“Do not forsake [wisdom] and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you.”
Proverbs 4:6
My husband had a big date this weekend but it wasn’t with me. I was simply the photographer who got leftover squash soup for dinner. But I didn’t mind because the lucky girl who enjoyed a fancy, steak dinner with this noble man was our newly 13 year-old daughter, Taylor.
As a family, we are embarking on an adventure into what Paul Tripp calls the “Age of Opportunity.” So Glen, equipped with a sparkling promise ring and a much-more-expensive-than-usual greeting card was off to have a special talk with our woman-child.
Not “the” talk. Dad’s certainly been around for back-up and clarifying “guy” questions, but that privilege fell to me a few years earlier. This talk was for Glen to promise Taylor that her parents won’t keep her from any good thing in the years ahead. We’re just asking her to trust our hearts of love for her and stay within the walls of protection we have provided for her.
That should sound familiar to us. That promise & request has been issued to each of us.
God, as loving Father has adopted us into his family (Eph. 1:5) and chosen us as undeserving objects of his affection (I John 3:1). When God provides us with the sturdy walls of moral boundaries, it’s not because we are prisoners to be held captive, but instead, we are treasures to be guarded for our good (Prov. 4:6) and His glory (Deut. 4:6-8).
In my introductory blog post I say this:
“This blog has been designed around a prominent theme of my life: that of being kept from great harm and kept for great delight by God’s perfect wisdom. I’m not saying that living by God’s wisdom will keep us from ALL harm. God in His sovereignty may allow difficult things to enter our lives that are ultimately for our good and His glory. However, hear me in this: There is a whole other breed of self-inflicted harm that the Bible teaches we do not need to experience and there is a heaping pile of delight most certainly calling our names when we will love wisdom enough to pursue it.”
Just for fun and to provide a big picture view for us today, I wanted to share with you some of those protections and delights. From a scan through Proverbs* I have learned and have also proven to be true through experience, that when I live within God’s protective boundaries:
- I am kept from the fear of sudden disaster due to bad choices.
- I am kept from the destruction and carnage of sexual immorality and adultery.
- I am kept from the financial hardship that results from laziness.
- I am kept from going down the wrong path and taking others down with me (especially my children).
- I am kept from the bondage of giving into and being controlled by my passions and lusts.
- I am kept from constant conflict and quarrelling.
- I am kept from ruining my life by an out-of-control tongue.
- I am kept from the ruin and disgrace that comes from a failure to heed wise counsel.
- I am kept from the destruction of foolish peers.
- I am kept from ruining my children. (They may go down the wrong path, but it doesn’t have to be me that sends them)
- I am kept from tearing apart my family.
- I am kept from God’s corrective discipline.
- I am kept from destroying my friendships.
- I am kept from shaming my parents.
- I am kept from driving my husband insane or driving him away from the marriage.
- I am kept from the damaging and controlling influence of substances.
- I am kept from waltzing unaware into harmful situations.
- I am kept from a life-draining pursuit of wealth.
- I am kept from crumbling in the face of adversity.
- I am kept from conflict with neighbors and friends.
- I am kept from the shame and public disappointment of moral compromise.
- I am kept from the immense and varied vulnerabilities that come with a lack of self-control.
And if all that God’s wisdom keeps us from doesn’t entice you to get within those walls, look at what it keeps us for:
- I will be distinguished as honorable.
- God will act as a protective shield in my life.
- My life will be marked by steadiness & security.
- I will have clear direction in my life.
- My life will be characterized by peace and pleasantness.
- I may live a little longer.
- I will gain favor in the eyes of God and people.
- My life will be easier.
- I will be a wise and just leader.
- I will bring delight to my parents.
- I will have a positive an enduring legacy.
- I will enjoy peace and security because of my obedience & integrity.
- I will be a benefit and preserving influence to my community.
- I will flourish.
- I will be a stunning adornment that brings honor to my husband.
- I will build my family to be strong, precious & pleasant.
- I will be a woman known for confidence and boldness.
- My children will live with great security.
- I will begin to bless people by the power of my words.
- God is particularly attentive to my prayers.
- I will have few to no enemies.
- I will increase my ability to influence for good.
- I will have the wisdom to parent my children wisely and fittingly.
- My character and work will earn me an audience with influential people.
- I will possess the ability to say the right things at the right time.
- I will have the ability to build true and lasting friendships.
- I will possess the ability to honor those in authority over me and benefit accordingly.
- My life will be filled with joy and a song.
- I will increase the chances of my children bringing me peace & delight.
- I will not be affected by what people think of me.
- I will be shaped into the woman that my husband and children need.
To redeem a worldly term and employ it more suitably:
Within the protective walls of God’s wisdom, I am enjoying the life of a kept woman and it is marvelous!
Wanna join me?
*I didn’t include all the scripture references for each point because there are many. But if you would like a copy of this list with Proverbs references, please contact me through the website and I would be delighted to e-mail the list to you!