The wisest of all men,
Solomon, recommends that the best in life is to stay on the middle
ground, Solomon said:
“Do
not be overrighteous, neither be overwise - why destroy yourself?
Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool - why die before your
time? It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. The
man who fears God will avoid all extremes”
(Ecclesiastes 7:16-18 NIV).
We
must have noticed that when the weather is extremely cold or
extremely hot, it is not good. I had the opportunity to be in
Chicago, U.S.A. from September to December in 2007. It was a snowy
weather that the trees and the grasses are covered with snow. It was
extremely cold, specially to Filipinos like me. On the other hand, I
had also the opportunity to be in Sydney, Australia one December in
1997. It was extremely hot! We have to run inside the building where
there is airconditioning. I remember in April 1988, I was a delegate
to the Foursquare Gospel Church International Convention. It was
springtime in California, U.S.A. It was neither cold nor hot. I
enjoyed my vacation with my wife.
Experience
is the best teacher. I said to myself, “there is no place better
than my beloved Philippines where I was born,” where it is neither
very hot nor very cold. In such kind of weather, it is much easier
to survive and less expensive and less tiresome to live in comfort.
In Proverbs 30:7-9
(NIV), the Bible says:
“7Two
things I ask of you. O Lord; do not refuse me before I die;
8Keep
falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.
9Otherwise,
I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘who is the LORD?’
or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”
What did the great
Apostle Paul say?
“But
if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that” (1 Tim
6:8 NIV).
The Apostle is right.
To me, the best stature in life is neither very rich nor very poor.
The
LORD Jesus Christ is our best example. In those days, there were no
Mercedes Benz or Rolls Royce or Toyota or Mitsubishi cars. They had
only Camels which could be the equivalent of Mercedes Benz or Rolls
Royce of today. But what ride did Jesus Christ select? He selected a
donkey which could be the equivalent of our small cars of today.
Small cars are very much less expensive in gas and in tires. It is
much easier to find a parking place; they are means of transport for
men of humility. It is godly and always good to be humble. The Lord
Jesus said, “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and
whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matt. 23:12 NIV).
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