One of the fundamental issues we all deal with is control. The Monopoly board game allows us to control the flow of the game by acquisition. Several popular “reality shows” reward control of others attained by devious strategies. Both forms of control require one to dominate. We were designed to take dominion, which has been granted to us. God informs and equips us with tools for good success.

Joshua 1:8 tells us how we can have good success: “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” (KJV)

If we truly want to know how to live our lives in a way that produces good success, we have been provided with instructions. As we navigate this life do we deliberately concentrate on God, our eternity, quality of life, or those that we impact on a daily basis? If he who amasses the most toys wins, or if she that controls others by manipulation denotes success, then let’s get busy! Is that type of control good success?

In the Beginning

In the book of Genesis we find these words: “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” (Genesis 1:26, KJV)

It looks like we already have dominion, the ability to control the behavior of others—non human creatures that is! However, we incessantly spend energy trying to control or dominate others. It happens at the workplace, in sports, on the school yard, on the streets, in families, in romantic relationships. Anywhere there are people the issue of control is nearby.

The ability to control the behavior of others probably begins in the crib when we realize that our cries can result in attention to our needs. Control appears in obvious and covert actions. From advertisers to loving family, we are all subjected to attempts to take dominion of our thoughts, time, actions, emotions and tangible resources.

What would happen if we lived our lives as designed by our loving Creator?

God has also given us direction to love our neighbor as our self in many places in the Bible. Even in the Old Testament book of Exodus the Ten Commandments were a guide for us to live by that expressed what love is to look like toward God, ourselves and our neighbors.  We are told repeatedly to love our neighbor as our self. That repetition is done for a reason. Our omniscient Heavenly Father is aware repetition can serve to emphasize vital points.

By kindergarten most of us learned the alphabet. At first the letters were like squiggles on paper. They did not connect to any meaning. After they were repeated over and over again they stuck in our memory. However, it took some time for the letters the sounds and their appearance to connect for us.

Then when that foundation was laid we were able to build upon it and spell words using those letters memorized by rote. Once learned there are countless applications your brain uses to engage that knowledge of the alphabet. It all began with that repetition. God repeats His messages for our benefit.

Self-Control

We are to exercise control in our lives; self-control. Part of loving ourselves means that we set boundaries for us, regarding what we will do. The more we love ourselves the more we see that those boundaries keep us free to love God, ourselves and our neighbors.

As we recognize that we are not here to control others, but to walk in dominion over the animals and exercise control over ourselves, we move closer to perfection and good success. As we search His word for His will, it is clear He has dominion in our lives, which includes those things and people that we are not designed to control.

Soon and very soon, there will come a time when every knee shall bow and every tongue confess. What are the boundaries that you live by? Do those boundaries lead to good success?

Take Inventory and Take Action.

Love,

Deborah

“Lighting the path to loving your neighbor as yourself.”

P.S. HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!!