Proverbs 17

"The beginning of strife is like breaching a dam, so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out." (Proverbs 17:14)

We were all homeschooled. That means that we were all together, all the time. I had two younger brothers and a younger sister (and now another younger sister, but she fortunately did not have to endure all of us going through childhood, puberty, adolescence... you know, growing up).

I would love to portray my family as a paragon of perfection. But then I would be called into account for another lie, and I'd prefer to avoid that.

On our table were little tiny cards with picture clues to help us remember certain verses. This Proverb was one of these verses. The big fat word "Quarrel" was trying to bust its way through a dam. Perhaps it was my mother's engineer-like fascination with dams, but she very clearly communicated what happens when a dam breaks, that coupled with a "major on the majors" view of arguments was ingrained very early on.

By the time we hit high school, all mom would say was, "Starting a quarrel..." and usually the tone of the conversation would shift. The topic wouldn't change, but the style of communication usually took on a much more civil tone. (I stress the word "usually." Once again, we are clearly not perfect children.)

"You stole my jeans!"

"I would like to point out that this was only after you used my new running shoes."

"Starting a quarrel..."

(pause)

"I would prefer you ask before you borrow something."

"You totally made up that story about me!"

"It was funny! People laughed! It wasn't that bad. Sheesh."

"Starting a quarrel..."

"I will try to refrain my stories to true funny stories."

You get the idea...

Proverbs 14

Often working in a world of hurt and sorrow deadens my soul. My heart has seen too much grief, and this only through association. I watch people grapple with end of life decisions on a daily basis. I see persons from all walks of life confront the results of sin in one of its most public displays-- a hospital.

As I watch those who are suffering, pity begins to dry up. People are sinners. People are dumb. People run from God. People abuse their relationships. And as I watch, my heart hardens. I ignore the suffering I see, and instead treat people as another task, another item on my to-do list.

"The heart knows its own bitterness..." (Proverbs 14:10)

But suffering is suffering. People make choice I don't understand. People make choices that are blatantly wrong. People make choices that silently scream their lack of a Savior. But each act of rebellion, is an act of searching, an act acknowledging the need for redemption.

May my heart break for those who are lost in bitterness. May each act of sin, make our spotless Savior more prominent.

Proverb of the Day

Growing up, my mom was a wealth of Proverbs. She had a verse for everything. I mean, EVERYTHING. You want to sleep in--there's a verse for that. You don't pay attention--there's a verse for that. You make fun of your brother--there's a verse for that. And most of the verses came from Proverbs. My recent perusal of Proverbs has reminded me of my daily encounter with truth through my mother's faithful use of wisdom.

There are 31 chapters in Proverbs. There are 31 days in most months. In almost every chapter (and sometimes multiple times per chapter) my mother's voice comes to mind...

Today's Proverb was whipped out whenever we would finish a task in a half-hearted, lazy way. As she looked at piles of poorly folded laundry, barely clean rooms, and dinner dishes which were "soaking" rather than being washed, my mother would look at us and say:

"Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him." (Proverbs 10:26)

We would then wash the dishes. Fold the laundry. And clean the room. Mom has a way with biblical confrontation....