January 8, 2013
Titus 2:6
New Living Translation (NLT)
6 In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely.
I was doing fine until Tony breaks away from the NLT and states that other translations use the phrase "self-controlled." Suddenly my toes are hurting. In fact:
NIV: 6 Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled.
NASB: 6 Likewise urge the young men to be [a]sensible;
Aaah - now that's more like it. I can define sensible in terms I can live with.
Such a simple verse and a very short and rarely-referenced book, yet such a tall order to which to truly live. I confess I struggle with excesses - gluttony, materialism (there are so many toys and tools I really NEED!) among others. Self-control in these areas is easy for people who aren't susceptible to them, yet I find them impossible to control myself. I know intellectually I need God's grace and assistance to overcome these and I do so by yielding to his Lordship in these areas. I know that the only way to yield is to pray, but I don't get the results I really want. I want instant satisfaction and gratification (wait, isn't that a form of gluttony in and of itself?), yet God works slowly and in different ways than I would. I want my desires gone, my weight immediately reduced, and my life restored to some unspecified restore point in my younger years. Yet, I know that that which is easily gained is not appreciated, respected, nor life-changing.
In the words of Brian Regan "this is a hard rule!"
Lord I pray that you will be that consuming fire I need to overwhelm my urge to be in control and to over-indulge in those things you have gifted to me. Forgive the excesses of my past and help me walk the straight and narrow path of self-control.
I was doing fine until Tony breaks away from the NLT and states that other translations use the phrase "self-controlled." Suddenly my toes are hurting. In fact:
NIV: 6 Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled.
NASB: 6 Likewise urge the young men to be [a]sensible;
Aaah - now that's more like it. I can define sensible in terms I can live with.
Such a simple verse and a very short and rarely-referenced book, yet such a tall order to which to truly live. I confess I struggle with excesses - gluttony, materialism (there are so many toys and tools I really NEED!) among others. Self-control in these areas is easy for people who aren't susceptible to them, yet I find them impossible to control myself. I know intellectually I need God's grace and assistance to overcome these and I do so by yielding to his Lordship in these areas. I know that the only way to yield is to pray, but I don't get the results I really want. I want instant satisfaction and gratification (wait, isn't that a form of gluttony in and of itself?), yet God works slowly and in different ways than I would. I want my desires gone, my weight immediately reduced, and my life restored to some unspecified restore point in my younger years. Yet, I know that that which is easily gained is not appreciated, respected, nor life-changing.
In the words of Brian Regan "this is a hard rule!"
Lord I pray that you will be that consuming fire I need to overwhelm my urge to be in control and to over-indulge in those things you have gifted to me. Forgive the excesses of my past and help me walk the straight and narrow path of self-control.
1 comment:
That's a rough rule.
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