When we were first married and living in Arkansas, our neighborhood was full of young couples, in fact we could stand on our front porch and see the homes of at least five other young couples who were married a year or less. We wanted to connect with them, so we started a weekly gathering to watch the show Survivor. We added a meal to the gathering and created a competition of our own for fun. Each person tried to guess who would be voted off, and we won points for correct guesses. The one with the most points at the end of the season, would be the grand prize winner, though not a million dollars like the actual show.
The fascinating thing about watching Survivor is seeing the extremes in personalities that come out in those pressure-filled moments. When a million dollars is on the line, people will say and do crazy things. It’s also interesting to see those who become deeply hurt and offended when they are lied to by others on the show, even though they know that is the very premise of the game they signed up for!
There are so many character observations that could be made from the show, but one comes from Proverbs 10:17 “Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.” Some of the first to be voted off Survivor are those that are the least open to instruction or are the least teachable. Even though they are all there to lie to one another, no one likes being bossed around and told what to do. No one wants to be around the know-it-all who can’t receive instruction or admit wrong. Instead, the kind of people we want to be around are those who are growing in character, becoming more teachable, more open to instruction.
Reading and praying through the Psalms regularly is one way we can find instruction and the path to life. It’s no coincidence that Psalm 1 sets the tone for this when it calls us to delight in God’s law and meditate on it day and night. Tim Keller, in his book on prayer, finds the emphasis on meditation to be especially meaningful. He says meditation is more than learning, it’s like taking liquid into oneself… “like tree roots taking in water. That means not merely knowing a truth but taking it inside and making it part of yourself.” He also reflects on how Psalm 1 helps us understand what meditating on Scripture means. “The one who meditates is like a tree. Trees don’t grow overnight. Meditation is a sustained process like a tree growing its roots down toward the water source. The effects are cumulative. You must stick with it.”
In April I prayed through and meditated on the Psalms every day, working my way through all 150 Psalms over the course of the month. When I finished I thought, “I feel like I’m just barely beginning to understand the Psalms. I need to do this again.” So I’m doing the same thing in May. You may not be able to pray through all the Psalms this month, but try to focus on at least one a day. Try to really pray through it and meditate on it, not just passing over the words quickly, but ingesting them like water in the roots of a tree. It is only through this slow process of taking God’s Word into your heart that our character is shaped and changed incrementally over time. That’s why our theme for last year was “Grow into Oaks of Righteousness.” Strong growth doesn’t happen quickly, and growth in character takes significant time as well. Focus on taking in God’s Word every day and watch it seep down into your soul and change who you are. That way when you show up on Survivor, you’ll already have a strong character and can stand out.
Of course our bigger burden is to change our community. When you grow in character, when you are able to admit wrong, when you are teachable and open to instruction, you will stand out in your workplace, in your extended family, and in your neighborhood. People will notice and want to know how you became this way. God will open doors for you to tell them of the hope you have in Christ Jesus. And that is how God will continue to use you and Valley View to be a part of transforming the South End of Louisville.