24 Feb, 2009

Walker plunged 80ft to her death off cliff after chasing a bird feather

A rambler plunged 80ft to her death after she fell over a cliff edge while chasing a feather, coastguards said today.

The unnamed woman, who was in her 40s, ignored safety warnings and climbed over metal railings lining the cliff top to get to the feather before losing her footing and plummeting to the beach below.

(Get the rest of the story at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1152738/Walker-plunged-80ft-death-cliff-chasing-bird-feather.html )

Be Careful!

Let Wisdom Guide Your Steps.
Proverbs 4:11-13 (New International Version)

11 I guide you in the way of wisdom
and lead you along straight paths.

12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when you run, you will not stumble.

13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
guard it well, for it is your life.

What does God's Story scripture teach us about living through wisdom?

Proverbs is a book that is easy to enjoy, because it is straight forward, and there seems always to be truth we can apply to our lives. Today's portion is no different. The Expositor's Bible Commentary says this about Proverbs 4:11-13, "The figure of the road is now used to make a comparison. Living according to wisdom is like walking or running on a safe road, a course that will be free of obstacles, so that progress will be certain."

I disagree with the commentator just a little bit. This proverb doesn't say the hindrances won't be there, but with our guide "wisdom" we can travel safely over anything in our way.

How can we connect God's Story scripture to our lives?

If it hasn't started already, people are going to give you lots of instruction in your life. They are going to give aphorisms that they hope will help to enrich your life. Most of what you are going to hear will be good, because like this proverb says, instruction will guard you. Most people in your life want the best for you. Here are some ways to make sure the advice they provide really is Godly wisdom.

  • First of all, so that you learn to make this whole process a gut reaction, memorize these three verses. That way it is at the forefront of your mind.
  • Anytime you are given advice on how to live that you're not sure about, compare it with scripture. Ask an older follower of Jesus that you trust to search with you.

  • Ask God to give you a sense about the wisdom you have been given.

How can we connect today's story, God's Story scripture, and our story to others?

Lets acknowledge up front that today's story was a sad one. Often in our lives, if we would just follow the signs, better yet the wisdom, we could avoid a lot of hurt. This is such a shocking story though, that it will be easy to bring it up to a friend. Run with these thoughts and make them your own...

  • Share today's story with a friend, and just see their reaction. Then ask what they think about the walker ignoring the signs posted all around.
  • See if your friend has ever received advice. Then talk about advice you've received. Ask if together you can see what scripture says about the wisdom you both have been offered.
  • After you've spent some time looking at the instructions you have both been given, show your friend today's scripture from Proverbs. Then share with them why it is important to you to compare instruction to what the Bible says.

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The Daily Bide is brought to you by a team of writers from Youth for Christ/USA. The writers all have various years of experience in youth ministry but share a common bond in serving Jesus and discovering what it means to abide deeply everyday and to connect God's Story with those around them. A number of the Daily Bide writers have also written portions of our 3Story® resources. You can check out our resources at the 3Story.org website or connect with our writers at 3story@yfc.net. If you have a question or a story you would like to share, please reference the Daily Bide date in your email.

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