01 October 2014

walK with THE Wise ~ "Move!"


Turn you 
at my reproof: 
behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, 
I will make known my words unto you.
Proverbs 1:23

It's an order:

"Turn you!"

Which is just another word for move, only the movement is around an axis or a point... It is relative to surroundings or a previous position... It is a change or causes a change in direction.

שׁוּב
That's a Hebrew word. You say, "shoob." It means an absolute change of course of action.

What causes that change? It is the Lord's reproof... because it is God talking in this verse.

תּוֹכֵחָה
That's another Hebrew word. It is pronounced (I think) something like, "to-kakh'-ath" and means among, remain in the midst of reproof, chastisement, correction.

Once upon a time, I taught ladies' Bible study to women in our church in Niger. To turn and walk right back into (and stay there) the chastisement or reproof of an authority was what we called "sitting in the hot seat" - sitting because we needed to remain there, hot because it was uncomfortable, at best.

There is great blessing when, if, I obey this directive despite the difficult and distasteful nature of the task.

God pours out His Spirit... which makes me think of these words:" For I have not given you a spirit of fear, but rather [I've given you my Spirit who fills you with] power, love and self-control." (1 Timothy 1.7)

And,

God shares His Words with me: "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants,a for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you." (John 15.13-15)



Just last week, the gang was frantically getting ready to walk out the door and across the parking lot to school. I'd fixed M&M's hair in a slightly different style... and I overheard from the other room Elsie Mae teasing her, telling her that her hair looked stupid. I called Elsie Mae. No response. I called again. Still no response. So I walked into the other room, knelt down behind her. She was busily playing with Conrad (Rebekah's conure) and trying her very best to ignore me. As I softly said her name, she stopped. "Turn around, Elsie," I continued. She did. As soon as she did, the tears started to roll. I wrapped my arms around her and said, "What do you need to do?"

"Tell M&M I'm sorry and ask her to forgive me?" she said through a waterfall of tears.

I nodded and off she went to take care of that uncomfortable bit of business. I saw a little sister initiated hug and seconds later, the two were laughing and talking like the great buddies and playmates they usually are as they walked out the door with their daddy, on their way to school.

But it wasn't until she first turned and stood in the hot seat, that uncomfortable place of rebuke and correction, that any genuine restoration could begin.





2 comments:

  1. It's hard when we must take our turn in the hot seat, but to avoid it, well, that wouldn't work either. God's growing us through every situation we find ourselves in. Thanks for sharing your perspective. Blessings from your FMF/31 Days neighbor as you endeavor to share that God is teaching you this month.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so thankful He grows us, through it all, too! Thanks for the visit!

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