In yesterday’s patriotic service at our church I participated by reading a monologue as it would be written by the Statue of Liberty. An ending phrase has gone over and over in my mind as I’ve pondered its meaning in my country and my own heart as well. It said, O people, restore me to where I can once again see a land of beautiful homes – A land where homes are never separated – a land where home is viewed more by what is on the inside than what is on the outside – a home where these three gifts will always be: the hearth, the flag, and the place of prayer.

What does it mean to you that you keep alive the gift of the hearth? Wikepdia says that a hearth is “a brick– or stone-lined fireplace or oven used for cooking and/or heating. Because of its nature, in historic times the hearth was considered an integral part of a home, often its central or most important feature: its Latin name is focus.[1] This concept has been generalized to refer to a home place or household, as in the terms “hearth and home” and “keep the home fires burning.” In fireplace design, the hearth is often considered the visible elements of the fireplace, with emphasis upon the floor level extension of masonry associated with the fireplace mantel.

Following this definition I see the hearth as a symbol of the warmth of a family inside a home. It’s not the kind of warmth a real hearth would have brought, but the kind of that comes from being together, spending time talking, sharing in the lives of those that live there with us. I believe this can only be done by the diligence that it took to keep the fire burning in those old- time fireplaces.

One integral part of family warmth is mealtime. I don’t mean the hurry-up and eat and get out of here kind of meal. This is the mealtime where the meal is lingered over, empty plates are pushed back and conversation happens. We have often read a book together after our supper meal. Having Bible reading or devotions works well at this time of day when everyone is gathered together.

The hearth’s warmth can be spread outside to the front porch or the deck. Last weekend we enjoyed having company and spent Friday and Saturday evenings out on the deck talking, sharing dessert and coffee, and also listening to stringed instruments being played and hymns being sung. I could just feel those “home fires burning” during those sweet times of fellowship.

Often the piano in the living room has served as our “hearth.” Because our girls play we have the blessing of being able to gather ’round it and sing together. Game boards have also served in bringing us together in laughter and closeness as games were played with stiff competition and fun.

Each family may interpret the “hearth” in a different way. The important thing is that we do all we can, with the Lord’s strength to keep it burning, and that we each understand that the hearth in the home truly is a gift.

Every Wednesday night in July and August we are doing a study aided by Nancy Leigh DeMoss entitled, How To Deal With the Fools in Your Life. Each Thursday post in these next two months will be the study from the night before.

• Is there an example to follow?
• Is there an example to avoid?
• What can I learn in the passage about the ways and character of my God?

Let’s look at the three main characters for an overview:

Nabal –

His name means fool and that’s what he was (verse 25). As you read through I Samuel 25 make a list of the characteristics of a fool. As you do this you will probably think of someone in your life – perhaps if you’re honest, you may see yourself. We want to learn how to avoid having the characteristics of Nabal in our lives.

David

David’s initial response to Nabal was one of great anger. He was provoked and lost control. The danger is when you get around a fool you may respond like a fool. Proverbs 13:20 – “A companion of fools will be destroyed.” We look at David’s ungodly response and say, “Is this David, the man after God’s own heart behaving like this?” Even the most godly people will act in foolish, ungodly ways. Your husband may be godly, but he will sometimes behave in foolish ways. Do you ever see yourself acting foolishly? We do! Hence, we have a great need for wise, godly people in our lives to give us counsel. People who will love us enough to get in our face, if necessary, and tell us we are behaving foolishly, as Abigail did to David. Proverbs 8:33 – Hear instruction and refuse it not. Proverbs 24:6 – In a multitude of counselors there is safety. David was willing to listen to Abigail’s wise counsel, admit he was wrong and change his behavior.

Abigail

This lady models an incredible response when dealing with foolish people. Her wisdom, godliness, discretion and peace-making abilities make her the heroine of this story and she completely changes the outcome.

We would be amiss not recognize that God is in this story – on His throne, ruling, being sovereign, and fulfilling His purposes. He is also at work in your story. He is involved in your life and cares about the fools you live with or work with. Though you do not see Him He is there.

It’s so important that we see God in our circumstances, and that we see Him correctly. If we doubt His concern for our lives and situations, if we question His love, if we think He’s letting evil doers get away with their foolish actions, we are viewing God through googly-eyed glasses. Everything is distorted because we are believing the lies of the Devil. See God in this story and learn Who He is, and that He is just as involved in your circumstances.

Jim Elliot said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” We read that as a missionary that gave his life in surrender to serve God, but this also applies to dealing with the fools in our lives. We give to God our right to get even. We give Him our anger towards that person, or our right to avenge ourselves. What do we gain that we cannot lose? We gain peace. We gain a proper view of God. We gain a clean heart and innocence.

Who is it that you’ve been thinking of as you’ve read this study of the fool? Remember that God will avenge in the long run. He will judge evil doers. Don’t try to do God’s work. He is in control. What peace that brings.

Stop and consider what you did just this morning. Were you able to throw your legs over the side of the bed and get up? Did your eyes eventually focus so that you could make your way to the coffee pot? Once the coffee had perked were you able to pick up your cup and allow the warm liquid to slide down your throat? Did you greet your family with your words? Are you breathing on your own without the aid of a pipe down your throat? All of these functions are gifts of God that we don’t often consider – unless they are taken from us.

A family friend has recently suffered a stroke and has lost many of the abilities that I just listed. To be able to think a thought but unable to speak it must be so frustrating. Depending on others to move you about is surely a difficult position to be in. How often do we thank the Lord even for the ability to work? It seems that our society is always bemoaning the fact that they have to work. People are always looking to the weekend, or fussing about laundry that has to be finished. Elisabeth Elliot says this about work – “Work is a blessing. [YES! A BLESSING!] God has so arranged the world that work is necessary, and He gives us hands and strength to do it. The enjoyment of leisure would be nothing if we had only leisure. It is the joy of work well done that enables us to enjoy rest, just as it is the experiences of hunger and thirst that make food and drink such pleasures. ”

Whatever you find yourself doing today stop and think about the blessing it is do have the ability to do it. We never know when that could be taken from us. Work hard today and thank the Lord for the hunger and thirst that it creates, as well as the ability to eat and drink to satisfy that desire!