Thursday, November 1

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 123 & 60; Proverbs 23:19-21, 29-24:2; Luke 21:29-38; Romans 9:28-33

One of our greatest challenges in our lives is to see things as they are, not as we would like them to be. Over the years I’ve counseled countless folks, for instance, who are in troubled or abusive relationships. Time after time, however, individuals in these situations cling to the relationship because they insist on seeing the other person for who they’d like them to be, and not for who they really are. As a result, the individuals often remain trapped in life-denying relationships. Why am I off on this tangent today? Well, I’ll have to blame a section of today’s passage from Proverbs for that. In Proverbs 23:31-32, the author advises: “Don’t judge wine by its label, or its banquet, or its full-bodied flavor. Judge it rather by the hangover it leaves you with – the splitting headache, the queasy stomach.” That passage is a spiritual call to be honest with yourself in looking at – I mean REALLY looking at – the circumstances in our lives. Are there any areas of your life where you could benefit from a more honest assessment? If there is, ask for God’s assistance in helping you revisit (and hopefully address) this area. Til next time…