Fiiiiiiiiive… Golden Rings?

Welcome again to Doug’s 12 Days of Christmas, at the intersection of the song, the children’s game, tradition, culture, and
Christ-mas. If you’ve missed a few, check
your in-box from yesterday, or ping
Doug@doughowe.com. Today, “Fiiiiiiiive….”

On the 5th day of Christmas, the kids would be out of breath after the drummers and pipers and maids and swans, so they could take a deep breath and then robustly proclaim “Fiiiiiiiive Golden Rings,” not quite Lady Gaga “Shal-la-la-la-la-la-la-low” style, but always fun. The “five” was a reminder of the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. Yeah, you know, the ones that lose too many people on their “read the bible in a year plan.” (Never start with those!)

In those five books, though, beneath the stories that many of have heard along the way – the garden, the flood, the parting of the Red Sea, Moses and the commandments – there are great thoughts. So in honor of the 5th day, here are “Fiiiiiiiiiive Golden…Verses” from those 5 books:

Genesis 3:12. Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” This verse came toward the end of Adam’s original horrible-terrible-no-good-very-bad-day. God had given him Eve, the garden, food, authority, and opportunity to, you know, ehm, make babies. There was just one rule: don’t eat from that one tree. He did. Then he realized it. He felt ashamed. He and Eve hid from each other. Then they hid from God. Then Adam lied about what they did. Then he blamed it on Eve. Then he blamed it on God for creating her. Have you ever heard of the “victim cycle?”
Mistake-or-Fail>Shame>Guilt>Hide>Lie>Blameshift>Accuse.
The thought for us: leaders own their own junk, no excuses. If you’re explaining, you’re losing.

Numbers 12:3. Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any person who was on the face of the earth. Of all of our ambitions, have we had the ambition to be humble? Not just to appear humble, or pose as humble, but truly be humble, even when we’re confident. (We’ll be studying that in Zoom groups in the New Year.) Moses, the greatest leader of his time, was the humblest there was, and still got results.

Deuteronomy 6:5. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. When Jesus was tested, by religious posers and teachers of overbearing religious laws, to identify the most important commandment, this is the one He quoted. And He added, “love your neighbor as yourself,” thereby summarizing the ten commandments. That baby Jesus grew up to say that the whole rest of the Bible is based on this. A translation I like says “Be wholly devoted to God, and wholly devoted to others.”

Numbers 23:19. “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” If we run into anyone who criticizes the work of the Lord, they are sorta acknowledging He exists. And if he is who He says, then we shouldn’t redefine Him in our image. He keeps His word. Granted, sometimes He doesn’t do it immediately, like some sort of a genie. He is not our toy.

Numbers 6:24-26. “The Lord bless you and keep you! The Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace!” Ah, one of the most beautiful benedictions in the Bible! And it doesn’t need to be saved for a religious service. We can wish this to anyone, anytime, in creative ways.

Thanks for being along on this 12 Days of Christmas ride. The Best of Blessings on your Christ-mas season. Tomorrow, “Four…” -Doug

12th Day…
…Good morning aviators, 12 points of the Creed.
11th Day…
…Baker’s miracle, 11 faithful disciples/learners.
10th Day…
…Ten Commandments, actually just two.
9th Day…
…Laker Girls, 9 fruits of the Spirit.
8th Day…
…The Sermon on the Mount, 8 Beatitudes.
7th Day…
…Swans are graceful, as are those who use their Gifts for good
6th Day…
…He Created the first six days; Then a Real Rest.
5th Day…
…Belt it out! The First Fiiive Books of the Bible.
4th Day…
3rd Day…
2nd Day…
1st Day…