Talking to them was like beating your head against an empty barrel, might make noise but accomplish nothing.”
                    –B.N. Rundell  (The Trail to Retaliation)

       “Guide a horse with a whip, a donkey with a bridle, and a fool with a rod to his back!”
                    –Proverbs 26:3 (NLT)
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This morning we look at Proverbs 10:13-14:
          13 — Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding, but a rod is for the back of him who is devoid of understanding.
          14 — Wise people store up knowledge, but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.  (NKJV)

          13 — Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks judgment.
          14 — Wise men store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.  (NIV)

Jesus simply put it this way, “Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matthew 12:34, NIV)  Our words very often betray the heart, therefore, our “words should be words of kindness and truth, welling up from a godly heart.” (Beasley)  You don’t have to be around a person very long to know the condition of their heart by the words they speak.  Vile, foul, spiteful words tell that the heart is in the same condition.  These people, says J.L. Flores, “defraud the world of that which it is the duty of man to give it”  Man should build up, not tear down, should exhort, not curse, encourage, not spiel forth vileness.
     Dan Dick relays a story that has a lesson regarding this.  An old farmer was urging and encouraging a mule to move along, but despite the coaxing of the farmer the mule refused to budge.  The man tried to encourage, tried to move it with his words and efforts, but the mule held its ground.  In frustration the old man pulled a branch from a hickory tree, stripped off the bark, and fashioned a switch from it.  Moving around the mule to its hind quarters, the farmer swung back and laid a stinging stripe along the mule’s backside.  Without hesitation the mule was up and moving, motivated by the tender memory of the moment before.  
     Funny story, but the shame of it is that it is the disposition of a mule towards stubbornness.  A man chooses to be stubborn, to rebel, to not listen to the words of wisdom and truth.  There is no excuse for the man.  I have seen students (and adults) run and hit the wall, only to get up and run again hitting the same wall.  They are stubborn and bent on self-destruction when wisdom would encourage them to look to the right and see that there is a door open.  A fool can be beaten over and over again.
     The wise man continues to gather and gain knowledge.  They are always seeking.  The practice of the morally wise man is to lay up or store up knowledge.  He lays up wisdom and knowledge while the fool gathers more and more folly.  The wise man stores and gives out kindness, while the fool is devising treachery.  Note also, that this is storing up, that means for future use.  Also, remember that there is a difference between a wise man and a man of knowledge.  “A man may gather much intellectual knowledge without being able to make it profitable, or a source of enjoyment either to himself or others.” (Flores)  
     Flores states, “Spiritual knowledge and spiritual wisdom are never separated…  Where knowledge is in the heart there will be wisdom in the lips and life.”  A wise guy, who is arrogant or a wise person who “keeps his words for the right time and place, who does not squander it in unreasonable talk or babbling.” (Flores)   Solomon was known for his wisdom; his son, Rehoboam was known to be a foolish man listening to wrong advisors.  J. Vernon McGee says, “All the time the wise man is gathering up knowledge, the foolish man has one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel.”  There is so much truth there for if the fool continues on their course all that is left is the grave then the judgment.

A reputation doesn’t make a man tough.”

When minds are allowed to wander unhindered, accusations and recriminations often fill the void with guilt and despair. When thoughts were directed by the Scripture, God washes our minds clean and fills it with His comfort and guidance.”
                    –B.N. Rundell  (Naches Trail)

       “Moreover we know that to those who love God, who are called according to his plan, everything that happens fits into a pattern for good.”
                    –Romans 8:28(Phillips)
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One thing age does for you is that you get a better perspective of the past.  When something happened when you were younger you might think, why in the world did the Lord allow that to happen?  Now, looking back you can see the hand of God at work in the situation.  Joseph is a good example.  Why did the Lord allow him to be cast into the pit, then sold into slavery, then the dungeon of Egypt?  Wasn’t his dream from God?  But then the day came when he told his brothers, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to keep many people alive.” (Genesis 50:20, NASB)
     The Holocaust, as evil as it was, brought about the nation of Israel. Israel, so important to God for we read in Zechariah, “For thus said the LORD of hosts, after his glory sent me to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye.” (2:8, ESV).  What we see happening since 1948 is the fulfillment of prophecy.  People wonder and some fear, about what is happening with Iran.  Israel will be protected.  Is it the end time prophecy?  Yes (and no)–for all things that happen are part of the end times, and Jesus said that there would be wars and rumors of wars.  
     Have you ever wandered off a trail while hiking?  I was hunting once in the mountains south of Eagle, Colorado.  It was rugged terrain, with downfalls everywhere.  It was hard to follow a game trail because of that.  It was cold, so cold as to make it miserable.  One ol’ boy we met in the woods was from Texas.  He remarked, “if yuh was to shoot an elk you’d have to bring a skillet an’ eat him there.”  That’s how rugged the terrain was.  My hunting buddy was hunting below a wooded area and on the way back he got off the path that would lead him back to camp.  He arrived just at dusk and it was easy to see that he was frightened.  He wandered for an hour or so in the woods.  
     The following by Dietrich Bonhoeffer helps us to see the hand of God.  “I believe that God can and will bring good out of evil, even out of the greatest evil.  For that purpose He needs men who make the best use of everything.  I believe that God will give us all the strength we need to help us resist in all time of distress.  But He never gives it in advance, lest we should rely on ourselves and not on Him alone.  A faith such as this should allay all our fears for the future.  I believe that even our mistakes and shortcomings are turned to good account, and that it is no harder for God to deal with them that with our supposedly good deeds.  I believe that God is no timeless fate, but that He waits for and answers sincere prayers and responsible actions.”
     So don’t be worrying so much about your past.  Put it under the blood of Jesus, and perhaps, when you reach the “old codger” age you can see how God used your blunders to do things in your life.  If nothing else we can use our reckless stupidity and say, “chalk it up to experience.”  The Psalmist wrote, and maybe you can relate, “I used to wander off until you punished me; now I closely follow all you say.  You are good and do only good; make me follow your lead.” (119:67-68, TLB).  Allow God to use your life, stay close to His guiding hand and His Word, but if you find yourself wandering, get back quickly.

This is the first time I saw the sunrise today! And every sunrise is a gift from the creator!”
                    –B.N. Rundell  (Washita)

       “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
                    –John 8:12 (NIV)
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Holy moments, holy experiences–a special time when we should be in wonder.  I can recall a few wonderful spiritual experiences in my life.  When was the last time you had one or recognized that you were in the midst of one?  Max Lucado defines one this way, “When your world touches God’s world, the result is a holy moment.  When God’s high hope kisses your earthly hurt, that moment is holy….  What matters is that holy moments occur.  Daily.”  Ponder that!
     I am going to use much of Max Lucado’s description in this wonderful, holy moment.  Read slowly, read thoughtfully.
          “It happened this morning.  Right after you awoke.  Right there in your house.  Did you miss it?
          “The alarm rings….You’ve already hit the sleeper button three times; hit it again and you’ll be late.  You’ve already asked for five more minutes…five different times; ask again and you’ll get water poured on your head.
          “The hour has come.  Daybreak has broken.  So, with a groan and a grunt, you throw back the covers and kick a warm foot out into a cold world.  You lean up and sit on the edge of the bed and stare at the back of your eyelids.  You tell them to open, but they object.  (The moment isn’t holy yet, but it’s almost here.)
          “You stand.  At that moment, everything that will hurt during the course of the day hurts.  It’s as if the little person in your brain that’s in charge of pain needs to test the circuits before you make it to the bathroom.  Back pain?–Check.  Stiff neck?–Check.  High school football knee injury?–Still hurting.  Flaky scalp?–Still itching.  Hay fever reaction?–Achoo!  With the grace of a pregnant elephant, you step toward the bathroom.  You wish there is some way to turn on the light slowly, but there isn’t.  So you slap on the spotlight, blink as your eyes adjust, and step up to the bathroom sink.
          “You are approaching the sacred.  You may not know it, but you have just stepped on holy tile.  You are in the inner sanctum.  The burning bush of your world.  The holiest moment of your life is about to occur.  Listen.  You’ll hear the fluttering of angels’ wings signaling their arrival.  Trumpets are poised on heaven’s lips.  A cloud of majesty encircles your bare feet.  Heaven’s hosts cease all motion as you raise your eyes and…
          (Get ready.  Here it comes.  The holy moment is near.)
          Cymbals crash.  Trumpets echo in sacred halls.  Heaven’s children race through the universe scattering flower petals.  Stars dance.  The universe applauds.  Trees sway in choreographed adulation.  And well they should, for the child of the King has awakened.  Look in the mirror.  Behold the holy one.  Don’t turn away.  The image of perfection is looking back at you.  The holy moment has arrived.”
     Holy?  Look again, you look anything but holy, at least in your mind.  But ponder!  We read in Hebrews, “Because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” (10:14, NIV)  “Underline the word perfect.  Note that the word is not better.  Not improving.  Not on the upswing.  God doesn’t improve; He perfects.  He doesn’t enhance; He completes.” (Lucado)  But note also, “being made holy.”
     We try to cover our imperfections.  Bumps, pimples, moles, scars, wrinkles and we do it in various and sometimes ingenious ways.  Get this, when God sees us, He also sees Christ.  Paul tells us, “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:3, NIV)  We are hidden in perfection–the perfection of Christ.
          Lucado goes on with his imagery.  “No wonder heaven applauds when you wake up.  A masterpiece has stirred.”
     That holy moment has occured this morning, and ponder–it happens every morning.  When we wake up a child of the King has awakened!
               “Oh yes, oh yes, I’m a child of the king
               His royal blood now flows in my veins…”
                       –Cindy Walker
     On top of that, know that this day is special.  The Psalmist wrote, “This is the day the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” (118:24, NKJV)  This day, right now, this moment has been given to you.  All that comes your way this day is from the Lord or has been allowed by Him.  Nothing on this day has slipped His notice.  He has given this particular day, and all others, to His child.  So in one way, as we worship in truth, every moment is a holy moment.  The words of Joseph Alleine come back to my mind, “Let us live this one day well!”
         
(Max Lucado, In the Eye of the Storm, 1991)