You are here because God planned you…You are what you are because…you made you.

God created us…but left the finishing to us. We either choose to do that with His help or on our own.

Probing Proverbs 15:1-2 A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare. The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing, but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness.

 

“I am what I am”, “Do your own thing”, “You do your thing, and I will do my thing”, “God made me this way”, “I can’t help what I am.”- Nice little sayings that we came up with, sadly, too many times they are only to justify our actions. In reality, those sayings are a lie, because no individual lives on an island! Our actions affect others even if we don’t want them to, and God did create you, but then gave you the freedom to decide how you would behave! Here is the Reality: “If you disappeared to a deserted island, all of those you left; family, friends, and others would have to process that loss and learn to live without you.” 

We hope that would be a bad thing and they would miss us! No sane person wants others to be glad when they are gone! Our hope is that most of those that know us do not feel we are more trouble than we are a blessing. 

This Proverb makes four action statements with the results that take place. We have discussed them already, but before we move on, I would like to discuss a very important Truth that arises from this passage. Actually, it would be in the form of a question: What kind of mindset do you desire to have? One where the rational and factual part of your mind controls your emotions…or, One where the impulsive and reactionary part of your mind controls your emotions?

The latter is very essential! That part is the one that makes you jump in front of a car to protect your child or to jump at the sound of the bat hitting the ball and make the catch! We need those emotions, ask any bodyguard of the rich and famous.  

However, that is not the healthy way to approach most of life. Life, for the greater part, does not jump out at us. We have time to see what is coming and can plan a measured response. If we are proactive, we can even think ahead of a planned encounter and seek God’s help in our ability to control our emotions. Take the time to plan.

The So What: Do you live most of your life “moment to moment?” If so, why? Have you ever taken time at the beginning of the day or the end, to consider what is coming your way for the next 5-7 days? Wouldn’t life move smoother if you took it “one bite at a time” instead of trying to gulp it all at once only to find out that life has several more portions than you planned?