This verse of scripture is found in a section dealing with parental instruction of children. It is encouraging the children to really listen to the words and advice of their parents, because it will keep them from a "wayward life." The commands and instructions referred to are found in the divine law, those portions of Deuteronomy 6:4-7 which were included in the phylacteries that ancient Jews wore attached to their heads and around their necks. Duet. 6:4-5 contains the divine law, while the remainder of this passage contains instructions for learning and living the law. "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength" (Duet. 6:4-5).
Now, I have given you all this background information to ask a question. Do you think that if the Lord wanted the Israelites to wear these words attached to their body, that it was simply to instruct their children, or did He also have in mind for them, as adults, to live by these instructions as well? I know the answer to this question is simple. Of course we are supposed to live by this law, as well as teach it to our children, but sometimes we forget, the simple things of our faith, the foundations, are the things that are most important. Sometimes the message that brings the most light to the world is the one we forget to share.
Proverbs 6:23 says that "these commands are a lamp, these teachings are a light." We take light for granted. Recently, when our electricity was out after a storm, I was thinking about the amount of light that would have been in a home in ancient Israel. It would have probably been simple oil-burning lamps, most likely only one in a room. But that small amount of light was enough to dispel the total darkness and inability to function in the room. The Living Bible calls these commands and teachings "a beam of light directed into the dark corners of your mind to warn you of danger and to give you a good life." This simple teaching in Deut. 6, called the divine law, is the "beam of light" that we need to share in this world. We need to focus on letting others know that the most important thing is loving God with all our heart, and soul, and strength. All the rest, the good deeds, the use of our talents and gifts, trying to live a holy life, will fall into place once our top priority is loving God.
Join me, today, in sharing with someone the importance of loving God.