Have you ever savored a sweet victory, only to find the taste turn sour with the consequences? Join me, Jenger, on Our Daily Bread, as we unwrap the rich layers of a tale where thieves swiped 20 tons of chocolate, paralleling the fleeting joys of misdeeds with the enduring wisdom of Proverbs 20:17. We'll navigate the gritty aftermath of choices made in shadow, recognizing that true satisfaction comes from a life lived in the light. I'll also share slices of my life as a teacher, revealing the profound effects our smallest decisions can have on the integrity of our journey and the lives we touch.
You may check out my podcast further on facebook.com/adventuresofjenger, youtube.com/@adventuresofjenger, and also on twitter @jengeradventure
To subscribe to my podcast go to this link https://www.buzzsprout.com/2353490/supporters/new
Have you ever savored a sweet victory, only to find the taste turn sour with the consequences? Join me, Jenger, on Our Daily Bread, as we unwrap the rich layers of a tale where thieves swiped 20 tons of chocolate, paralleling the fleeting joys of misdeeds with the enduring wisdom of Proverbs 20:17. We'll navigate the gritty aftermath of choices made in shadow, recognizing that true satisfaction comes from a life lived in the light. I'll also share slices of my life as a teacher, revealing the profound effects our smallest decisions can have on the integrity of our journey and the lives we touch.
You may check out my podcast further on facebook.com/adventuresofjenger, youtube.com/@adventuresofjenger, and also on twitter @jengeradventure
To subscribe to my podcast go to this link https://www.buzzsprout.com/2353490/supporters/new
Questions, comments, and opinions are welcome and may be sent to adventuresofjenger@gmail.com! Happy Adventuring!
Speaker 1:
Good afternoon, ginger Adventurers. It is time for another Our Daily Bread devotional with your host, ginger. So today's devotional is entitled Bitterness of Stolen Sweets and the scripture that it focuses on is Proverbs 20, 17,. Food gained by fraud tastes sweet, but one ends up with a mouthful of gravel. By fraud tastes sweet, but one ends up with a mouthful of gravel. I love the story that today's devotional shares because it is just so unique. It is something I never would have pictured.
Speaker 1:
So apparently there were thieves in the country of Germany that decided that it would definitely be worth their while to steal 20 tons of chocolate from a refrigerated trailer. Uh, that's crazy. I don't even know how they would move that much chocolate. Have another trailer. Um, or maybe they didn't steal all 20 tons. I don't even know how they would move that much chocolate. Have another trailer. Or maybe they didn't steal all 20 tons, I don't know.
Speaker 1:
It was said to be worth $80,000. That's a lot of chocolate. So of course, local police were offering a reward if anyone were to report that someone was trying to sell chocolate an unconventionally large amount of chocolate. Obviously, if someone reports that this chocolate was stolen, the thieves are going to have some unpleasant consequences. Imagine going to jail for stealing $80,000 worth of chocolate. Hey, what are you in for? Yeah, I was craving some chocolate so I decided to steal $80,000 worth.
Speaker 1:
But no, seriously, folks, when we do things that we believe are going to give us a sweet taste, we take things that don't belong to us At first. It really does give us a sweet taste. We take things that don't belong to us At first. It really does give us a sweet taste. I mean, at first it's extremely satisfying, but in the end we have to pay consequences for those things that we took that did not belong to us and the sweet taste it wears off. We don't have it anymore. Sometimes the things that we indulge in, sometimes the things that we take, lead to lifelong consequences. It can ruin our reputations.
Speaker 1:
It's interesting to me that they also share this other verse, proverbs 20, 11, I believe. It says verse 11. Even small children are known by their actions, their conduct, really pure and upright. So basically sharing that our words and actions can show whether we have a pure heart for God, rather than the bitterness of giving into our selfish desires. And it can be hard. I mean, there are things that we want that we know we're not supposed to have, but we just really want them. The temptation for those things are strong because the devil wants to do everything he can to lead us astray. He wants us to eat things that we shouldn't and do things that we shouldn't and take things that don't belong to us. Do things that we shouldn't and take things that don't belong to us, and he wants us to react to that in a way that says it was okay for us to do it, or that we're entitled to it and we're not. It wasn't okay for us to do it and we're not entitled to it, and so there are consequences for those choices. The questions that they share with us are these when has temptation led to bitter consequences for you? How can you remain faithful to God?
Speaker 1:
I believe that I have had bitter consequences for times that I have chosen to interact on my own selfish desires rather than thinking about the people around me and putting them first. Some people would say that I'm a very selfless person. I'm here to tell you I can seem really kind at times. I am genuinely kind at times. However, there are a lot of moments where I want what I want. However, there are a lot of moments where I want what I want and I go after what I want instead of thinking about the people around me and how it's going to affect them. I believe that sometimes I take things that don't belong to me and that can hurt people. I'm trying to think of a specific example. I am struggling right now to think of a specific example. I am struggling right now To think of a specific example.
Speaker 1:
Um, um, Okay, I tend to give a lot of examples of school. So let's go to school. When I'm at school, my interactions with the kids, with the teachers, really matters. It really matters. I do have some days where I just don't feel like being at school. I just don't feel like being at school. I just don't feel like interacting with people and rather than doing what's best for my class, doing what's best for my co-workers, I will have the kids do a free draw and give myself the chance to just mentally check out. I don't believe that that's necessarily wrong All the time, teachers do need a break. But if I'm doing it in a moment where I really could pull myself together and do what I'm supposed to be doing and I'm allowing myself that selfishness to check out because I'm sad and struggling with something and I want to deal with that inside of my head, or I am just really tired and struggling to put the energy and effort forth. I'm not necessarily that those are good reasons.
Speaker 1:
To do a free draw that particular day Versus trying to accomplish my original lesson plan. I don't know if that's really exactly the same thing Is taking something that you shouldn't, but to me, there are definitely consequences for that. The kids don't learn the things that they need to learn. They do enjoy free draw though Don't get me wrong, they love free draw and they can draw amazing things. But I feel like I am taking things from them when I do that and I do feel like I pay consequences for that. Um, I will fall behind in getting projects done. I will feel crankier at times with the kids and not interact in a positive manner. Um, I will not think about things as clearly because I'm not getting myself to be focused. There are negative consequences for that. That may not be the best example, but that is my example for that particular question.
Speaker 1:
And then the question how can you remain faithful to God? To me, the very first thing that comes to mind is prayer. How can you remain faithful to God. To me, the very first thing that comes to mind is prayer. How can you remain faithful to God by praying? If I am struggling, that is the first thing that I do now. It didn't used to be. I'm going to be honest with y'all. I did not used to be a prayer warrior. I really did not. But, man, this season of my life I'm really learning the value of strategic prayer and really beginning to become a prayer warrior, and I absolutely believe the best way to remain faithful to God prayer about everything. Take it to God. You're worried about something? Pray. You are in a bad mood? Pray. You need to make a critical decision? Pray. Absolutely the best thing to do to help you remain faithful to God is pray, because he's going to give you the tools that's going to help you stay faithful. He's going to help your brain think clearly. He's going to give you wisdom. He's going to give you strength. He's going to give you energy. To me, that's just absolutely the best way to remain faithful.
Speaker 1:
I do want to try and share the insight. I haven't read it yet and I know I should not read it word for word, so I want to summarize it. But there was a theologian, john E Goldengay that identified a theme in the chapter 20 of Proverbs, because apparently it's very difficult to detect a theme in the chapter 20 of Proverbs, because he could note that there was difficulty of finding good examples of integrity. He pointed out verse five openness is not common. Human evasiveness is difficult to penetrate. Verse 14 proverbs. That's so true, proverbs doesn't always tell us how to live, but it does give us amazing wisdom and advice for different pieces of our life. We just have to be able to understand those pieces, and devotionals like this really help us break down Proverbs and understand the different pieces. Golden Gate suggests that the key to understanding chapter 20 of Proverbs is verse 5. The purposes of a person's heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out. That's really interesting actually.
Speaker 1:
So, friends, I hope you enjoyed this devotional. I know I did kind of jump around a little bit and didn't have a smooth flow, but I believe that's okay. God can still use everything that I'm sharing. If you have questions, if you have prayer requests, if you have comments, please feel free to reach out to me. You can reach me at adventuresofjinger, at gmailcom, facebookcom slash adventuresofjinger, twitter at jingeradventure, and also at youtubecom slash adventuresofjinger. Also, if you'd really like to subscribe to my podcast, you can go to adventuresofjingerbuzzsproutcom. There is a subscribe button there. You can hit that button. I always welcome help with my podcast being able to create those. But you do not have to subscribe to my channel in order to listen. Everyone is absolutely welcome to listen to my podcast for free. I just enjoy being able to share the devotionals and share God's word and touch people's hearts. See you on the wild side.