Don’t work yourself into the spotlight ...
Don’t work yourself into the spotlight; don’t push your way into the place of prominence. It’s better to be promoted to a place of honor than face humiliation by being demoted. -Proverbs 25:6-7
There is a saying that retorts "the bigger they are the harder they fall". The sentiment is not so much about physical size but the size of the ego. I think that most men and some women understand how ego can cause us to do strange things. The cause of ego seems to always involve sacrificing so-called priorities for the things that stroke our pride. Whether it causes a spotlight to shine on our perfect family or on our perfect performance something is just amiss.
Sadly many of us are attracted to leaders, politicians and all sorts of celebritities who have enormous egos. These seem to feed on our adoration. In contrast, a heart of humility causes the spotlight to shine on others rather than ourselves. I am convinced that the strongest people are the ones who play supporting roles in the so-called success of others. In truth humility is the only path to real success. God is opposed to the proud and gives grace to the humble.
Teach us to humble ourselves Lord. Help us to stay ourt of the spotlight. Lead us to put others first.
Reliable friends who do what they say ...
The right word at the right time is like a custom-made piece of jewelry, And a wise friend’s timely reprimand is like a gold ring slipped on your finger. Reliable friends who do what they say are like cool drinks in sweltering heat—refreshing! Like billowing clouds that bring no rain is the person who talks big but never produces. -Proverbs 25:11-14 MSG
Life is filled with people. Every day we each contact others in different ways. We sometimes speak to the young person getting our coffee or latte like they are a caffeine dispensing machine. Going past a coworker in the hallway we grunt a hello. When we get to our desk we open up the lid on our coffee and sigh a bit of relief. Often it is difficult dealing with people. Yet it could be argued that people are the reason we exist - why we arise from bed each day.
In the midst of this sea of people there are people who we call "friends". Our relationships with these vary from Facebook friend to close friend - from acquaintence to someone who "gets you". And apart from all of these is the friend who is there for you. These show up when you need them. They do what they say they will do. Their presence in your life feels like a gift - an eccouraging and refreshing force in your life. Such is the influence of a reliable friend.
Help me to be a friend who can be trusted Lord. Teach me to love the way that you love.
That man who thinks he’s so smart ...
See that man who thinks he’s so smart? You can expect far more from a fool than from him. Loafers say, “It’s dangerous out there! Tigers are prowling the streets!” and then pull the covers back over their heads. Just as a door turns on its hinges, so a lazybones turns back over in bed. A shiftless sluggard puts his fork in the pie, but is too lazy to lift it to his mouth. [Proverbs 25:12-15]
I wonder what Solomon observed that caused him to write these verses? Do you think that he had family members that relied on the King's wealth and refused to work? Or perhaps he saw such behaviors growing up in his fathers palace? The words are quite an indictment against laziness and reminds me that inventor Thomas Edison once said:
Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits.An old preacher once said that waiting on th Lord is not like waiting on a bus. Good words. Sometimes I think that religious people can get caught up in analysis paralysis. Fearing failure they are immobilzed until they "hear fom God". These do not understand that waiting on the Lord is not about inactivity. Our work must accomapny our prayers.
Help us Lord to be fruitful in both our labors and our prayers. Teach us how you work in our work.
Updating the old Blogroll ...
I updated my blogroll yesterday and hope I did not leave you off. You can see it by clicking the Orange Blogger logo on the right.
Let me know if you would like to be added to it by leaving your blog's URL in the comments section. All I ask is that you are a regular reader of my blog and An Eye for Redemption is displayed in the blogroll section of your blog. Hope you have a great weekend!
Don’t jump to conclusions ...
Don’t jump to conclusions — there may be a perfectly good explanation for what you just saw. In the heat of an argument, don’t betray confidences; Word is sure to get around, and no one will trust you. -Proverbs 25:8-10 MSG
Reading these verses I am reminded of the many times that I have rushed to judgment about something or someone only to change my mind later - it is foolish to act before you have all of the information. So why do we do it? What is there about each of us that judges before we have all of the information? I wonder if sometimes we project ourselves into a situation and we discern a person's actions based on how we might have acted in a similar situation?
Solomon tells us that a consequence of rash behavior, acting before we have all of the information, is that people will have a hard time trusting you. Such is the nature of people who rush to judge others. Consider how little you trust those who feel free to gossip to you about other people - do you ever wonder what they say about you when you are not there? In contrast there are some who can listen to our heart and never break the confidence we have shared.
Help us Lord to be people who listen, really listen, before we act. Teach us to be people of integrity.
God-loyal people don’t stay down ...
No matter how many times you trip them up, God-loyal people don’t stay down long; Soon they’re up on their feet, while the wicked end up flat on their faces. Don’t laugh when your enemy falls; don’t crow over his collapse. -Prov 24:15-17
There is one constant in life that wise people understand - failure is necessary to succeed. People who understand this get up when they fall - they do not let a setback cause them to stop pursuing their dream. Thomas Edison failed thousands of times before he made the first light bulb - invention is often a process rather than an event. He once said:
"Many of life's failures are experienced by people who did not realizeIt speaks to me about how we always need to persevere and not stay down when we fall. Many people in the bible understood this. Jesus told a parable that teaches us to pray and not give up. The book of James tells us that this kind of prayer is effective. Often getting up is about praying when we are down. Sometimes success is a prayer away.
how close they were to success when they gave up."
Help us Lord to always pray and not faint. Renew our strength when we are down. Teach us to get up when we fall.
Respect ... the father who raised you ...
Listen with respect to the father who raised you, and when your mother grows old, don’t neglect her. Buy truth — don’t sell it for love or money; buy wisdom, buy education, buy insight. Parents rejoice when their children turn out well; wise children become proud parents. So make your father happy! Make your mother proud! -Proverbs 23:22-25 MSG
What is it about the parent-child relationship that seems to transcend life itself? Why does the success or failure of a child impact the parent so much? Is it simply a matter of proximity in our childhood years? Is is societal norms or genetics? What is it that creates such a bond between these familial generations? I suggest to you that it is the idea of love and more specifically love that involves sacrifice - from the day that we are born our parents sacrifice.
This kind of parental sacrificial love is worthy of respect and honor. Yet so many times in life it is maligned and criticized - especially when the child strays from the narrow road. I can remember a parent once telling me that she thought I was the worst parent she knew because my son (who had just lost his mom) got in trouble. People can be so judgmental and we can be made to forget the sacrifices that we have made for our children. Even so, we continue to love.
Today Lord, we remember your call to love, sacrifice, deny ourselves, pick our cross and follow you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)