Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly....

Today we celebrated my nephew's (2nd cousin really) birthday.  He turned 12 y/o today. He is as smart as a whip.  I have had the pleasure of watching him grow into a young man who is finally comfortable within himself (or getting much closer).  I was there when he gave his life to Jesus and have since seen him blossom.  I have spent years telling him about his beautiful mind - one of many gifts from God above.

We came together as a family to bless him with our words.  I am not sure when we started doing this, but it is now something of a tradition for us.  No-one will be able to say they did not hear the words I love you from at least one person in our family unit.  God has been doing wonders in us all.

But my purpose for today's entry was to talk about Psalm 1.  Today I was telling my cousin about her son who is away.  I was giving him advise about alcohol, don't drink.  She told him drink but don't get drunk.  While we disagreed about this, what came to mind was what the psalmist wrote about the counsel of the ungodly.  He says, don't walk in it.

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
 
But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.
 
Psalm1:1-2 (NKJV)

I thought about the verse for a long time after reading it.  I guess it was because he listed three different positions or activity: don't walk in their counsel, don't stand in their path and don't sit in their seat.  We do this everyday and so it was something I could visualize.  Walk. Stand. Sit.  I found that interesting as I imagined myself in each stage and what it meant in my world.  Don't move ahead in their advise as walking suggests; don't stay still in their way as standing implies; nor should I relax in their seat by sitting down. 

So today as my cousin gave me a long suffering look and rolled her eyes at me once again. I realized that we would never agree.  She thinks I am unrealistic and too uptight.  After all, drinking once or twice a month never hurt anyone.  I told her the drunkard man started off with one drink.  I am not here to discuss whether or not it is biblical to drink.  However, I will not walk, stand or sit in what she has deemed to be the right thing to do.  Of course, it opposes the views of the world and appears to them as foolish and old fashioned.  Yet, I will meditate upon the law of the Lord. My delight is in Him and His every word.