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Archive for December, 2008

Proverbs 5:1-4“My son, pay attention to my wisdom; listen carefully to my wise counsel. Then you will show discernment, and your lips will express what you’ve learned. For the lips of an immoral woman are as sweet as honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil. But in the end she is as bitter as poison, as dangerous as a double-edged sword.”

Proverbs goes beyond just sweet talking. It addresses some of life’s gritty subjects, such as the influence of immoral people on your life. That’s why King Solomon warns his son(s) against yielding to sexual advances, no matter how enticing they may be.

Some of our country’s highest leaders have lost their credibility, even their careers, because they didn’t follow this chapter of Proverbs. Governors, senators, business leaders, investment brokers, and even a former U.S. president, were brought low when their actions of lust were discovered.

So many people hate to learn hard lessons the easiest way—from parents, teachers, bosses, history and Scriptures. “How I hated discipline!” they realize often too late. When they experience the demeaning results of their course of action, they will say: “If only I had not ignored all the warnings! Oh, why didn’t I listen to my teachers?…I have come to the brink of utter ruin, and now I must face public disgrace” (Proverbs 5:12-14).

A modern saying: “Behind every successful man is a woman.” I’ll add: “Behind every fallen man there often is an immoral woman.” This doesn’t lessen the man’s guilt in the least; he falls to a temptress, then he has moral weaknesses also.

But there is another, perhaps deeper, meaning to this chapter than sexual sins. Wisdom in Proverbs is often pictured as a virtuous woman with a deep concern for the reader. So, the opposite of wisdom would be someone or something enticing a person away from the path of true wisdom. Perhaps it’s some new philosophy, or an “easy street to riches.” Casinos join in with their promises of fun and wealth. Witchcraft promises methods you can use to get what you want.

Rather than your having to endure years of education, self-discipline and hard work, why not go through some magical ritual? Some books and mind courses teach how you can manipulate “the Universe.”

We have many kinds of professional persuaders in our world, from salespeople to politicians, from con artists to professional “lovers.” All try to come into your life with slick techniques to impress you with how much they care about you and your needs—and, oh yes, the country and even God.

It takes self-discipline to stick with true principles and not take shortcuts. What’s the other choice? Not pleasant. “He will die for lack of self-control; he will be lost because of his great foolishness” (Proverbs 5:23).

How is the wisdom of chapter 5 affecting me? I’m evaluating my unfaithfulness over the years to my true calling and the methods I’ve used to fulfill that calling. The Book of Proverbs is starting to really get on my nerves! I see that for many years I’ve mixed God’s way with “doing it my way.” Proverbs does not make me feel happy, not like the teachings of all those success gurus who kept telling me how great I am.

Perhaps it’s somewhat like “going under the knife”—surgery to take out a tumor or a bad appendix. Without anesthesia, except for hope and the belief that, by following God’s wisdom, I’ll be healed. I’ll come out healthier, stronger, and wiser. The promise: “Your lips will express what you’ve learned” (Proverbs 5:2).

“Clarity of mind means clarity of passion, too; this is why a great and clear mind loves ardently and sees distinctly what it loves.” Blaise Pascal (1623 - 1662)

Proverbs 4:25-27: “Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.”

Today, by modern vehicles, it shouldn’t be too difficult to travel from Point A to point B. For me, perhaps for you too, at times we threw in other letters between those two points. So we went from Point A to Point D to Point Z to Point M…and eventually—and hopefully—to Point B.

We got sidetracked, didn’t stay on the straight path. While on a diet, we stopped at the ice cream or donut shop—sometimes both of them on the same trip! But that’s a small stop compared to others we may have made.

To earn my way through college, I sold children’s Bible-story books door to door, out in the farmlands of Saskatchewan and Alberta. But too often, becoming discouraged, I stopped for some inspiration at a lake or river, or just drove around soaking in the summer scenes and sun. There were a few weeks, motivated by some sales contest, I gave the task my full attention and won some awards. But that motivation soon disappeared.

During one of the company’s three-day sales training, I gave myself an afternoon off and climbed a nearby mountain. Got stranded on some ledge for a few hours. That’s another story. Oh, later I wrote a story about that and got a little check for it.

I know I should’ve concentrated on my love of writing rather than trying to sell someone else’s children’s books. Especially when I thought they were poorly written. A lot of color illustrations though. But as a young man and new Christian, I was manipulated by some church leaders who presented selling these books as somehow being a glorious work for God.

I’ve yielded to a lot of distractions in my life, and I can’t blame those on someone else’s poor writing or spiritual manipulation. They were mainly a weakness in my own thinking and self-discipline. To escape a harsh childhood, I had retreated into a world of dreams and make-believe. I had unswerving discipline in my school studies and got top grades. But when it came to the “real world,” I found it too much drudgery and plain hard work to keep at it. I would rather dream about the stories and books I was going to write.

Dr. Paul A. Hauck in his book (see Dec. 9 post) talks about escapism as an avoidance of self-discipline. Escapism from reality gives quick results, for a short time. Like dreaming of the great good you will do if (when) you win the lottery…or imagining that you are the hero of the TV program or movie you’re watching or book you’re reading.

Children act out their hero worship in play, like my two grandboys with their Star Wars light sabers. In my childhood, I acted out Roy Rogers and Gene Autry —always the cowboy, never the bandit.

Now, I’m facing the fact that daydreaming and even some forms of goal-setting are ways to hurry up success without hard work and patience. “Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty” Proverbs 21:5. There is no shorter shortcut than to daydream that the work has already been done and you’re enjoying the rewards! But then comes the slap of reality, and the daydream shatters.

“He felt that his whole life was some kind of dream and he sometimes wondered whose it was and whether they were enjoying it.” – Douglas Adams (1952-2001), The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

Proverbs 4:18-19: “The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like total darkness. They have no idea what they are stumbling over.”

One bit of wisdom I’ve learned: If you’re going to get lost on a hike, make sure you do so early in the day!

Of course, I hadn’t planned on getting lost when I left for a two-hour hike. But it was already late afternoon, and I had about two hours before sunset. So my plans seemed quite workable. Except, somewhere in those canyons near Paso Robles, California, I got turned around—lost, actually. So I tried to take a shortcut straight toward our village. But the “shortcut” soon came to heavy undergrowth and brambles.

As dusk settled in, I decided it was best to retrace my steps. Soon, a bit of moon came out so I had a little light—I could make out the trail and the fences I had to climb over or under, the overhanging branches above me. Since I had not planned to walk until darkness, I had no flashlight.

And this was mountain lion territory. So I picked up a big stick—oh yeah, that would ward off any big cat! I turned my thoughts to the God—“The Lord is my shepherd….”

I walked for another hour or so. Then I came to the pass through the hills that I knew—I hoped!—led to the trail down the hill to the village. Two hours after dark, I arrived back home.

There are lessons for me in that experience, apart from hiking. Be prepared, sure. But more than that. In life, walk in plenty of light. Don’t think that you can take shortcuts as the darkness comes near. Don’t depend on luck to get you through bad planning.

Solomon’s father, David, wrote: “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105). Also, “Send out your light and your truth; let them guide me. Let them lead me to your holy mountain, to the place where you live” (Psalm 43:3).

Solomon echoed his father’s words: “For their command is a lamp and their instruction a light; their corrective discipline is the way to life” (Proverbs 6:23).

Likely as you have, I have received some painful bruises to my shins when I’ve walked in darkness, sometimes for just a short distance like from the bed to the bathroom! That’s physical. But I’ve also received some bad wounds to deeper parts of my being—my future, spirituality, morality, relationships—when I’ve chosen to walk in the light of my own wisdom. At least I thought it was light, but it turned out to blind me from true wisdom.

So we deceive ourselves, and walk in the darkness.

This week’s news is about an investment manager who ripped off people for $50 billion, made some formerly rich folks into paupers. That process took 20 years or so. And for years a lot of his investors had doubts. But they trusted to their own wisdom, because for a while the returns were good. Now, it all falls apart. What they thought was light turned out to be darkness.

Most of these people will somehow survive this financial crisis. But when we’re led astray by deceptive counsel for our deeper lives, our morality and our relationships, there comes a time when we stumble and may find it very difficult, if not impossible, to get up. Our character, health and families may be ruined.

I want to keep my eyes to the gleam of the morning light that comes from the Creator of Wisdom. I can best survive and succeed through His teaching, best exemplified in people who have lived their lives in accordance with that wisdom.

“We allow our ignorance to prevail upon us and make us think we can survive alone, alone in patches, alone in groups, alone in races, even alone in genders.” — Maya Angelou (1928- )

Proverbs 4:4-6: “My father taught me, ‘Take my words to heart. Follow my commands, and you will live. Get wisdom; develop good judgment. Don’t forget my words or turn away from them. Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you.”

When I was a boy, my father hardly ever talked with me. He was often so busy on the farm that we didn’t spend much time together.

But I remember one day we were taking a shortcut across a field and came to a clump of willows. While I watched with wonder, my dad took out his pocketknife, cut a twig off, and showed me how to make a whistle. Although I haven’t tried to do so for decades, I think I can still make a whistle like he did. I’m going to practice up and show my grandchildren how to do it too. There are instructions on the internet too. www.schizoaffective.org/whistle

Of all teachers, fathers can have the most impact and the greatest opportunity to teach their children. It’s a responsibility that can’t be avoided. If a parent neglects instructing his children, that in itself is instruction, although detrimental.

Solomon understood this. So did his father David. On his deathbed, David told his son: “Observe the requirements of the Lord your God, and follow all his ways. Keep the decrees, commands, regulations, and laws written in the Law of Moses so that you will be successful in all you do and wherever you go. If you do this, then the Lord will keep the promise he made to me” (1 Kings 2:3-4).

“And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject your forever. So take this seriously” (1 Chronicles 28:9).

Wisdom has to have a foundation, and for Solomon and David that was the Law of Moses (the first five books of the Old Testament). It also came from their close walk with God. When we obey the truth we know, more truth is revealed to us. That’s a worthy return on our investment.

The Wisdom of Solomon is spiritual and pragmatic. That means it’s been tested and proven to work. Perhaps you don’t hold the Bible to be inspired by God. Yet, why not incorporate what has been proven to work at the highest level into your life? I think it would be foolish to ignore practical and proven truth wherever it’s found. If this truth helps you to achieve success with peace of mind, why not follow it?

“Keep the precepts of wisdom at the front of your thoughts and vision. Thirty-two years ago Gary Smalley challenged me to read a chapter of Proverbs every day for two years. The results were miraculous.” Steven K. Scott, writer, producer, director, marketing entrepreneur

Proverbs 3:21—23: “My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and discernment. Hang on to them, for they will refresh your soul. They are like jewels on a necklace. They keep you safe on your way, and your feet will not stumble.”

At the opening of Proverbs, we read the Lord’s purpose: “Teach people wisdom and discipline” (Proverbs 1:2). Some translations interchange “wisdom” with “common sense” or “sound sense.” This type of common sense, based on sound wisdom, is much different than most of the platitudes we’ve been indoctrinated with since birth.

As an example of the power of wise sayings, take this one by Benjamin Franklin’s: “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” That quote has sold more alarm clocks than all the sales pitches or scientific studies put together. Perhaps it has also produced more guilt than mothers!

A big problem today is that most people don’t know many wise sayings. You hardly ever hear any by the media either. Oh, you might hear nonsense like, “What goes around comes around.”But where did “what” start?” Or, “Step up to the plate.” Which plate—baseball or dinner?

“Coming to you live from—” How else? Have you ever seen a dead reporter report anything? There’s been an overall and speedy dumbing down of our language and our thinking. Sound bites have replaced thinking. Often phrases used produce a reassuring feeling within us, but if we examine them, they make little sense.

Today, most people get their “wise sayings” from the entertainment world—TV, movies, lyrics, commercials. “You’re fired!” made Donald Trump famous—and me nauseated. “Deal or no deal” gives us as much wisdom as two choices of ice cream.

But it’s not so much the sayings we remember as the culture that ingrains our brain. We’ve gone from “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” to the politician’s “change we can believe in.” From “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life” (Proverbs 4:23) to weekly hours of the violence and smut of South Park, Sex and the City, CSI, Godfather, Dirty Sexy Money, ad infinitum.

TEST. Take two or three minutes and, without research, write down at least three wise sayings that are guiding your life right now. “You better be good, you better not pout, for Santa Claus is coming to town” doesn’t count!

As you know by now, I’m hanging more and more of Solomon’s wise sayings between my ears and letting them fasten onto my attitude. I’m finding that is helping me strengthen my self-discipline and persistence. I encourage you also to make a list of his sayings that strike home with you. As multimillionaire Steven Scott found out, that method works wonderfully well. See posts for November 1 and December 1.

“It is a good thing for an uneducated man to read books of quotations. Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations is an admirable work, and I studied it intently. The quotations when engraved upon the memory give you good thoughts. They also make you anxious to read the authors and look for more.” – Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965).

Proverbs 3:11-13, 18: “My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t be upset when he corrects you. For the lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights….Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her; happy are those who hold her tightly.”

Discipline and correction are considerably better than punishment. The difference? The first two occur in the learning stage. But if the person doesn’t learn wisdom and falls into foolishness, then he must pay the price of punishment. And sometimes that is steep. Often, others who are innocent parties also suffer.

I thought about this on September 30, 2005, at Cholame, California. About 70 people besides me were outside the restaurant there, by highway 46, to remember what had happened exactly 50 years earlier. That day in 1955 at about 3:30 p.m., the highway patrol near Bakersfield had pulled over a speeding driver in a new, silver Porsche 550 Spyder. They gave the young 24-year-old driver a stern warning.

Two hours later, heading cross country toward Salinas, the youth sped up again. A 1950 Ford Tutor, driven by 23-year-old Donald Turnupseed, seeing no vehicles coming (perhaps because of the hills), pulled onto the highway, too late seeing the Porsche roaring toward him. The two cars crashed almost head-on.

Turnupseed survived with minor injuries. Rolf Wuetherich, a passenger in the Porsche, was thrown from the Porsche and suffered serious head injuries and a broken leg. The driver, James Dean, was killed.

Just 24 years old, already famous for his role as Cal Trask in East of Eden, actor James Dean paid the ultimate price for ignoring counsel and wisdom. Two other films were already shot and soon to be released—Rebel Without a Cause (1955), and Giant (1956). Posthumously, Dean received an Academy Award for East of Eden. For Giant, he received a nomination.

With millions of other teens in the 1950’s, I was captivated with James Dean as our model rebel against the meaningless world he was placed in. That was in film. But as a real person, he rebelled against common sense, the law, and wisdom. For that, he paid a heavy price. Others also suffered because of his actions.

As I write today, I’m thinking of the times when I rejected the whispers of wisdom, sometimes straight-out, other times gradually. Yes, I’ve received a few speeding tickets, even though I had seen the warning signs that said 45 mph or 55 mph. But there were warning signs that I should have considered also about my spending and investment habits, about business and work.

I’m facing correction from the Lord right now about those actions. Our nation and much of the financial world is also facing the same, in a much greater degree. I can’t solve the world’s problems. But I can listen to Wisdom and obey. I can fight strongly against bad habits and lack of knowledge that led me to this place. I can be a “rebel with a cause.”

“When you make a mistake, don’t look back at it long. Take the reason of the thing into your mind and then look forward. Mistakes are lessons of wisdom. The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in your power.” – Hugh White (1773-1840)

Proverbs 3:27-28: “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them. If you can help your neighbor now, don’t say, ‘Come back tomorrow, and then I’ll help you.’”

They say that “today is the first day of the rest of my life.” Then, is tomorrow the second day of the rest of my life? Or—are all days the first and only days we have?

So what do they do in Australia, where tomorrow is already today?

If a person lives 70 years, he has 25,568 days. What’s one day out of that? Only .00004 % of an average life. And what difference can one day make—can’t I begin this task, project, change tomorrow without losing anything countable? Of course.

We get sick, we take a day off, we take vacations and weekends. And then we return and get back to working today. But when we return to our tasks and put them off for tomorrow, it gets to be a detrimental habit. And most “tomorrows” become “the day after after after.” After what? After I change. When do I change? Better start today. Looking forward to changing tomorrow is misplaced confidence—“Don’t brag about tomorrow, since you don’t know what the day will bring” (Proverbs 27:1).

Often people wait until tomorrow because they fear not succeeding today. Whooops! I’m not just pointing the finger at myself—I’m jabbing myself hard! We might fear doing something less than perfectly, because then people might reject and criticize us. We’ve often been taught, “If you can’t do something well, it shouldn’t be done at all.” Then, how is a child to learn to walk or ride a bike? How is an adult to learn a new skill? “I’m not going to do it until I can do it well”—spells procrastination.

Success does not demand excellence in all things at all times. It just takes starting now, doing what you can today, doing what brings about action and results, no matter how little those results might be to begin with. It’s better to write 500 words today than 5,000 tomorrow.

Laundry? My mother used to iron the bed sheets and underwear, for many years with a flatiron. That’s one of those that you put on a hot stove to heat it up—before electricity came into our farm house. Well-ironed clothes and sheets meant “good housekeeping.” I like the sentiment of Patricia Lorenz’s book, Life’s Too Short To Fold Your Underwear.

I can’t work comfortably unless I’ve showered and shaved, even if no one will see me all day, except for the critic on my shoulder. And yes, after sitting all day at my desk, sometimes my shorts feel triply folded. Accomplishment at times means being able to ignore the little things that don’t count. Like someone saying “no” on the telephone.

One method I often use to put real work off until tomorrow is to clean my desk today. That’s because I have to file, arrange, throw out all those papers and magazines first so I can find my computer—it’s one of those unobtrusive laptops! I used to do better when I had a big, noisy foot-high Underwood typewriter. The clacking rhythm of the keys and the “ding” of the bell when a line was done assured me I was doing something NOW. Maybe I can get a computer that imitates that old Underwood.

When I face some hard tasks today, some activity that might mean being rejected by someone, I usually think tomorrow will be a better day for it. After all, as Dan Quayle said: “The future will be better tomorrow.”

But here’s what St. James wrote: “Look here, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.’ How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.” James 4:13-14. That’s so—real life, isn’t it? And with the help of the Proverbs, I’m going to face up to it. Not tomorrow. Tuh-tuh-tuh-tuh-tuh-day! There, I’ve said it.

“Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don’t wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well. For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.” Solomon, Ecclesiastes 12:6-7.

Proverbs 3:7-10: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the lord and turn away from evil. Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones.”

Today is the birthday for someone very special in my life.

What is it about birthdays that make us think, often with gladness, sometimes with regret? Another year gone by—and what have I accomplished? Another year coming—what can I hope for?

For birthdays to be celebrated with joy, we need the quality of HOPE, plus something else. But first HOPE.

Of all poems about hope, this one is often repeated:

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

I’ve heard it in the chillest land,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.
— Emily Dickinson 1830-1886

Dickinson was born December 10,1830, in Amherst, Massachusetts, and lived there until her death from Bright’s disease on May 15, 1886, in the family home that was built in 1813 by her grandfather, Samuel Fowler Dickinson. Even in her early years at school, Emily distinguished herself as an original thinker, dazzling her teachers. Her brother wrote: “Her compositions were unlike anything ever heard—and always produced a sensation—both with the scholars and teachers—her imagination sparkled—and she gave it free rein.”

“My hair is bold like the chestnut burr; and my eyes, like the sherry in the glass that the guest leaves.” Emily Dickinson

We don’t know much about Emily’s years—disappointed love, restraints of society, health problems. But we sense the drama of her inner life, her creativity seeking expression even from her upper bedroom reclusion. After her death, as her poems were discovered and gradually published, her artistic work has established her as the most widely recognized woman poet to write in the English language. Today, she continues to be an inspiration to both reader and writer alike.

So, she had a “little bird” on her shoulder named Hope. That quality is essential to self-discipline. Why? Because you will not discipline yourself unless you envision the future results of that difficult task. For instance, likely I will not work on improving my writing skills if I can’t imagine using those skills now and in the future.

Lack of hope breeds despair and depression. Emily Dickinson was a recluse to some extent, and didn’t attempt to distribute her poems except to a few close friends. But I believe that she had hope that her artistic work would be loved sometime in the future. Even though she was repressed in her ambitions by her society, she did what she could—wrote down her deepest feelings and thoughts in a way that created art.

Also, she displayed discipline in her letters, writing thousands of them to her close friends. Then, in her last years before she died, she organized 833 of her poems and bound them in 40 booklets known as the fascicles.

Now, what about me? I was born 110 years after Emily Dickinson, on December 10, 1940. Isn’t that “cool” for me, same day as Emily? But even before I knew that, when I read her poems, I felt a close affinity with her. Yes, I’ve written poems too and had some published, but there’s not much money in it, and I can’t retire to an upstairs bedroom day after day.

But I have her “little bird of hope” on my shoulder. I thank her for that.

Solomon in Proverbs speaks much about hope too. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life” (Proverbs 13:12). “Don’t envy sinners, but always continue to fear the Lord. You will be rewarded for this; your hope will not be disappointed” (Proverbs 23:17-18).

“To live is so startling it leaves little time for anything else.” – Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)

Proverbs 3:1-3: “My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart. If you do this, you will live many years, and your life will be satisfying. Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart.”

I’ve discovered that the trouble with self-discipline is the “self” part. We’re asking the self that might be discouraged, worn-out, even lazy, to develop the self that needs to be strengthened with resolve and positive habits.

You’ve seen the cartoons—an angel with a halo on one shoulder of a person urging him to do right; and on the other shoulder a devil with a pitchfork whispering in his ear to chuck goodness to the wind.

When we read a motivational book or listen to a speaker, the angel has the sway. But when we’re alone, trying to put what we’ve learned into practice, the devil appears.

What’s the solution? How do we strengthen the angel on our shoulder and weaken the little devil?

Perhaps for some the direct approach will work. You grit your teeth and “just do it.” For others, more indirect. You store up the good dreams, lessons, proverbs “deep within your heart.” Your desire for doing well increases more and more, and then starts to flow outward. You start to do the little things, take the baby steps, build up the self-discipline muscles. “To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction” (Proverbs 12:1).

In either method, having a mentor to be responsible to can really help. For a child, it’s usually parents and teachers who may encourage or discipline. For an adult, it might be the boss, or an associate, or a friend. Or professional help such as psychologists, counselors, pastors, coaches. And through prayer and Scripture, you can go to God too. “Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed’ (Proverbs 16:3).

But it still helps to have a caring, capable living human by our side. “The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense….As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend” Proverbs 27:9, 17).

For me, it’s mostly the commitment I’ve made to read and meditate on the Proverbs every day and write about what I’ve discovered, and how I’m putting this wisdom into practice. That’s the scary part. I’m listening to Solomon himself and feel responsible to demonstrate that his wisdom is working for me.

If I slack off, readers might just haul me up short. My readers include my sons and my wife—and they can check up on me every day! They can say, “Hey, Dad, are you living up to what you’re writing about?” You mean, no fiction? But that’s my favorite type of writing! No fiction on this journey—I’m sharing my own struggles and victories.

One of the books I’ll be occasionally referring to is How To Do What You Want To Do: The Art of Self-Discipline, by Dr. Paul A. Hauck, a psychotherapist with high success both in his practice and his writing.

Why him? Because he’s well qualified—and cheap. Just $7.00 for the paperback! He tells stories too.

“The major lesson to be learned is that it is more important to do than to do well. Stop playing God, stop insisting how good everything has to be that you attempt, and realize once and for all that everything has a beginning.” – Paul A. Hauck, p. 46.

Proverbs 2:12-13: “Wisdom will save you from evil people, from those whose words are twisted. These men turn from the right way to walk down dark paths.”

Was I too harsh in my December 4 post when I wrote: “I’ve found a workable rule: All sellers are sinners! At least that’s a good place to begin.”

It simply means use wisdom and seek counsel before entering into any long-term or costly venture. Is this distrust? In a way, it is—you seek the facts and project them into how they will likely affect your future. You don’t trust the sales spiel—you pick it apart and question it.

Buying a timeshare is an example of this. I just attended a presentation by Timeshare Relief, Inc. Why? Because my wife and I are “owners” of two timeshares. We’ve seen the yearly maintenance fees go up in the last 10 years from about $200 each to over $600 each. Plus, additional charges for taxes and special assessments.

Like millions of others, we were swayed by such phrases as ‘investment, assured vacations, cost savings.” And of course there were the “freebies.” Those $200 worth of freebies have now cost us over $50,000!

We had some good weeks of vacation at those timeshare resorts. But when you consider the loss of interest on the initial cost plus the yearly fees, those weeks cost us much more than would a good hotel or condo rental.

Would Solomon buy a timeshare? Would a man of wisdom commit himself and his descendants to obligations for “perpetuity”? That’s right—a timeshare in most areas is part of your estate, passed down to your heirs, who are then responsible by law for all costs associated with it. That usually will be burden on them, not a blessing.

Sell it? There’s barely any resale market: over 3,000,000 now up for resale. Check out Ebay—you can pick up timeshares in top resorts like Hawaii for a dollar! Just pay the transfer fees—which can cost several thousand dollars or more. The developer has tied in huge fees for transferring titles.

Just let it go to default? No way—for you’re obligated for all costs “to perpetuity” even if you never use your timeshare. One former marine told how he had declared bankruptcy when his marriage split up. Did his timeshare get “repossessed” by the developer? No way—for the developers derive more money from maintenance fees than from the original sale itself. So, after three years of fees, penalties, legal fees, etc., the developer started garnishing the marine’s wages. Not even his lawyers couldn’t help this marine get out of his “obligation.”

Recently, the Supreme Court has upheld the developers’ claims to collect fees “to perpetuity.” It’s in the contract—drawn up by a ton of lawyers; enforcement is influenced by high-paid lobbyists from the timeshare developers.

Can you give your timeshare away? Hardly any charity wants this costly liability. And the liability grows every year, with increases and the threat of “resort fees” to cover the developers’ loss of revenue due to the economy. They have almost absolute freedom to increase fees, and we “owners” are at their mercy. We really don’t own any part of the resort—it owns us!

So, would Solomon buy a timeshare? “When a king sits in judgment, he weighs all the evidence, distinguishing the bad from the good” (Proverbs 20:21).

Sellers of timeshares set a time limit for their offer: “If you buy today, we’ll give you a 20% discount.” Solomon says, “The wise are cautious and avoid danger; fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence” (Proverbs 14:16).

No, I don’t see how a wise person would buy a timeshare. Yes, I was a fool and plunged ahead and bought two of them. Twice a fool! But perhaps I can turn my “learning a lesson” toward other parts of my life and bring some good out of it.

In the meantime, anyone want to buy a timeshare or two, in Palm Springs or Maui? I’ll give you a real good price. How about a dollar? That’s only 50 cents each!

“Stupid is forever, ignorance can be fixed.” – Don Wood