The Life You've Always Wanted: Part 9

April 2, 2023

Pastor Josh Starnes presented "Self-Control" as the last Fruit of the Spirit in our current series, "The Life You've Always Wanted." A video of the message is here. Our Conversation Starter for this week is here.

One of the key takeaways from the Torah is that humans are not naturally good. They're not naturally evil, either, but "... even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood..." (Genesis 8:21). This is why we must open ourselves to the fruit of the spirit known as self-control.

Though outside the Torah, here's another such reference: "A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls" (Proverbs 25:28). The Hebrew word here is matsar (מַעְצָר) and refers to retaining or control. The root is from rule, as in rule oneself. Someone who cannot control himself is as vulnerable as a city without walls.

The word above, matsar, only appears once in the Old Testament. But other words with meanings such as discipline carry a similar message. For instance, in Proverbs 5:22-23, "The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them; the cords of their sins hold them fast. For lack of discipline they will die, led astray by their own great folly."

There are stories in the Torah that speak to the issue of self-control without using that term specifically. For example, Joseph shows great self-control when he turns down Mrs. Potiphar's request that he sleep with her (Genesis 39:7-12). Another is Esau who gave up his inheritance (to Jacob, his twin brother) for a lousy meal. Esau did not have the self-control to give up a quick dinner for the bigger picture. Stories like these could also be characterized as wisdom versus foolishness, such as Proverbs 29:11 and 1:1-5.

For a lengthy example of an in-depth, Biblical view of self-control I found on the internet, click here (Old and New Testament references). Keep in mind that when OT references speak of the heart, the heart at the time was understood as the seat of thinking, in other words, the mind, not emotions.

Bonus

The Passover Seder

Here are some interesting questions we posed to the family at last week's Family Dinner in preparation for our Passover Seder (April 5th). Consider these some added Conversation Starters for this week (sampled from mitzuyankoshercatering.com and pjlibrary.org.uk). Even our youngest got some right!

• What event does Passover celebrate?
• What's the worst plague (after the death of the firstborn)? Why?
• Why do you think Pharaoh was so stubborn?
• Who do you think is the biggest hero of the Passover story (aside from Moses)?
• Do the wrong people sometimes get punished? Did the Egyptians deserve to suffer so much when it was Pharaoh who was the main bad guy?
• Moses' own mother, Jochebed, wove his basket in the hopes that if she helped him disappear, someone would take pity on him
• Pharaoh's daughter saved the baby Moses and guessed that the Hebrew woman she hired to care for him was probably his mother
• Moses' sister Miriam watched his basket so be sure someone rescued him and later became the leader of the women leaving Egypt
• Shiprah and Puah were midwives who disobeyed Pharaoh's order to kill firstborn boys; were they the first to disobey Pharaoh and put the idea of an Exodus in motion?
• Why do we eat matzah?
• How long is the entire Passover Celebration? (8 days)
• What's the Hebrew word for Passover?
• Where were the Israelites going?
• Name some of the foods at the Seder.
• What's the afikomen?
• What major river is in the story?
• How did God first appear to Moses?
• Where was the world's largest matzoh ball made? (Tucson)
• During Pesach we are asked to imagine we ourselves are Israelite slaves.
• What would that be like?
• If you were an Israelite slave, what would you miss most about being free?
• When the Israelites were getting ready to leave Egypt, they probably felt rushed, nervous, and excited. When have you felt that way?
• Have you ever had dreams that helped you think about something in a new way?
• How would you stay hopeful on a long journey like the one the Israelites took?
• How can a single person make a big change in the world?
• How would you feel if you had to work every day, without ever having a break?
• What kinds of things can your family do to make Pesach different from the rest of the year?
• How do you help your family get ready for Passover?
• What are you afraid of? What helps you get over that fear?

Click here for some more Passover/Seder Q&A.

For some info about the Passover celebration that I posted last year, click here.