Chaff

It is pretty much worthless to humans. Its is like feed for animals and that\’s about it. Not your high quality stuff either. The definition is as follows. The husk of the grain that is separated during threshing straw cut up for grain; worthless matter.

I have certainly been away way too long. To the point where it was constantly on my mind. Then all of a sudden it vanishes from your mind because you have spent way too much time away. I haven\’t strayed away from the Bible or consistently reading my fellow brothers blogs but without having my over night job it has been difficult to find the time to sit down and actually right out what has been going through my head. Because of that I have felt almost overwhelmed in a sense because everything has just been shut up in my mind. Its good to have brothers that push me towards excellence. I have never had that before and to look at then and now is something to marvel at because God knows what the heck he is doing and what he says in his word is him telling us that he knows what the heck he is doing. Which brings me to the title and what I has learned today from his word

I have always been afraid of the Psalms. And even when I picked up my phone and clicked my bible to read I avoided it at first but then after reading a few verses in Zephaniah I realized that I must not run any longer. I don\’t really know what it is or was about psalms that scares me. Maybe being bored to death or its way to not HE-MAN for me. Kinda like a sissy book. Cuz all you really hear out of the book is praise. Not that its a bad thing, just scary to me. So I felt it time to dig in the book that I have huge stereotypes about and figure out what its really about and see how God wants to impact my life through the book. What better place to start than the beginning.

Psalm 1:1-6

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. [2] But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. [3] He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. [4] Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. [5] Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. [6] For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

Now this is a short section and a nice entry into the book for me I think. This short chapter reminds me a lot of proverbs. I know that psalms has a lot of wisdom as well as proverbs so I guess its not so wimpy yet. I need wisdom more than any one else. Reading through this passage one part really stuck out to me and that was verse 3 and 4. I didn\’t know what chaff was but by reading those two verse you know that its not a good thing. Anytime that God compares someone wicked to something its never good.

If you have ever worked in a barnyard this picture makes a whole lot more sense in the grand scheme. If you have never worked a day in a barn you sadly have no idea. Not just visited a barn but actually did manual labor. Now to kind of paint a more vivid picture most barns have animals and most animals have beds. These aren\’t regular bed like what people sleep on these days but these are beds made of hay or in some cases sawdust. Now I am not sure but you could probably group sawdust in with chaff and be okay. They both suck hard core. My experience with it has never been pleasant and especially on a hot summer day and you are all sweaty and the wind it blowing that shit sticks to every part of your skin and makes you itch. The worst part tho is when it gets in your eyes. There is nothing good coming out of that.

For me I think this passage speaks to me in two ways and they are both warnings 1. Don\’t be chaff. That\’s obvious and for obvious reason. I bring other people down along with myself. The image that I portray is rotten and therefore the life that I am living is worthless. Just like the chaff I make people itchy and get in their eyes and they can do what God has called them to do 2. Don\’t hang around chaff. Chaff sucks. Metaphorically and literally, the stuff sucks!  People like this distract you. The get in your way and they cloud my vision. Why bother. Quit the stupid farm job or better yet equip yourself with the right attire.

Start wearing long sleeves (read my bible) and the get some safety goggles to keep your vision clear (meet with a fellow warrior). I do that. Not well, my shirt may have a few holes in it and I don\’t bring my goggles everytime but I am trying hard. I want the first part of that passage, not the second.

God help my to stay away from chaff and help me not to be chaff for other people. Help me to be a great pair of goggle for my fellow brothers!