PRoverbs 5:11-14

¹¹ And you mourn at last,
When your flesh and your body are consumed,
¹² And say:
“How I have hated instruction,
And my heart despised correction!
¹³ I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers,
Nor inclined my ear to those who instructed me!
¹⁴ I was on the verge of total ruin,
In the midst of the assembly and congregation.”

As the YEARS slip by, we are graced with rock bottom.  How many times have you seen it in your life and through relationships that you have had?  “They haven’t hit rock bottom yet”  How good is our God that as we hit rock bottom, and realize- and mourn that are flesh and body have been consumed by seduction- His Grace is there to catch us and propel us into His arms.   He never leaves us as we wander. 

Solomon says, “How I have hated instruction,
And my heart despised correction!
¹³ I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers,
Nor inclined my ear to those who instructed me!

Thank you Father, that you have given us this book to study and ponder.  That we get to bow our knee in Holy Obedience to the Ordinary.

¹⁴ I was on the verge of total ruin,
In the midst of the assembly and congregation.”

These words give me pause. How staggering that we live this out every day. We see people slipping away.  We are called to living through Spirit and truth. In our sinful natures, how often do we hold each other accountable? How much easier is it to gossip and watch, taking notes-----and somehow enjoying it?  Is it just me- or do others feel the  lure of seduction in wanting to grab a bucket of popcorn and watch the train wreck…pasing it frame by frame to soak in the details?

How may of our bretheren are falling and we watch?  How are we holding each other accountable in the Body of Christ?   What does holding each other accountable mean?  I would offer that reckless love, paired with grace, mercy and truth work better than pointing fingers of judgement. 

Accountability in the Body. What would it look like if we, as Christians, offered this to each other- through love.  The flip side of that would be that we are able to accept truth from those that love us, to have a teachable spirit.

Do you know anyone that is

¹⁴ …. on the verge of total ruin,
In the midst of the assembly and congregation.”

What can you do today?

Has anyone you know reached into your darkness, through truth and love and stopped you from being on

¹⁴ …. the verge of total ruin,
In the midst of the assembly and congregation.”

Can you add these names, circumstances around your door?  AS a means of blocking the entry to the door, even blocking the path TO the door?