Session 5: Becoming Praus

In the last session we looked at the most Praus heart of all - Jesus. In that section we see that Jesus isn't praus every now and then or when he is in a good mood. He has that character at all times.

That is the challenge for all of us. To be Praus in character, we must at-all-times be able to control our strength and power and use it in a way that brings the Kingdom to any situation.  That's a big call-to-action isn't it. Life isn't that linear. We experience things that scare us, anger us, make us upset, grieve us. We also have all sorts of baggage we have picked up in the life that can really poison our hearts, that if we are honest, we must deal with if we have any chance of becoming one of those praus people who inherit the earth. Now, don't get me wrong, you should feel all of those emotions and more in response to life events. Jesus did (He was acquainted with grief and sorrow - Isaiah 53:3). The measure of a praus heart is how we act in these situations, as opposed to how we feel. For example, if a spouse does something that hurts our feelings, do we react by saying or doing something that hurts them too, or do we address how their behaviour hurt us and challenge them to be different next time?

The formula for praus character

Psalm 78:72 is an important verse to me, and it sets the framework needed to develop a praus character.

"He [King David] led with a pure heart and skilled hands".

Skilled hands: Every man has a unique set of strengths (gifts & skills).  A praus man embraces them, and continuously improves them to become a master of their craft.  This gives them great strength and power, which they use for the betterment of others.

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Pure heart: A highly skilled man without a pure heart uses their power for their own benefit coming at a great cost to those they are responsible for.  They are controlled by their power.  In contrast, a praus man has a gentle, kind, pure heart which enables them to have control of their power, and using it for the betterment of others.

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Praus man: A man with a pure heart and skilled hands will inherit the earth. He can be trusted by God to be a king who makes the world a better place for his family, friends, church, community, nation.  Such men lead fulfilling lives.

I personally use this framework every day to measure my character and to see where I can make improvements.

Join our 'Equipping' courses soon to start this process.

Questions

1. Read today's scripture. How did David's pure heart and skilled hands combination help in the big picture laid out in Psalm 78?

   
   

2. Consider your own 'skilled hands' and 'pure heart' - list the things that are strong and pure about them, and then what you need to do to improve in both areas. What can you do as an immediate next step in both categories to begin that journey today?

   
   

3. Last question of the series. What would being more praus mean to your spouse, your children, your family, your friends, your church, your workplace, and your community?

Scripture: Psalm 78