She bounds into a room and begins to present her case; “some friends are getting together tonight and want to know if I can come hang out with them…can I go?” Before she can continue any further she’s cut off by a harsh “no” and because this is not the first time she’s been cut off in mid sentence with a terse answer, she continues with her plea…again it’s a NO. Bewildered she turns and mutters the disrespectful words that leave a bad taste in her mouth and she begins to feel the rebellion well up inside her.
He who answers before listening that is his folly and his shame. Proverbs 18:13
A son opens the door throws his back pack in before him and the he jumps in with a grin on his face ready to announce his great news; he made the basketball team, a dream he has worked for as far back as he can remember. Expecting to be encouraged and congratulated for his hard work and perseverance, he hears a string of angry words strung out into the longest sentence he’s ever heard; something about grades, being lazy and “we know you can do better”. As he tries to explain why his grade is so low and how he is working with the teacher doing extra credit…more berating follows and he hangs his head in shame; you see the window was down and his classmates heard the whole thing.
A man’s spirit sustains him in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear? Proverbs 18:14
A friend calls to confide in you … more like unload. Doesn’t she know that she brings all of her problems on herself. I mean what did she expect when she married a guy like that? It’s time she knew the truth.
The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts. Proverbs 18:8
A man comes home to find his wife in tears, confused he goes to her, gathers her into his arms and tries to soothe her. When she regains her composure he inquires what is wrong; she begins her story and gets almost to the end…and he then tells her what he would do. “You just need to…” “You shouldn’t let…” “If it were me…”
A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions. Proverbs 18: 2
Father, thank you for the wisdom of Proverbs…I shudder to think where I would be without your words to guide me daily. Because of your grace and this book, I am a better wife, mom and friend. Amen
Cindi
Sixty-six books in a year 