Proverbs – Page 7 – Be Still…

Proverbs 18:14-24 – Know Your Enemies

You’ve probably heard the saying, “keep your friends close and your enemies closer,” a line from the movie, Godfather II. It can be wise advice because you never know when your “friend” might actually be your enemy. Verse 24 would seem to hint at this as it says, “There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.” Have you ever been betrayed by a “friend?”

We hear almost daily of bullying accounts of one kind or another. Just the other day a dear friend of mine who has some “special needs” told me how someone she’s known for a while has started to call her “stupid.” How hurtful. What sort of motivation would lead a “friend” to call another friend stupid? We are meant to build each other up, not tear each other down. These were grown-ups!

Proverbs 18:1-13 – Listen Up!

Read Proverbs 18:1-13

The art of listening, and it is an art, is dying. Now that’s a bold statement and, if true, frightening. Today’s proverb is found in verse 13, “Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish.” Finding someone who truly listens can be hard. There are certain professions where the art of listening is key, such as doctors, lawyers, reporters, coaches, just to name a few. For them to be productive and successful in their jobs, they need to listen and understand those with whom they are interacting.

So often, people are either in a rush or too worried about their own problems to be totally present with another human. How do I know? Because I have been guilty of this. Listening is something I have to work on every day. I have to control my mind and tell it to slow down. So many things are rushing through my head, including things I could say or inject into the conversation. If I don’t blurt it out, how will I remember it when they give me a chance to speak?

Proverbs 17:16-28 – Parenting Isn’t Easy

Read Proverbs 17:16-28

Have you started to notice repeat proverbs or at least ones that sound very similar to each other? How often have you repeated yourself, on purpose or by accident, because something was that important? Well, time and again Solomon has focused on children’s behavior and how it affects their parents. Today we have two such verses, so we’ll focus on them. Verse 21 says, “It is painful to be the parent of a fool; there is no joy for the father of a rebel.” Verse 25 says, “Foolish children bring grief to their father and bitterness to the one who gave them birth.”

Let me start by saying that parenting isn’t easy. These babies don’t come with an instruction manual, and parents down through the ages have had to figure it out. Even the same parents can produce children who are totally different in learning styles, interests, looks, abilities, etc. We could even categorize some children as fools or foolish. But, of course, none of us want to admit we have one of those “fools” in our family. These verses would suggest that is painful and causes grief.

Proverbs 17:1-15 – Forgiveness

Read Proverbs 17:1-15

Isn’t reading all of this wisdom good for the soul? Be sure to take time to really wrestle with each proverb. There are only a handful to reflect on each day. Again, I am torn for which one to focus on today. As a grandma, I do agree that grandchildren are our crowning glory. All the trials and tribulations that go with parenting seem to be rewarded when the grandchildren come along. And, the one that spoke of acquitting the guilty also spoke to the paralegal in me who prepared a number of cases for trial.

Verse 9 is the one I chose for today, and it says, “Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.” Forgiveness is a powerful act. It releases us from bondage. Many times, we hold on to something that has happened to us, and it can make us bitter. We let it play over and over in our heads. Meanwhile, the other(s) involved are totally unaffected and may not even remember the event in the first place. Holding on to hurts is hurting us more than the person who hurts us, don’t you agree?

Proverbs 16:18-33 – Try a Little Kindness

Read Proverbs 16:18-33

The Book of Proverbs is a gift that keeps on giving. There are several verses in today’s passage that spoke to me. Verse 31 made me smile. I was noticing in the mirror today that my “roots” were starting to show again. I am stuck in a pattern of coloring my hair. It started before I had gray to cover. One of these days, I may just need to let it go for it says, “Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained by living a godly life.” I’m covering up the proof of my godly life! Although, I’m not sure I’m ready to look in the mirror and see gray.

What really struck me even more today (than my own vanity, yes!) is how we treat others. With kindness. Does it seem to you that we have lost this virtue? What happened to the good old days when we were kind, thoughtful, generous, etc. to our neighbors and acquaintances? On one of the biggest social platforms out there, Facebook, I don’t see a lot of kindness these days.