These guardrails from the Psalms help us walk a fulfilling journey
By Dean Collins
I’ve been in the mountains recently. The vistas along the Blue Ridge Parkway and on other mountain roads in North Carolina and East Tennessee are breathtaking
But we wouldn’t safely enjoy this splendor without guardrails. I appreciated that in a new way as I drove through several of these mountain roads.
Spiritual guardrails
The Bible gives guardrails, too. Psalm 119 is an example. It contains many sections that provide us with reminders of how God’s Word and his instructions provide a pathway that is safe and fulfilling and will help us travel this earth with proper focus on God, self, and others.
Verses 36 and 37 seem like good guardrails for navigating the tensions of a culture that drifts toward selfishness above generosity.
We generally are filled with inspiration and gratitude when we observe the generosity of some in moments of great human need. How many times have we been moved when we see the outpouring of love and caring for those dealt great difficulty by life. Extreme loss from flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, or earthquakes has inspired unprecedented generosity. And while such tragedies generally impact many, we are equally touched when we see someone give a wish to an ill-struck individual, too. These gestures remind us that people can be good and kind to those in need.
Self-sacrifice
Throughout the pandemic we watched many frontline workers in healthcare and other industries act with self-sacrifice for the benefit of others or of the whole of humanity. But the the pandemic has affected us in profound ways, creating new levels of stress for many.
We have seen increasing numbers of those suffering from mental illness during this time. Some of our mental health issues came from the pandemic, and many came through a variety of other struggles in our culture. And although some mental health challenges have existed for decades, current societal struggles have shed new light on the number of people suffering with poor mental health.
With growing awareness of mental health problems has come a broadening response to meet the needs of those suffering. The help has arisen from churches, employers, advocacy groups, government agencies, and the medical community. Our mental health issues aren’t all solved, but we are discovering pockets of hope that awareness can lead to better treatment and services for those struggling under the weight of their illness.
Many have encouraged better self-care, a critical factor in managing one’s well-being. Anyone who has worked in mental health or in any number of occupations on the front line knows well the importance of checking one’s own pulse and guaranteeing one’s own breathing before trying to help others.
Two prayers
As we gain awareness about good self-care and care for others, we discover a tension we must manage. Without guardrails we could slip over the edge of self-care into caring only or mostly for our needs and desires and caring for others only when it is convenient. The psalmist’s instructions provide us help as we manage this tension: “Incline my heart to your testimonies,” he wrote, “and not to selfish gain! Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.”
Turning our hearts and mind toward the testimonies and guidelines of God’s Word can help us avoid drifting toward selfishness and selfish gain. We must anchor ourselves in God’s truth and character so we don’t spend inappropriate amounts of time, energy, and money on self over our call to follow Jesus in serving and loving others. If we don’t root ourselves deeply in God’s kingdom way, then we will naturally drift to serving our own kingdoms.
The second prayer in these two verses is equally important. When we intentionally turn our eyes from looking at worthless things, we will have a much easier time seeing the beauty and joy of the goodness of God all around us. These guardrails do not restrict us but rather free us to enjoy all that God has for us.
Your time with God’s Word
Psalm 119:36-37, 40 ESV
Photo by Naomi August at unsplash.com
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