Open Heavens May 20, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Proverbs 4:22

PRINCIPLED?

MEMORIZE: "For they are life unto those that find them, and Col. 1-2 health to all their flesh”

READ: Proverbs 4:20-22

“But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him” (Esther 1:12). Apart from refusing to expose her body, Vashti was very principled. She must have been well brought up from a good home. She was a woman of principles. For many Christians, anything goes. No principles. Principles are general rules on which a skill, science, or belief is based. It is also an accepted reason for an action or way of thinking. Principles are the foundation pillars of behavior. They give direction to behavior. A leader without principles will be like a moving car without a driver. It goes towards any direction: It has no definite destination.

A principled person is a person of character. He is reliable and predictable. An unprincipled leader will run into several problems particularly in decision making. If you have no principles, you will be low in credibility. Your judgement will be subjective and emotion-based. It takes a principled person to take an objective view of a situation, or problem, and come up with an objective decision. Favoritism and subjective judgement is on the increase among leaders and pastors today because there is a dearth of principled people. If you take a look at those who stood out for God or finished their race on earth very strong, they were principled people.

Also, Vashti refused to go back on principles in spite of the king’s command. The king was very powerful. His word could determine life or death. But she feared breaking the moral principles with which she was raised than break the king’s order. This is another trait in those who will excel in God’s Kingdom. You must be ready to stick with the Word of God, and fear God above everyone or anything else. Today, when some believers come in contact with compromising situations, what determines their response is the personality involved. If the fellow asking them to compromise has no relationship with them, they may stand for righteousness. But if it is their boss in the office, or parents or loved ones, they will compromise. Vashti said ‘No’ to her husband, the king on grounds of principles. Are you principled? Do you compromise? Daniel said ‘No’ to the king’s dainty on grounds of principles and God backed him. How principled are you? The Word of God offers you great winning principles. If you can stick with them, you will surely excel.

ACTIONPOINT: Search the scripture particularly the Books of Psalms and Proverbs and list 50 principles that can guide your relationship with God and man. Adopt them.