"So heavenly minded you're no earthly good". The phrase sounds wise. Yet, it is not.
Consider Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV):
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
To be directed by the Lord and His ways encompasses earthly affairs. There is no dichotomy between the "heavenly" and the "earthly", for those who walk by faith in Messiah Yeshua.^
Let the verdict of this matter fall on James 5:8 (NKJV):
You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
The imminent coming of the Lord is the most consequential "earthly" matter there is: a matter in which our hope lies, a matter that will materialize in the fulness of His glory.
And, in light of the Coming, what should our inner disposition—that establishing of the heart—be, that resulting focus that takes the Jesus follower's "world view" and demonstrates it to the world? James tells us: "Establish your hearts". For instance, let's ponder Proverbs 4:20-22 (NKJV):
20 My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them depart from your eyes;
Keep them in the midst of your heart;
22 For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.
The next time someone tells you (or you hear the maxim), "Don't be so heavenly minded that you're no earthly good", remind yourself of Psalm 14:2 (NKJV):
The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men,
To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.
__________
Italics in the Scriptures cited are mine
^ Yeshua is from the Hebrew; English speakers say the anglicized “Jesus"
Consider Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV):
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
To be directed by the Lord and His ways encompasses earthly affairs. There is no dichotomy between the "heavenly" and the "earthly", for those who walk by faith in Messiah Yeshua.^
Let the verdict of this matter fall on James 5:8 (NKJV):
You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
The imminent coming of the Lord is the most consequential "earthly" matter there is: a matter in which our hope lies, a matter that will materialize in the fulness of His glory.
And, in light of the Coming, what should our inner disposition—that establishing of the heart—be, that resulting focus that takes the Jesus follower's "world view" and demonstrates it to the world? James tells us: "Establish your hearts". For instance, let's ponder Proverbs 4:20-22 (NKJV):
20 My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them depart from your eyes;
Keep them in the midst of your heart;
22 For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.
The next time someone tells you (or you hear the maxim), "Don't be so heavenly minded that you're no earthly good", remind yourself of Psalm 14:2 (NKJV):
The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men,
To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.
__________
Italics in the Scriptures cited are mine
^ Yeshua is from the Hebrew; English speakers say the anglicized “Jesus"
