Toys in the Tub - Martin Wiles

Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. 2 Samuel 11:2 NLT

Baths may clean us up, but sometimes toys in the tub get us into trouble.

Resting outside the bathtub in our spare bathroom is a plastic container with numerous bath toys: a rubber duck, a sailing boat, several balls, a bar of Ivory soap, and cars. The normal toys kids play with when they bathe. 

And when they were young, all our grandboys loved to play with them when they bathed. They loved the bubbles MeMe put in the tub. They hid the toys under the bubbles, then held them in the air and watched as the water squirted out, hollering and laughing. Occasionally, they splashed water on the floor, which drew a sharp rebuke from MeMe. 

King David also knew a little about bathing and getting into trouble. He wasn’t the one bathing. Bathsheba was, but he was the one who looked when he shouldn’t have. The play on words is interesting: Bathsheba bathing. Some suggest she bathed here on purpose because she knew the king’s practice of walking on his roof. Whether or not she intentionally provided the temptation, David fell into the traps of lust, adultery, lying, and murder. One year—and several consequences—passed before he finally confessed.

Our world is filled with play toys—not that we bathe with but that we encounter daily. Technological gadgets, possessions of all sorts, hobbies—and the things we need to enjoy them—sporting activities—and the money we can spend watching them—movies, video games. The list of play toys available to those who live in developed countries is endless. 

Some of the play toys are sinful—and others have the potential to be. Bathsheba’s bathing wasn’t a sin, but if she did it hoping the king would do what he did, then it became sinful. David’s accidental glance wasn’t a sin, but when he lusted and acted, it became one. Satan is a master at wrapping innocent things in sinful paper. 

Only God can give us the wisdom to play with the right toys and to keep them in the proper perspective. We can’t trust our own judgment. It’s skewed by our sinful nature and our propensity to gratify our selfish desires. 

God may not ask you to throw your toys away. He may simply want you to see them with different eyes or use them more productively. 

Father, guide me in using my toys so they won’t grab my attention away from you and more important things. 

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Meandering Monday - Sin’s Temporary Pleasure - Martin Wiles

Welcome to Meandering Monday, where we take a trip back to an earlier post and enjoy it again.

He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. Hebrews 11:25 NLT

My childhood was no different than most.

Parents and grandparents bought me toys for birthdays and Christmas and sometimes for no special occasion. Most were probably something I had pointed at when I was small or told them I wanted when I was older. Things I thought would bring me pleasure . . . perhaps even for a long time. As with most children, the new wore off quickly. Soon, I tucked my toy away in a closet, stored it in a trunk, or sold it at a yard sale. I moved on to something else.

Becoming an adult hasn’t changed the scenario a great deal. I still see things I think will bring me great enjoyment. As my childhood toys did, they all failed me. The pleasure is momentary, and soon I’ve discarded them for something else.

As a child, Moses was snatched from his childhood tent home and deposited in the grand palace of a foreign king. The riches of Egypt were at his disposal—riches that brought with them a sinful lifestyle. When he matured and recognized who he was, he left the sinful pleasures behind and identified with the oppression his people experienced as slaves.

God isn’t against me enjoying the pleasurable things of this world, but he does expect me to stay away from those that are sinful. Satan has a long history of taking innocent things and dressing them up in sinful wrappings. The fruit Eve ate in the Garden of Eden wasn’t sinful; the act of disobeying God’s command to eat it was.

Things that are outright and obviously sinful don’t usually concern us. Rather, it’s the momentary and innocent pleasurable things we struggle with. The newest smartphone. The latest laptop. The most up-to-date iPad or video game. Things that in the short run provide pleasure but that overall steal our attention from what God has in mind for us.

Sin promises a lifetime of pleasure but only delivers short-term benefits. What do you need to put aside so God can give you something better?

Prayer: Father, may we use everything we have to glorify and serve You. 

Tweetable: Are temporary pleasures failing you? 

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Share My Toys? - Martin Wiles

Cast your bread upon the waters, For you will find it after many days. Ecclesiastes 11:2 NKJV

“Some kids don’t have as much as you do.”

I was the first-born grandchild, and as such was spoiled by my parents and paternal grandparents. Whatever I wanted—within reason—I got. And some things I didn’t’ even know I needed. Like the large metal Tonka toys. 

Mom and Dad both had Type A personalities. Mom hated clutter. So, if I accumulated too many toys, she thought of a way to remove some without me noticing. Trouble was, I noticed anything she moved. A trait that still haunts me and drives my wife crazy.

Mom’s right smart, so she concocted a way to get rid of some of my toys and teach me a lesson at the same time. Knowing I had a tender heart—and wanting to capitalize on that quality—she told me about children who didn’t have as much as I did. They would be so happy if I shared some of my toys with them. And of course, I did.

Wise King Solomon knew the merits of sharing also. His instructions were to cast bread upon the water or as another translation says, “send your grain across the sea.” Profits would come back. Perhaps in greater monetary quantities, but if not, in the satisfaction of knowing one had shared.

Sharing doesn’t come naturally. Children must be taught to share. They’d rather clutch and hold tightly to what they have. I did—and so did my children. While some children are more prone to share than others, parents and teachers still must teach them to open their hands and let go.

When I share, it helps me develop a correct perspective on life. I don’t own anything. Everything I have comes from God, and I can only keep it because He allows me to. Sharing helps develop my heart. God wants it to be tender toward others and their needs. He wants me to realize—as Jesus demonstrated—that life is about others and their needs.

My sharing with others pleases God, and when I cast my bread upon the waters it will return to me in greater measure than I sent it. Perhaps not in more goods or money, but in a greater pleasure that I have done the right thing and learned what life is truly about. And my faith will grow in the process.

Don’t hold onto your bread. Cast it upon the waters.

Tweetable: Are you sharing what God has given you?

Prayer: Father, teach us to open our hands to others so Your blessings can flow to them. 

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Toys in the Tub - Martin Wiles

Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. 2 Samuel 11:2 NLT

Baths may clean you up, but sometimes they get you into trouble.

Resting outside the bathtub in our spare bathroom is a plastic container with numerous bath toys: a rubber duck, a sailing boat, several balls, a bar of Ivory soap. The normal toys kids play with when they bathe. And our grandboys love to play with them when they take a bath. They love the bubbles MeMe puts in the tub. They hide the toys under the bubbles, and then hold them in the air and watch as the water squirts out, while laughing and hollering. Occasionally they splash the water on the floor, which brings a sharp rebuke from MeMe.

King David knew a little about bathing and getting into trouble. He wasn’t the one bathing—Bathsheba was, but he was the one who looked when he shouldn’t have. The play on words is interesting: Bathsheba bathing. Some suggest she bathed here on purpose because she knew the king’s practice of walking on his roof. Whether or not she intentionally provided the temptation, David fell into the traps of lust, adultery, murder, and lying. One year—and a number of consequences, passed before he finally confessed.

My world is filled with play toys—not that I bathe with but that I encounter daily. Technological gadgets, possessions of all sorts, hobbies—and the things I need to enjoy them, sporting activities—and the money I can spend watching them, movies, video games. The list of play toys available to those who live in developed countries is endless.

Some of the play toys are sinful—and others have the potential to be. Bathsheba’s bathing wasn’t a sin, but if she did it hoping the king would do what he did, then it became sinful. David’s accidental glance wasn’t a sin, but when he lusted and acted it became one. Satan is a master at wrapping innocent things in sinful paper.

Only God can give me the wisdom to play with the right toys and to keep them in the proper perspective. I can’t trust my own judgment. It’s skewed by my sinful nature and my propensity to gratify my selfish desires.

God may not ask you to throw your toys away; He may simply want you to see them with different eyes or use them in a more productive way.

Prayer: Father, guide us in the use of our toys so they won’t grab our attention from You and more important things. 

Looking for a wide selection of genres in inspirational books at discount prices? Click here to see selections.

Thanks to all our faithful followers who are "sharing" our posts--please keep it up! We also invite you to follow and like us on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Help us spread God's encouragement through his love lines.