Who’s the BOSS of Me?
“When a man’s ways are pleasing to the LORD,
He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
Better is a little with righteousness
Than great income with injustice.
The mind of man plans his way,
But the LORD directs his steps.”
(Proverbs 16: 7-9)
How can we know we are on the “right” life-path?
How can we know we are stepping in the “right” direction?
How can we know?
Clearly, taking the “right” direction in life is a favorable endeavor for most everyone: both the lost and the found. The biggest difference—the LORD’S Direction of our steps.
Let’s say it forthright: There are some people in this world who just DON’T want to see a person succeed—no matter what. Now, why? There are a variety of reasons, but let’s suffice to say, “They don’t!” So then, what’s a person to do or to think when faced with someone who does not wish to see him succeed? KEEP WALKING IN A WAY THAT PLEASES OUR LORD!
“When a man’s ways are pleasing to the LORD,
He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.”
(Proverbs 16: 7)
To be at peace—what a beautiful thought!
To be at peace with those who oppose us—oh, my yes!
To be at peace, even when we know others oppose our every move—that is the peace we seek.
Peace is a wondrous fruit of the spirit found inside a believer striving to walk with Jesus, and this “peace” only comes from one person—our Savior & Redeemer. That’s correct. We live in a world so tumultuous and so filled with selfish humanism, a place that oftentimes even hides a person’s “true intentions” behind the banner of “good works.”
How can that be so? How can a person’s “good” be doused in selfishness and self-serving actions and thoughts? The easy answer: We are all human—Every single one of us! The harder answer: We are all sinful—Every single one of us (both the redeemed & the lost)!
So, the question becomes: What must we do now that we know the truth? &
The much larger question remains: Who Really Is the BOSS of Me?
“Better is a little with righteousness
Than great income with injustice.”
(Proverbs 16: 8)
Better is a little. Hum . . . How many of us really desire to become the ‘little people,’ the ‘insignificant ones’ of this world? How many of us seek “a little” of what this world has to offer? How many of us would rather accumulate “great income with injustice” MORE than “a little with righteousness [with Jesus Christ’s righteousness]”?
Truthfully, not so many of us desire this position of “a little,” so why would God allow Solomon to write these words? Quite probably, God knows the deep recesses of our hearts! Yes, HE truly does. God knows that we are hard workers, and as such, we will work at everything possible—even at gaining our own righteousness. Now, deep down, we each know this is impossible, but at the same time, we each look into our own self-mirror and quietly proclaim, “There’s not so many out there as ‘good’ as me.” OUCH! The TRUTH really hurts our pride! So, God reminds us (through Solomon’s proverb) that it’s better to be considered the “littles of this world” & to have a “little with righteousness than [“than” as in comparison to] great income with injustice.”
God knows us so well, and that is primarily because He created us!
God knows our pride.
God knows the depth of our heart.
God knows how we desire to amass ALL that we can while we have time upon this earth.
God knows! & because God does know us, we are asked to walk in obedience to Him.
God knows that to be “great in our own eyes” will lead each of us down the wrong life-path & not the path he wishes us to go.
God knows that if left to our own plans, we have the potential to seek one that’s not just nor righteous but one of injustice and unrighteous.
So God does what He always does so well—He Leads Us! & God does what He knows we most need—He Guides Our Steps!
How?
He speaks to our heart through His Word & through the wise counsel of godly ministers and friends, & He speaks to us through our time spent in prayer.
“The mind of man [of all mankind] plans his way,
But the LORD directs his steps.”
(Proverbs 16: 9)
We plan & plan & plan & plan & plan out the plans we have for our days & our lives.
Then we ask God to bless our plans.
We are NOT so smart!
We have this all backward!
God is so WISE!
God is the FATHER & we are the children!
Let us ponder as we see these words again.
We are NOT so smart, even though we think we are (so smart)!
We have this all wrong, even when we think we don’t!
God is so WISE—ALL the TIME!
God is (always) the FATHER & we are (always) the children!
Therefore, let us pause to ask ourselves: What plans do we have for this day God has granted?
Who is the BOSS of Me? & Who is the BOSS of You?
Will we make up our minds and plan out our day, asking God to give us the strength and time to accomplish ALL that WE have planned?
OR
Will we pause to pray & seek God’s will for the way HE desires for us to walk though this day HE has granted us to live?
We have a choice.
We have this same choice every day we are given to breathe.
The choice is clearly up to each one of us.
So, let us decide this day—WHO REALLY IS the BOSS of ME?
I think we may find the truthful answer down upon our knees.
“God, Today, we are choosing to meet with the LORD down upon our knees, seeking His will for the best use of our minutes & hours He has gifted us to live out this day. Amen”