SCRIPTURE:
“Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.”
Proverbs 25:28
OBSERVATION:
Short and to the point but so profound and soul searching are Solomon’s words of wisdom in this scripture. At first glance one can wonder what do broken city walls have to do with a man’s self-control, and more so intention and follow through? However, I recall my trip to Israel, and being able to see history firsthand, and how the walls of a city were so important for the defense and safety of a city; and how breaks in the wall, or ill-designed city walls often allowed a city and it’s people to fall to invaders. In Israel, we were able to visit Masada, the fortress built atop a mountain to protect its inhabitants from the siege of the Romans. It seemed inaccessible to the Roman siege at 1,300 ft. high above the ground, and fortified with a surrounding wall. However, we learned that it was just a break in a 40’ span of the wall that enabled the Romans to ultimately conquer Masada. So to with our self-control, or conversely, control in terms of discipline, where rather than lack the intention and follow through of doing something, we don’t follow through. It was the lack of intention and follow through as noted in the scripture, that a city with walls broken down, is man who lacks discipline, intent, and follow through.
APPLICATION:
The control that we have is to stand by our word, and follow through with our promises and principles, disallowing the enemy and his temptations to creep into our lives, as well as following through with what we intend and say we will do. Isn’t it so easy to have good intentions with our word and promises but then find we battle with self-control and follow through, often giving in to sin, temptation, and not being doers. This scripture is such a great reminder to me that I need to have self-control, and therefore control in terms of discipline; less my walls of defense against the enemy will cause me to stumble and fall to sin and temptation. That furthermore, I would be intentional in my plans, words, and promises. The flesh can be so weak as we live in the world. I know that the remedy is to stand on God’s promises and His word, not to be of the world and to put on the armor of God thereby fortifying my heart with strong city walls. Someone once gave me a phrase to repeat to myself in those situations to “bounce and renounce” those thoughts or things that would compromise my faith and morals. Yet, we are so blessed to know that if our city walls are broken, that Jesus can mend our walls and fortify them by what He did on the cross to restore us.
PRAYER:
Dear Lord, thank you for the wisdom of Solomon to remind me that my intent and follow through to stand on your word and promises to keep the city walls of my heart strong that I may ward off the temptations of the enemy and not fall into sin or offense. Please guide me to have the strength of self-control to follow through with all of my intentions.
