KEEP YOUR STANDARDS HIGH.

The contrasting standards of Delilah and Ruth are depicted in two consecutive bible books. Judges 16 reveals the character and nature of Delilah.

She regularly resolved to get her own way, stopping at nothing. She enticed the strong man, Samson, nagging him, betraying him, undermining his strength, in which he had formerly carried out the plans and purposes of God.

It was not easy for Delilah to entice Samson to yield the secret of his great strength. However, she persisted, ‘Pressing him daily with her words.’ (Judges 16:16) Samson couldn’t stick it any longer, confiding the secret of his strength.

Wen Delilah cut his long hair, his strength went; the Lord left him; while the Philistines put out his eyes and imprisoned him.

Delilah’s low standards undermined the man of God.

Following the book of Judges is the so different book of Ruth. She went to reap in the fields of Bethlehem to sustain her mother-in-law and herself. Boaz owned the fields. Ruth, knowing the integrity of Boaz, said, ‘I will find grace in his eyes.’

How different from the deceitful Delilah. An observant Boaz noticed the living testimony of this young woman, Ruth, so that he specially provided food and drink for her. Ample provision, too. When Ruth asked Boaz why he had treated her so kindly, he encouraged her, having heard of her kindness to Naomi.

It was obvious to Boaz as a man of God that this young woman trusted in the living God. Her unselfishness, grace, wisdom and sweetness won Boaz’ heart. Soon he sought her as his wife. So Ruth married Boaz, from which union Obed was born, who was the grandfather of David.

Delilah brought ruin; while a spiritual union from Ruth had far-reaching effects.

Their standards differed. How are your values?

Paul aptly sums up the effects of our lives in the verse, ‘Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.’ Romans 12:1

This truth influences every phase of life, and sets the standard.

CONSIDER THE BODY: FOR EXAMPLE, THE MIND. The god-controlled mind produces true, honest, right, pure and lovely thoughts. Recalling scripture is the safest way to combat unlovely, subtle THOUGHTS THAT slip into our minds. memorising scripture is valuable, so that the mind feeds on God’s word, denying lesser thoughts access to our minds.

Consider the heart: We are commanded to ’Keep your heart with diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.’ Naturally, ’the heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked.’ when Jesus christ gloriously encounters us, HE replaces the stony heart with A HEART of flesh. We are instructed to keep our hearts with all care and diligence , so that only righteous attitudes, thoughts or actions result. A daily walk with our Lord jesus through His holy spirit enables us to be victorious through regular reading of the scripture and prayer.

Consider the eyes. When we ARE AWArE OF questionable literature, we ‘preSeNt our bodies’ as Christians, REJECTING the filthy magaZINE OR BOOK. AS believers, we reject the ‘everyone does IT’, which is false. Good books witness to others, while enriching our own life. ‘PRESENTING our body’ conditions what we see, and where we see it. Someone has said,’I can take christ with me wherever I GO. ‘No, you can’t.’ Jesus christ says, ‘follow me.’ He will never lead you to view vcr, TV, internet pornography or movies that shame him and lead us to evil.

Consider also the lips. Francis haverly in her famous hymn writes,

‘take my lips and let them be filled with messages from thee.’ When we present our bodies to jesus CHRIST. We include our lips. Be gone the foolish jest: the shady joke; the unkind thrust. God’s lips are good lips, best used in sharing the knowledge of jeusus christ.

Jane smith, at the height of her operatic career Initally came to know jesus christ personally. Her one desire was to share jesus christ with others. After her glamorous, operatic career, she considered no task too menial so long as she co ntacted those who needed the good news. The lips that once sang ’der rosankavalier’now sang about jesus, moving many to tears as jane sang about the saviour.

Reflect on our ears. Samuel woke to hear the voice of the Lord, FOR his glad response was,’ Speak, lord, for your servant hears ‘He presented his ears to the lord, whose voice was clearer than the voice of the world.

Reflect on our hands and feet. What we do and where we go are all dependent on willingly presenting our bodies to the Lord. On my recent birthday my husbaand and children generously delighted with their gifts. Not for a moment did they expect them back, although I offered to loan them my shopping bag. The gifts were mine to use as I pleased. Our bodies are for God’s use: we should nt recall them from the Owner.

Consider clothing. When I ultimately allowed our girls to wear slacks, I requested them to ‘always look feminine‘ they agreed, choosing suitable styles and colours. A young man recently confessed to my friend, ’when girls wear such short skirts, they cause my thoughts to sin. ’ We are accountable for what we wear. We should be NEITHER DOWDY nor EXTRAVAGANT, but an adornment to the one, to whom we have presented ourselves.

I recently spoke to a young couple deeply in love, who never put each other under sexual pressure, or in an embarrassing emotional situation. ‘We enjoy being together, love each other deeply, having agreed never ot break god’s standard of absolute purity in thought and life. . If our emotions are rising, we make a cup of coffee, go for a walk, or read a book or the bible together.’ I ADMIRED THEM. THEY PRESENTED THEMSELVES HOLY AND ACCEPTABLE TO GOD.

Delilah or ruth? Delilah folowed the pattern of the world, while a transformed ruth knewthe good, acceptable, and perfect will of god.

gwenda