BEHAVING

Love is not rude, 1 Corinthians 13:5a (NCV)

      It had been another long day for Randy and he couldn't wait till he was home and in bed sleeping. There was a slight problem with that though for he knew he would be up late talking with the missionary family that was visiting and not only were they visiting, they were staying at his house. After saying a short prayer, Randy locked up and headed home.

     When Randy got home, he walked into a vary quiet house. “Where is everybody?” he wondered and then he caught a glimpse of a clock. He knew he had had a long day but until he saw the clock, he hadn't know how long. It was 2:00 in the morning. With out a sound, he quietly headed to his bedroom where he found his wife laying in bed quietly humming.

     “You won’t believe what one little boy did today?” Daisy said as he crawled in beside her. “Oh Boy!” Randy thought for lately he had been hearing that statement a lot and it was always about one particular boy. “What did Harold do this time?” he asked. “Harold?” Daisy responded, “Who said anything about Harold? It was Louie.”

     “Oh Boy!” Randy said out loud, “What kind of trouble has he gotten himself into.” “Trouble?” Daisy replied, “Who said anything about trouble?” “You mean, Louie isn't in trouble?” Randy asked. “No.” Daisy said, “And right no, I couldn’t be more proud of him.” “He didn't bring another elephant home, did he?” Randy asked hoping he had done something else.

     “Well,” Daisy said, “I’m sure you know we have some missionaries visiting us from Africa.” “Yeah, the Bezaks.” Randy said, “And I'm sorry I was so late getting home.” “That's okay Dear.” Daisy said as she snuggled up to her hubby, “Louie helped make the evening perfect.” “Wow.” Randy said to himself, “I wish I would have been here.”

     “Being in a strange place,” Daisy said, “There baby girl wanted to cry and cry but thanks to Louie, she didn't. Louie willingly went and helped calm her down so the mom could have a rest.” “Wow.” Randy said but this time out loud and with a big yawn. “He got the baby quiet. I could use someone like that during my sermons on Sunday.”

     “Not only did he quiet the baby,” Daisy continued, “He willingly gave up his room for them to sleep in and he went and slept in he basement. I wish every kid could be like Louie. And to think you thought I was talking about Harold, why, if Harold behaved like that we would think the world had come to an end and besides, even if Harold gave up his room it would take weeks to find his bed. Come to think of it, I wish every adult could be like Louie too, don't you agree Dear?”

     “Zzzzzzz” came Randy's reply followed by some quiet snoring. “Oh, well.” Daisy said and started quietly humming.

     In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. - Judges 21:25 (NKJV)

     Israel did not have a king, or a president, or a governor, or.... From the time of Joshua's death to the end of Joshua, it was God who was suppose to lead Israel through the Levitical Priesthood and He sort of was. I say sort of because there was a problem.

     At the beginning of 1 Samuel we find Eli as the high priest and he had two sons Hophni and Phinehas. - Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the LORD. The custom of the priests with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant would come, while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand, and he would thrust it into the pan or kettle or cauldron or pot. All that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is what they did at Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. Moreover, before the fat was burned, the priest's servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, "Give meat for the priest to roast, for he will not accept boiled meat from you but only raw." And if the man said to him, "Let them burn the fat first, and then take as much as you wish," he would say, "No, you must give it now, and if not, I will take it by force." Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the LORD, for the men treated the offering of the LORD with contempt.

1 Samuel 2:12-17 (ESV)

     Two sons who “served God” but didn't know God. People would bring sacrifices to God, part of which would be for the priests. These men were taking what was not theirs and sometimes they would take it by force. I would have to say that unlike Louie, Hophni and Phinehas were rude, they didn't behave in a loving manner.

     According to Paul love is not rude, the sixth definition in Paul's list in 1 Corinthians 13:5. One of the ways we show love is though our behavior which is important to God.

     We often think of the book of Proverbs as being a book of wise sayings but we don't always think about why it was written. From the first few verses of Proverbs we learn that in part it was written to guide our behavior. Proverbs 1:1-3 - The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding, To receive instruction in wise behavior, Righteousness, justice and equity; (NASB)

     Here are a few more verses that talk about our behavior

• 1 Peter 1:15 - But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; (NASB)
• 1 Peter 2:12 - Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation. (NASB)
• James 3:13 - Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. (NASB)

     Here's Something To Ponder

• Are you more apt to act like Louie or Hophni and Phinehas?
• Which way would God see you as behaving?