"The power of man has grown in every sphere, except over himself."
Winston Churchill
Our society is one of no internal control. I live among gluttons of all types. Some of our gluttony is visible and some of our gluttony is not easily perceived. BUT gluttony is still a problem all around me and maybe even within me if I allow it to be.
“Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls.”
Proverbs 25:28
People talk a lot about having boundaries BUT often those boundaries are just to keep other people and other ideas out while the city the walls protect are empty and barren. The great thing about walls is the ability to control what gets in and what goes out. What is the point of boundaries if there is nothing for the wall to protect?
I think Torah shows us the need for walls, for borders, for boundaries in our lives. BUT those walls are to control what is inside of me from being a burden or even a problem on others. If I fail to control what goes into my city, then I will definitely have a lot less control of what comes out of my city as well. So, I have to be careful of what I consume with my mouth, with my ears, and with my eyes. Those things that I feed my body, my mind, and my spirit are what eventually end up making me.
Our food becomes our body. So it is important to consider what I am using to fuel my body. Our study becomes our mind. So it is important to consider what I am learning. Our mindset becomes our spirit. So it is important to consider on what I focus.
I can’t be healthy and aligned without a plan, without boundaries, without a wall. And I have to work on making certain that wall protects something good. I have to work on making certain what I export from my city is also good. Self control is an important fruit of the spirit. It is one that is often overlooked and set aside with scriptural excuses that are not often in alignment with the commands of Christ and Adonai.
If you love God, then you will keep His Commandments. If you love yourself, then you control what comes into your city. If you love your neighbor, then you will control what goes out of your city.
“Do you want to be a mighty warrior?
It’s better to be known as one who is patient and slow to anger [The Septuagint is “It’s better to be forgiving than strong"].
Do you want to conquer a city?
Rule over your temper before you attempt to rule a city.”
Proverbs 16:32
I need to tame my tongue and my heart before I can be a leader of men, that is the Way of the Lord. There are many leaders of men that have no control. There are many leaders of men that have no boundaries. There are many leaders of men that have no walls around their cities. And they would have you tear down your walls as well. BUT the Lord has rules and so should I. And our rules should be His.
Shavua tov. Shalom to your home. Bless your being. The reign of YHWH is now. Be a blessing to YHWH and others.