Refreshing Good News
by Pastor Dan
Back at the end of 2019 and the beginning of 2020, I wrote a few articles about some verses in Proverbs, and I thought it might be a good time to dig deeper and look at some more verses from Proverbs.
In my lifetime, I do not remember a time when so many people are weary, hurting, and untrusting of others. People are designed to be in relationship with each other and to lean on one another for emotional health and well-being. Proverbs 25:25 says, “Like cold water to a weary soul, so is good news from a distant land.” Now, King Solomon had sent delegations of people to various parts of the world outside of his control to help build and maintain his kingdom. It seems there was a constant stream of communication in that day between King Solomon and those he sent out to do the King’s business and between King Solomon and other kings and merchants. So we can see this verse from a practical and natural standpoint; however, there also can be a deeper spiritual meaning to it as well.
Recently, I was sharing with a group of people about being spiritually and emotionally diversified. Just as in the natural, King Solomon was diversified to strengthen his kingdom, I think we must be diversified in our lives. Now, I am not talking about compromise. Let me be very clear about that. There are essential components to my faith that come from the Bible, and on those, I will not compromise, but in my growth as a Believer in Jesus Christ, I seek to always be learning more about Him.
But what does it mean to be spiritually diverse? Sometimes it helps to listen to those who are on the outside looking in. A few years ago, I was on one of my many trips to the jungles of Peru. Around the table one night after a long day of mentoring (a group of over 150 Pastors and Church leaders) I decided to have a question-and-answer session. I was expecting some deep spiritual and theological conversations but got something quite different. Their view of Americans, our culture and politics, became the conversation of the night. What a night of sharing and answering questions as best I could. I came away from that conversation asking myself: Are there places in my life that I have compromised? That night before going to bed, I sat down with a pen, paper, and flashlight and wrote a list of spiritual investments I desired to grow in spiritual diversity without compromise. I shared that list with those Pastors and Church leaders a few days later before I left to come home. What a powerful time of prayer we had together that day.
I want to share some of these spiritual investment thoughts with you: I desire to be emotionally diverse. I am going to look out for my own soul and spirit, making sure to the best of my God-given ability, that I do not become angry and bitter at myself or others no matter the situation. I will ask myself the hard questions about the hurt and pain I feel in life and deal with it before Jesus Christ and others. I am going to let people into my life who will encourage and challenge me to grow in this area of my life. I am going to choose a few select people to be by my side and speak into my life even if I don’t want to hear it. When I pay attention to these details of my life, it is not for personal gain, but it is to prepare myself to invest in others, to listen, care and encourage others I meet no matter their situation. Just as cold water revives a weary and thirsty person, so will listening and encouraging others in times of hurt and loss, which is good news.
Are you being a delegate of good news wherever you go?
-Pastor Dan
Back at the end of 2019 and the beginning of 2020, I wrote a few articles about some verses in Proverbs, and I thought it might be a good time to dig deeper and look at some more verses from Proverbs.
In my lifetime, I do not remember a time when so many people are weary, hurting, and untrusting of others. People are designed to be in relationship with each other and to lean on one another for emotional health and well-being. Proverbs 25:25 says, “Like cold water to a weary soul, so is good news from a distant land.” Now, King Solomon had sent delegations of people to various parts of the world outside of his control to help build and maintain his kingdom. It seems there was a constant stream of communication in that day between King Solomon and those he sent out to do the King’s business and between King Solomon and other kings and merchants. So we can see this verse from a practical and natural standpoint; however, there also can be a deeper spiritual meaning to it as well.
Recently, I was sharing with a group of people about being spiritually and emotionally diversified. Just as in the natural, King Solomon was diversified to strengthen his kingdom, I think we must be diversified in our lives. Now, I am not talking about compromise. Let me be very clear about that. There are essential components to my faith that come from the Bible, and on those, I will not compromise, but in my growth as a Believer in Jesus Christ, I seek to always be learning more about Him.
But what does it mean to be spiritually diverse? Sometimes it helps to listen to those who are on the outside looking in. A few years ago, I was on one of my many trips to the jungles of Peru. Around the table one night after a long day of mentoring (a group of over 150 Pastors and Church leaders) I decided to have a question-and-answer session. I was expecting some deep spiritual and theological conversations but got something quite different. Their view of Americans, our culture and politics, became the conversation of the night. What a night of sharing and answering questions as best I could. I came away from that conversation asking myself: Are there places in my life that I have compromised? That night before going to bed, I sat down with a pen, paper, and flashlight and wrote a list of spiritual investments I desired to grow in spiritual diversity without compromise. I shared that list with those Pastors and Church leaders a few days later before I left to come home. What a powerful time of prayer we had together that day.
I want to share some of these spiritual investment thoughts with you: I desire to be emotionally diverse. I am going to look out for my own soul and spirit, making sure to the best of my God-given ability, that I do not become angry and bitter at myself or others no matter the situation. I will ask myself the hard questions about the hurt and pain I feel in life and deal with it before Jesus Christ and others. I am going to let people into my life who will encourage and challenge me to grow in this area of my life. I am going to choose a few select people to be by my side and speak into my life even if I don’t want to hear it. When I pay attention to these details of my life, it is not for personal gain, but it is to prepare myself to invest in others, to listen, care and encourage others I meet no matter their situation. Just as cold water revives a weary and thirsty person, so will listening and encouraging others in times of hurt and loss, which is good news.
Are you being a delegate of good news wherever you go?
-Pastor Dan
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