Apicontent

When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy. (Proverbs 11:10)

A wise man fears the Lord and shuns evil, but a fool is hot-headed and reckless. A quick-tempered man does foolish things, and a crafty man is hated. (Proverbs 14:16- 17)

Most people give little thought to the response of the populace at their death. For most, it’s a wake, a memorial service, a public obituary, some public grieving, a respectful burial, and a marker stone in a cemetery.

Prominent people—especially politically powerful ones—leave a more significant mark on society and history. Such is the case with Herod the Great (37 – 4 BC). A violent and paranoid king, Herod appears in the account of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem (Matthew 2) and is the man credited with commanding the slaughter of all male children under two years of age in his realm…in a failed attempt to destroy the reported “King of the Jews—Jesus.” Herod killed one of his ten wives, two of her sons, her brother, her grandfather, her mother, three of his fourteen children, and assorted other enemies and “friends.” He tried desperately to kill Jesus. Imagine the number of people thrilled to have King Herod gone!

Anticipating the public rejoicing at his death, King Herod selected well-loved public figures and ordered that they be called to the capitol at his death and murdered…so the grief from their murders would drown out the rejoicing over his death. Thankfully, his son and his sister refused to carry out the order.

There were shouts of joy at the news of Herod’s passing. For good reason!

Principle: At your death, you have a choice—people cheering your character or cheering your departure. Only you can decide.

Solomon and his associates explain how you end up being hated. It isn’t that hard, really. Rephrasing Proverbs 14:16-17 above, (1) you act a fool, (2) let your anger run out of control, and (3) be cunning and conniving. That ought to do it! It worked for King Herod.

Principle: The easiest way to draw contempt from others is to sow contemptible motives and behaviors in your dealings with them; sow grace and kindness, and you will usually reap grace and kindness.

Proverbs 12:25 suggests that “an anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.”

I was once on the studio lot at Sony/Columbia Pictures waiting for the tram which operates around the spacious studio. As I waited, I observed a man in a work uniform with a broom and a scoop picking up gum wrappers, cigarette butts, and other refuse.

“Sir,” I said, “I want to thank you for your work. Watching you, I was thinking what a mess this lot would be if you were not doing what you are doing. You are very important here.”

At first, it was as if he was not sure I was talking to him. Then, he straightened up, looked me in the eye, and told me that he was the third generation of his family “in show business.” As I boarded the tram, he pursued the litter with his shoulders up and a smile on his countenance. It appeared that one kind comment and a listening ear had made his day!

Principle: One never knows how large a lever a kind word is to lift a sagging spirit and offload a heavy burden.

Kindness can cause a city to rejoice! If only Herod had known.

[from “Wisdom for the Trenches” by Dr. Larry W. Poland]

The wicked borrow and don’t repay, but the righteous give generously. (Psalms 37:21)

Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely. (Psalms 112:5)

The one who is gracious to the poor lends to the LORD, and the LORD will repay him for his good deed. (Proverbs 19:17)

An old American proverb declares, “Neither a borrower nor a lender be.” While there may be some good sense in that statement, it is not a biblical position. The Scriptures direct the righteous to be lenders (but not borrowers). The verse above says to lend freely.

The problem with being a generous lender is that there are borrowers who don’t repay their debts leaving the righteous lender on the hook for the loaned money. The psalmist labels these folks “wicked.” Whatever they are called, the righteous lender is still the one who gets ripped off.

The last time I made a list, I think it was fifteen people I lent to who did not repay me. All were professed Christians too… and in some pretty big numbers! I used to waste time and energy grousing about those on my “deadbeat” list until I read in Jesus’ “awful” speech about loving enemies and going the second mile that we also were to “lend and not expect repayment” (Luke 6:34). Silly me. The reason I was stressed was because I obviously was expecting repayment.

It took me a number of years to get past the “not expecting repayment” factor. (Smile.) When making a loan, I have to say to myself, “This person may not pay me back. It’s okay, God. I know You will repay the loss”—and He has—every time. I haven’t missed a meal. When I have a stock investment do surprisingly well, I thank the Lord for the loan repayment and chalk it up to His blessing.

Principle: God always makes sure that generous, righteous lenders get repaid…from some source. He commonly covers the repayment Himself.

While I am on the subject, let me toss in some advice to those with outstanding payments on money you have borrowed. There are two absolute “musts.” First, you must communicate frequently and regularly. Silence communicates many messages…all bad (You don’t care. You’ve decided not to repay. All your other needs are higher priority than the loan repayment, etc.). Second, you must make some small regular payments (even $50 a month?) to show good faith. True deadbeats (the “wicked”) do neither of these things. They hide and make no partial payments.

A friend told me that his dad had some people in his world that he didn’t like and didn’t respect, so he would purposely loan them money. They wouldn’t repay, they’d hide, and he’d never see them again! He figured the money the borrower didn’t repay was a fair price not to have them in his life.

Principle: Failure to repay borrowed money costs you a lot more than the value of what was borrowed. It costs you your reputation and, most likely, a friendship.

I worked in a men’s wear store in high school and college. A poor farmer asked the store owner if he could buy a new suit and make payments of a dollar a week. The owner trusted him, and every Saturday morning when the farmer came to town, the first thing he did was stop by the store and make the one-dollar payment on his suit. You could set your clock by his visit.

As the farmer walked out the door one Saturday, the owner said to me, “I’d loan that guy anything he wanted. Then, I have these guys from Country Club Drive who charge hundreds of dollars worth of clothes, and I never hear from them again. They ignore my overdue invoices.”

[from “Wisdom for the Trenches” by Dr. Larry W. Poland]

Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up: a servant who becomes king, a godless fool who gets plenty to eat, a contemptible woman who gets married, and a servant who displaces her mistress. (Proverbs 30:21–23)

I lived in an earthquake country for four decades. I mean real earth­quake country as in “San Andreas Fault land.” I know the terror that can overtake a region when the earth starts to shake and move. I saw the devastation of the 1994 Northridge, California, quake when it shook so hard that loaded file cabinets punched holes in the ceiling and overpass pillars poked through the freeways.

I’ve also witnessed moral earthquakes, times when the upheaval and destruction are caused by the upending of societal righteousness by those driven by the seismic power of unbridled evil. Think Adolf Hitler. Think Saddam Hussein. Think Idi Amin.

In the passage above, the sages of Solomon cite four shifts in the tectonic plates of life that reduce homes, communities, and nations to rubble. The last two—a mistress who wins the heart of a husband from his wife and a wretched, contemptible woman who marries­ destroy the peace and cohesion of family relationships. They wreak havoc by introducing flawed characters into the fragile balance of love and commitment that sustain a righteous home and family.

Principle: No grand dreams of love and happiness and no firm resolve to sustain commitment until death ends it can save a marriage or family if even one of the spouses lacks righteous character. Character is the foundation on which all stable relationships are built.

A whole community can be rocked by the second situation, a fool who prospers. As his financial blessings keep him well fed, a fool is increasingly able to flaunt his folly, fund his excesses, and violate the laws of God and man. Every community has at least one “rich jerk” who operates on the premise that his success is validation that the rules don’t apply to him. When this happens, all hell breaks loose.

Principle: God must keep some fools poor because He knows that if He let them prosper, they would have the means to multiply their folly and its disastrous consequences.

The situation described first in this quartet of proverbs I call the Idi Amin Syndrome. Idi Amin Dada Oumee was the third president of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. Rising from poverty through the ranks of the British colonial regiment, he seized power in a military coup. Mad with power as the ruler of the nation, Idi reigned by human rights abuses, political repression, ethnic cleansing, arbitrary killings, nepotism, corruption, and gross economic mismanagement. Estimates of those slaughtered range upward to half a million.

As one from the peasant class, Amin “made the earth tremble” when he gained power. The same dynamic operates in politicians and televangelists who rise to fame and fortune from nothing and lose all moral centering…because they are unfamiliar with the world of affluence and influence. It surely explains the Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber character meltdowns. I think this principle even explains why Billy Graham didn’t get seduced by his favor and blessings. He came from Southern comfortability, respect, and godly character at the start.

Principle: Unless there is familiarity with wealth and power coupled to godliness, a person rising to sudden affluence and celebrity tends to lose all impulse control and to bring chaos to his own life and the lives of those he touches.

Between these moral tremors and quakes under which no family or nation can stand, obedience to the law of a holy God stabilizes the continental shelves of society.

[from “Wisdom for the Trenches” by Dr. Larry W. Poland]

There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies, and a person who stirs up conflict in the community. (Proverbs 6:16–19, NIV)

The Ten Commandments of Exodus 20 have become “controversial” in the U.S. There are movements of radicals who want them removed from schools and public places. Far be it from any society ­much less one founded on Judea-Christian virtues—to decry publicly behaviors like stealing, lying, adultery, atheism, covetousness, and murder! But focus on the Big Ten sometimes removes attention from the hundreds of commands, exhortations, principles, and guidelines the Scriptures contain outside of Exodus and the Torah.

The passage above is one example. It describes seven attributes that God “hates.” It would seem self-evident that anyone with a scintilla of fear of God would try to avoid things on His “hate shortlist”!

The seven are not isolated from each other. I think they often come as a package. People who are quick to rush into evil are probably not hesitant to lie, devise wicked schemes, stir up conflict, and strut around with a proud look or “haughty eyes.” People who are proud liars might well be more likely to stir up conflict, and so on.

Principle: Evil behavior is like cancer; it seldom is seen in a single cell but commonly in a “mass” of interconnected, rapidly multiplying, sinful practices.

If lying is no big deal in this culture, condemning a proud or “haughty” look is clearly absurd. The “IT” look is the trademark of Hollywood men and women, fashion magazines, the red carpet, and a host of other venues. Why would God make such a big deal about it? Simple. An arrogance that shows itself in external demeanor, clothing, accessories, and such provides State Exhibit A that the person is not “clothed in humility.” Such a person—never humbled before God—perceives himself or herself as personally godlike. God stands no rivals…because He has no real ones.

Principle: The root of most other behaviors God hates is self-exaltation. Only those who get to the place where they recognize that life is all about God and nothing about their ego are truly blessed.

I’ve already dealt with lying in other portions of these short essays. But I can’t resist emphasizing that, as stated here, lying made the short list of things God hates—two of the seven! This seems nonsensical in a culture in which lying is “no big deal.” Advertisers misrepresent their products, PR people “spin” to us, people who swear an oath to tell the truth in court perjure themselves, even high officials in government lie to us making promises they have no intention of keeping then using cover-up lies when they are caught. Let no one deceive you; lying is a big deal to God.

Principle: A lie is the first drill hole in the Levee of Trust before the flood of falsehood inundates everyone secured by the protective wall of integrity.

[from “Wisdom for the Trenches” by Dr. Larry W. Poland]

Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife. (Proverbs 17:1)

Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and nagging [spouse]. (Proverbs 21:19)

Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome [spouse]. (Proverbs 21:9)

I heard of a woman whose husband complained that “he needed his space.” So she locked him out of the house. Obviously, that residence was a house, not a home. There is so much strife in families today that homes with tranquility, trust, love, and respect are in the 3 percent range. With the pace of life and work, family members pass like trains in the night taking little time to communicate, share, love, and bond. The result is not a “home” but a motel with relatives.

All the while, family members focus on money and material things. They think that a “dream home” is an expensive new structure when really it is a spiritual bond of love and communication. Proverbs lays domestic false notions bare. Solomon knew that peace and tranquility were more nonnegotiable for a functional family than sufficient wealth to have perpetual feasting.

Principle: Bricks and mortar do not make a home. No matter how beautiful or lavish a residence may be, it is only a container for the spiritual interaction among the inhabitants.

A friend describes people who have “taken the fun out of dysfunction.” In marriage counseling, I have often listened to the most vicious, hurtful, and destructive talk coming from the two. Then I have taken them back to the days when they were so in love they couldn’t bear to be separated and couldn’t wait until they could occupy the same space. Then I ask where they went wrong. Proverbs says that two factors in this dysfunction are quarreling and badgering (nagging). The opposite is “Speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” according to the apostle Paul.

Principle: Harmonious interpersonal communication is the Spirit-inspired expression of two hearts in tune with God and each other. Unloving speech is the language of warfare…for which homes are not designed.

It is no wonder that marrieds—and their kids—often feel so oppressed by the tension, conflict, rejection, criticism, hostility, and abuse of their families that they are desperate to “get away” or “get some space.” Proverbs understands this desperation and affirms that a desert space or an attic room is more pleasant than living in the middle of continual conflict.

Principle: Family issues are not solved by “getting your own space.” The violence and conflict of a bad home will follow you. Allowing God to heal the conflict is the only solution.

“Home, sweet home” is the name for a domicile filled with the Spirit of Jesus.

[from “Wisdom for the Trenches” by Dr. Larry W. Poland]

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise use knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness. (Proverbs 15:1, NKJV)

And there a woman met him, with the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart. She was loud and rebellious; her feet would not stay at home. (Proverbs 7:10–11, NKJV)

The church custodian was cleaning the platform after the weekend services and discovered the pastor’s notes still on the pulpit. Curious, the custodian read through the notes until he came to a scribble in the margin which read, “Point weak; shout louder.” Interesting.

A couple came to me for marriage counsel and, in the middle of the session, started raising their voices as they talked to each other…more and more. Soon—as if I were not even in the room—they were yelling at each other! I could only imagine how they must have screamed at each other when no one else was present.

Who would have thought that there would be a biblical doctrine of “soft communication”? But when you think of it, consider who yells: angry people, bossy people, people who are insecure in their authority, people who are insistent on being heard over others, boisterously arrogant people, rebellious people, and such. Solomon had learned a key principle, namely, that soft speech has great benefits. He declared that soft words dispel anger in communication; loud harsh words just fuel it.

Principle: Raising one’s voice sets off an interpersonal “arms race” in which anger and even greater anger and yelling results; soft, gentle words assuage anger and halt the escalation.

Every home has a definable range of decibels in its interaction. I have a friend who grew up in the home of a tough Philadelphia welder in which he got used to “high-volume” communication. When he married, his wife would say, “Don’t yell at me!” and he would reply, “I’m not yelling!”

Loud speech is one indicator of a heart and soul that are not at peace. The Spirit of Christ floods the being with a “silent solace” and inner security that voids the need to yell and scream. Turbulent spirits roar, shout, and scream.

Principle: When you catch yourself cranking up the volume in your communication, stop and ask God to quiet your spirit. A quiet spirit—even in the most intense interaction—will generate a conversation that sheds light rather than shouts and screams that generate heat.

Interesting, isn’t it, that Solomon links loud, boisterous communication to rebellious, immoral people? He profiles a street prostitute as one marked by a spirit of rebellion and loud, defiant speech. It is automatic that people living in rebellion against God’s Law eventually morph into people with an “attitude” which defies all who challenge their lifestyle or values. “We’re here and we’re queer!” or a gay “pride” parade may be examples of this.

Principle: The godly person is quiet before God and tranquilly submissive to His authority. Nobody goes unpunished for yelling at God and defying His directives.

The apocryphal church pastor with the “shout louder” note in his sermon notes had to learn that his impact on a congregation was tied to his virtue, not his volume!

[from “Wisdom for the Trenches” by Dr. Larry W. Poland]

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. (Proverbs 16:33)

So they [the disciples] nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles. (Aces 1:23-26)

Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this [shipwreck] calamity.” They cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. (Jonah 1:7)

There is a science which studies probability, the law (or formula) of total probability, and other factors in predicting what is likely or unlikely to happen. Most people know little about laws of probability but a lot about “luck.” “Good luck” is credited for the good fortune people experience just as “bad luck” is blamed for bad fortune. Luck is even anthropomorphized into a person, “Lady Luck.” This fake deity is invoked at slot machines and roulette wheels in every gambling hall in the world.

But does it make sense to call on luck when facing tough decisions? Will Lady Luck act in favor or disfavor in your circumstance? The authors of Proverbs don’t support relying on chance factors. They directed us beyond superstition and behind a chance to the Person who does influence what happens…God.

Could it be that a sovereign God is so involved in the events of this world that He has a say in every roll of the dice, every spin of the wheel, every dealing of the cards? The Bible says yes. If so, praying to the true and living God is going to be a lot more helpful than appealing to a mythical someone in the great beyond somewhere!

But what about Bible references which support the casting of lots to divine God’s will or get answers to cosmic questions? In one of the passages above, Jesus’ disciples cast lots to decide which of their two “nominees” God would approve to be a replacement for Judas Iscariot who had killed himself? They prayed to God and then cast their lots. When the lot fell on Matthias, they picked him.

In this age in which Christian believers have God’s Word and the indwelling Holy Spirit for guidance, lots are superfluous and unnecessary. Out of grace, God might still work through casting them, but a more direct approach to Him through prayer to involve the Holy Spirit is preferred.

Principle: When seeking guidance in any of life’s circumstances, rely on God’s guidance, not a chance.

[from “Wisdom for the Trenches” by Dr. Larry W. Poland]

He [God] mocks proud mockers but shows favor to the humble and oppressed. (Proverbs 3:34)

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. (Proverbs 11:2)

Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the LORD, and humility comes before honor. (Proverbs 15:33)

Before a downfall, the heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor. (Proverbs 18:12)

Humility and the fear of the Lord bring wealth and honor and life. (Proverbs 22:4)

We’ve all heard of the proud man whose five-hundred-page book was titled “Humility and How I Attained it…with Fifty Full Color Pictures of Myself.” Humble? Not so much.

Having served in the entertainment industry for so long, I can tell you that humility is a really scarce commodity there. For that matter, it is a scarce commodity in our entire culture. The executive director of the Television Academy of Arts and Sciences told me what an awful time it is right before the annual Emmy Awards event. There are hundreds of fights with attendees over the location of their seats in the house! Near the front. In full view of the TV cameras. Next to big celebrities.

Not next to a “seat filler”—an attractive young nobody who fills the seat of a celebrity while they are on stage, etc. My friend told of the many actual threats the academy staff receive from those who do not get a seat location to their liking!

These folks never read Proverbs on the roadmap to honor. God’s wise sages explained that, basically, the absence of humility indicates a lack of fear of God!

The more godlike we view ourselves, the more we diminish the God to whom we owe everything. Thus, our self-exaltation creates a rival to God and seeks to steal His glory. God tolerates no rivals.

Principle: A key to success in life is living by John the Baptist’s statement, “He must become more important; I must become less important” (John 3:30 NLV). Self-imposed humility actually is blessed by God with “riches, honor, and life.”

The road to honor goes through humility, not self-promotion. When God spots overwhelming pride, He visits it with “mockery” and “disgrace.” In life, we can choose—humility or humiliation.

One more note. I think it is extremely risky to pray, “Dear God, please humble me.” God’s desire is that we humble ourselves. Being humbled is wildly more painful than humbling ourselves. As the praise chorus states, “Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”

[from “Wisdom for the Trenches” by Dr. Larry W. Poland]

Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues. (Proverbs 17:28)

Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues. (Proverbs 10:19)

Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble. (Proverbs 21:23)

Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent. (Proverbs 11:12)

I have a wonderful gift…and an awful curse…all rolled into one bodily organ, my tongue. I have a short link between my mind and my mouth and am a born communicator. Dead-air space prompts me to think I should speak. Ouch! How many times in my life that “gift” has gotten me in big trouble. It has taken me far too long to learn there are times when I should be silent in every language I know.

Maybe you can relate.

James said that a person who can control his tongue has life mastered. “Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check” (James 3:2).

Principle: Silence truly is “golden,” and talk truly is “cheap.” Only God can enable us to discern when to exchange the talk which is cheap for the quietness which is golden.

I suppose this teaching could be called the “biblical doctrine of shut­ting up.” I love the humor Solomon’s boys put in this teaching. It contrasts a quiet fool with a talkative one. Someone has said it is better to keep quiet and be thought a fool than to talk and remove all doubt. Proverbs recommends keeping quiet because you might even be thought intelligent with your mouth shut!

When I was in management, we used to do an exercise to dramatize the difference between talk and influence. We played a game in which groups of eight to ten were to pretend that they were stranded on the moon with only one chance to get back to earth alive—take the most crucial objects from a long list and leave on the moon all those that might safely be left behind. The zinger in the game was that every single member of the group had to agree on the rank order of each of the items on the list!

After a considerable amount of discussion, the groups presented their lists. Then the organizational facilitator asked each group to line up its members in order of participation—the most talkative to those who participated the least. At this point, the talkers felt mighty good about themselves…at the head of each line.

Then the facilitator asked the members of each group to rearrange their lines based on whose comments made the most impact on the ultimate group decision. In nearly every case, there were those who moved from the back to the head of this new line, people who had been quiet a lot during the discussions. When they did speak, however, everybody listened!

The exercise revealed that talking a lot gave way to speaking wisdom to the group and its final decisions. Repeatedly in Proverbs, fools are described as babbling nonsense, listening too little, and wanting only to air their own opinions. Formulas for disaster.

Years ago, when Johnny Carson was in his heyday with the NBC Tonight Show, he had a ditzy blonde actress as a guest. She babbled incoherently and incessantly as the middle-aged man who sat beside her observed. Finally, in a brief moment between her babbles—probably to catch her breath—the man asked, “Do you have any unexpressed thoughts?”

Principle: There are times to speak and times to keep silent. Unexpressed thoughts will never get you in trouble. In fact, some might even read your timely moments of silence as intelligence! At times, tell yourself to “shut up.”

[from “Wisdom for the Trenches” by Dr. Larry W. Poland]

Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value a man who speaks the truth. (Proverbs 16:13)

He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for his friend. (Proverbs 22:11)

Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men. (Proverbs 22:29)

Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence, and do not claim a place among great men; it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,” than for him to humiliate you before a nobleman. (Proverbs 25:6-7)

For all their benefits, democracies cheat their citizens of a number of valuable life lessons. One is learning to relate to absolute authority. Human nature—bent as it is toward rebellion—is taught submission only through the discipline of dealing with authority against which there is no appeal. When a king speaks, it is a final answer. When a president speaks, it may well be subject to appeal, veto, or negotiability. It is that perception of negotiability that gives a foot in the door for man’s rebellion…and its consequences.

When I was in college ROTC, I was taught a very alien and often-despised concept called “military authority.” Bringing my democratic presuppositions and youthful arrogance to the military environment cost me many hours of labor working off “demerits” administered because of my lack of submission to the officers over me. I was told the only acceptable answers were, “Yes, sir,” “No, sir,” and “No excuse, sir.” Awful…but wonderful. I learned my heart of rebellion and ways to respond to nonnegotiable authority. The military chain of command taught me how to respond to God.

Proverbs teaches principles for relating successfully to those in authority—husbands, bosses, police, governors, and God. Following them is a key to better relationships, even if their authority is not “absolute.”

Watchman Nee, in his book Spiritual Authority, teaches that in every situation a believer is to be keenly aware of two dynamics—the presence of sin and the presence of authority. He also taught that the righteous person “keeps his peace and keeps his place.”

Principle: Asking yourself, “Is there sin here?” and “Who’s in authority here?” will quickly reveal the moral compass for a situation—avoid the sin and submit to the authority.

There is a pecking order even among high-level authorities. The general can overrule the captain and the captain the sergeant. In like manner, in the heavenly chain of authority, there is one authority that transcends all others. He is called the “King of all kings.”

Principle: If you are tempted to play loosely with the authority over you, be most keenly aware that there is One whose authority is never to be tested. To do so is a matter of spiritual life and death! He isn’t called King of Kings for nothing.

[from “Wisdom for the Trenches” by Dr. Larry W. Poland]