Extreme Makeover

Have you ever seen those makeover shows where they take an average person and transform them into a stunning beauty? Many times watching these average people transform into something spectacular is like witnessing caterpillar’s transformation into a butterfly. While recipients of extreme makeovers may look amazing, and may cause us to wish we could have one, the truth is the most extreme makeover anyone can receive comes from spending regular time in the Word of God. Consider the words used to describe the man in the first three verses of Psalm 1.

"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. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 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." (Ps 1:1-3)

Here is a person that is first of all blessed. Secondly, he is set apart for the Lord. He doesn't seek and take worldly advice. Instead he meditates on God's Word (vs.2) where he seeks and finds counsel (Ps. 119:24) He distances himself from the way of sinners, and commits himself instead to following God's way to direct his life (Ps. 16:11; Ps 119:101; Jn. 14:6) He takes no part in joining others who take pleasure in mocking the things and people of God. Instead, this blessed man is discerning in who he spends time with because he knows "Bad company corrupts good character." (1 Cor. 15:33)

While the first verse of Psalm 1 focuses on what the blessed man does not do, the second verse focuses on what he does do.
While the blessed man certainly had his fair share of things he needed to do for the day, Psalm 1:2 only records the only thing from his everyday life that is worth mentioning and adopting into our everyday life. He delighted in God's word to such a degree that if he was not reading God's Word he was thinking about it. David Guzik says of this man "The righteous man only has God’s Word on his mind two times a day: day and night. That about covers it all!"

Psalm 1:3 says of this blessed man: 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. (Ps. 1:3)

What a glorious description of a life sold out for the Lord and committed to the regular feasting on the Word of God. Your like can also reflect the beauty of Ps. 1:3 as you dedicate yourself to "not conform any longer to the pattern of this world (Ps. 1:1) but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." (Rom. 12:2a; Ps. 1:2) "Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--His good, pleasing, and perfect will." (Rom. 12:2b)



Copyright © 2007 Brooke Espinoza.