Ephesians 5:15 NKJV - "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise."
Commentary: (First of two commentaries on this verse).
I'm quoting this verse from the New King James Version because of the word, "circumspectly." I remember how that word was described years ago by several preachers. The idea is to have a circular perspective and examination of your situation each and every moment. Pay attention to your surroundings with concern that you avoid danger and that you don't miss the opportunities made available to you.
As far as danger is concerned let me share an incident that happened to me nearly 40 years ago in New York State. I was pastoring a small farm community church in the Mohawk Valley region. My wife loved to bake, and still does, Praise the Lord! She asked me to pick elderberries from a sight someone had told her about. Well, I went out to this sight early one morning around 6:30. It was off a dirt road in a wooded area with some tall grass that I had to walk through before I came to the elderberry bushes. I immediately went in and starting putting the berry branches into a large plastic bag I was carrying. All of a sudden I felt and heard two alarming things: the "feeling" was like a barbed wire was wrapping itself around my left ankle and the sound was a LOT of BUZZING!! What happened? I did not walk circumspectly!! I didn't look carefully at my surroundings and I stepped into a yellow-jacket colony!! The bees immediately attacked my ankle and then began to swarm around me! I saw the tall grass I had walked through earlier and I headed straight through it hoping that some of the blades of grass would hamper the bees from getting through. I didn't drop my bag, however. I fought hard for those berries and I wasn't leaving them behind! I got home and my wife and I counted 11 stings. Not all that bad, but a lesson was learned.
Now, in our lives the devil is casting his darts of doubt and temptation constantly. We need to walk with our spiritual eyes on the lookout! That's part of the rest of our verse, don't walk as a fool right into the "devilish colony" and get stung! Be wise and be careful! (More tomorrow).
Commentary: (First of two commentaries on this verse).
I'm quoting this verse from the New King James Version because of the word, "circumspectly." I remember how that word was described years ago by several preachers. The idea is to have a circular perspective and examination of your situation each and every moment. Pay attention to your surroundings with concern that you avoid danger and that you don't miss the opportunities made available to you.
As far as danger is concerned let me share an incident that happened to me nearly 40 years ago in New York State. I was pastoring a small farm community church in the Mohawk Valley region. My wife loved to bake, and still does, Praise the Lord! She asked me to pick elderberries from a sight someone had told her about. Well, I went out to this sight early one morning around 6:30. It was off a dirt road in a wooded area with some tall grass that I had to walk through before I came to the elderberry bushes. I immediately went in and starting putting the berry branches into a large plastic bag I was carrying. All of a sudden I felt and heard two alarming things: the "feeling" was like a barbed wire was wrapping itself around my left ankle and the sound was a LOT of BUZZING!! What happened? I did not walk circumspectly!! I didn't look carefully at my surroundings and I stepped into a yellow-jacket colony!! The bees immediately attacked my ankle and then began to swarm around me! I saw the tall grass I had walked through earlier and I headed straight through it hoping that some of the blades of grass would hamper the bees from getting through. I didn't drop my bag, however. I fought hard for those berries and I wasn't leaving them behind! I got home and my wife and I counted 11 stings. Not all that bad, but a lesson was learned.
Now, in our lives the devil is casting his darts of doubt and temptation constantly. We need to walk with our spiritual eyes on the lookout! That's part of the rest of our verse, don't walk as a fool right into the "devilish colony" and get stung! Be wise and be careful! (More tomorrow).
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