of life leave
us unable to see or understand healthier ways of dealing with pain. But despite
that, God never stops loving us and will reach into our delusions with his
love. He can pull a child that will love him out of an abusive home and build
those bonds of love that will save them from the consequences of that
brokenness. He replaces fear with hope, pain with healing, and provides a future
that will break the cycle of generational trauma. I know because I was that
child.