King Solomon's Dilema

I just got back from doing devotions with the recovery program clients and we talked about King Solomon during the devotional time. That is really sticking to my mind and I can’t help but include some of that in my blog today. I hope that it sticks with our program members as well as it is with me! It is indeed strange that the wisest man to have ever lived (excluding of course, our Lord) would turn to serve foreign idols (which he knew were just plain inanimate objects) at the end of his life. Well, that’s what we discussed, Why did he do that?

You know, there is a deep lesson there for recovery clients and for the rest of us as well. We certainly do our best to instill as much wisdom as we can into each client, but what if they take the focus of their faith off Christ and place it in their own wisdom? They certainly learn a lot of facts about Christ, recovery skills, life skills, etc., while they are with us. However, there is a subtle danger in trusting that knowledge in and of itself, of thinking that they have learned enough to keep them safe for life. It is just that simple to loose focus on commitment. Even Solomon seemed to fall victim to this ploy.

The danger for me and the staff is to over-emphasize those facts and how to use them, while under-emphasizing the necessity of staying focused on relentless commitment. You know, recovery is hard work and one has to have tremendous respect for our men and women with enough courage to attempt it. We are all going to fall down several times daily, but how often are we willing to get back up and go again? That’s what it takes, relentless commitment. We definitely want our clients to understand the importance of growing in wisdom and yet understanding that it is not a substitute for good old fashioned commitment. (Hey, maybe there is something to be said for us stubborn people after all)

So, I sit here thinking of ways that the staff and I can help our clients stay focused and gain an increasing sense of commitment. The haunting thing is that it keeps coming back to me that nothing is better than role-modeling. I wish I could just do the teaching and they would get it, but it always comes back to role-modeling. I am so thankful to be working around others who are so willing to provide just that.

Well, as you can tell, devotions aren’t just another slot to fill time here. They are to bring us to a deeper level of our own devotion to God. I am very proud to say that that is our focus here at ODM.

Stan Latta
Mens Recovery Services Director