By Kevin Harris, pastor of the Illawarra Community Baptist Church in Wollongong, NSW
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Psalm 1:1-3
The man God blesses knows that walking leads to standing, which in turn leads to sitting.
On the other hand is a man who ends up sitting with the scornful. His first mistake is to carelessly listen to the foolish counsel that surrounds him as he walks through life. After immersing himself in the world’s lies, he eventually comes to a standstill in the dangerous paths of sins. Before long, he’s relaxed and comfortable amongst scoffers.
If you want to avoid sitting with them, don’t casually walk with them.
The word scornful is literally, ‘to make mouths at, in other words to scoff.’ It speaks of those who mock.
Who do you think they mock? Is it not those in authority and those who are righteous? These days they are comedians, columnists and actors.
If you can turn on one of their shows and laugh as they make fun of preachers, fatherhood, and decent politicians, you are already sitting amongst the scornful.
If you can feel comfortable when an educator ridicules a creationist or a fundamentalist Christian, you are already relaxing amongst scoffers.
If it doesn’t bother your conscience to watch shows that take in vain the precious name of your Lord and Saviour, or that poke fun at serious-minded believers, or that actively promote what God abhors, you are in as great a danger as a sleeping man whose house catches fire.
Wake up! Wake up and read verse 2. You had better separate from the evil influences (verse one) and delight in God’s Word (verse two)!
The man God blesses delights in God’s Word, meditating in it day and night. Reading it is not enough; he must study it diligently. He is constantly turning it over in his mind, seeking to understand and apply it to his life.
Father, in this apostate hour when many are falling away from the faith, keep Your people alert to the dangers around us. Help us to love Your Word so much that it’s constantly on our minds. I ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ our Saviour, Amen.
This article was written by Kevin Harris Dapto pastor of Illawarra Community Baptist Church.