6.1.12

Proverbs 25:28 I operate in self-control and don't allow my spirit to be unruly.  I refuse to be like a city that is broken down and without walls.  Self-control and discipline add protection to my life.

My Thoughts

Wall in old cities...they not only kept people out that would cause harm to the city.  They also keep the over zealous people in the city.  The people that would rush out to do what they thought was right...who went about in such haste that they caused more harm than good. The people that wanted to make decisions for the city based on their beliefs not on what the king or the people of that city wanted for themselves. These people often cause disaster .... often caused wars.

We can cause disaster in our own loves when we don't have self-control...when we act without thinking of others...when we act without consulting God... all because we have an overzealous moment. Either one of wanting something so bad we don't think things through... or one of self-defence where we think we are just protecting ourselves. When actually we are getting all in the way of God's protection over us. Self control and discipline are as important to our lives as those city wall were to the people of the past.  The keep us safe for others...and they keep us safe from ourselves. 

We need to put step in our thinking process that protect us... that keep us in control.  Those steps will be different for each of us...and for each situation.  We may need never to say yes without 24 hours to think about something because we are too much of a people pleaser (me!!). We may need to stop and take 5 deep breaths before we speak because we often become defensive. We may need to ask ourselves a list of questions before we act to put thing in perspective. 

One thing we always need to do is ask God to be a part of every decision.. great or small that we make.  We need to ask God to to guard our words and our hearts.  We need to remember that the most important person to please is not ourselves, or others... it is God. We need to remember we are doing these things to create self-control and discipline in our lives...and that self-control and discipline add protection to everything we do! 

Walls that only keep people out are not good.  But walls that created an opening that has checks and balances for what comes in our lives...and what comes our of our lives are a good thing... those are the kind of walls that keep us safe for harm...  harming ourselves and harming others and being harmed by others.  Strong solid walls with the purpose of protection are a good thing.