God Values Women Who Look After Their Families

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.  The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.  She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.  Proverbs, Chapter 31, verses 10-12.

It goes on to say how she will help provide for her family, but I like verse 20: She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. 
The next verses continue to list some of the qualities of the virtuous woman, but I, also like verse 26: She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.  There are more qualities listed, and then verse 30 says: Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
I especially like the last verse that I mentioned.  God wasn’t saying, “Boy are you lucky to have a wife who is a CEO of a company.” Or, “Boy are you lucky to have a wife who is so gorgeous that she looks like a model.”  God says (paraphrased) that He values women who look after their families, provide for them and are kind and giving to others.  In fact, God reminds us that beauty is only skin deep.  What really matters is a person’s relationship with God and living as an example of that.

Now, we’ve all met some attractive, shallow people but there are also beautiful women who have a great relationship with God.  There are homely, bedraggled women who are shallow and some who have a great relationship with God.  We really can’t make decisions about people based on their looks.  Fortunately, God doesn’t judge us by human standards.  He knows of our love for Jesus and sees how we lead our lives and what our priorities are.

Because this is an example of how I’ve applied this Bible passage to my life, it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passage.




This is a connection I've made from this Bible passage. Please share your connections. 
Please click on comments below to share your suggestions. Thanks! Debbie

Disrespectful Children

The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.  Proverbs, Chapter 30, verse 17.

It doesn’t sound like God thinks it’s cute when kids are disrespectful to their parents.  He’s talking about having ravens peck out the eyes of children who are disrespectful to their parents.  It doesn’t sound like God condones their behavior.
How do children learn to be respectful, anyway?  One way is by setting appropriate limits while they’re little.  If they’re allowed to argue with their parents when they’re little, do you think they will argue with their parents less when they are 16?  If they’re allowed to break the rules with no consequences when they’re little, do you think they will break the rules less when they are 16?  If they are allowed to have a lack of respect for authority figures when they’re little, do you think they will be more respectful of authority figures when they are 16?  If they are allowed to be self-focused, not thinking of others when they’re little, will they become more concerned about the needs of others when they are 16?

If you don’t teach them religious principals and allow them to develop a relationship with God when they’re little, do you think they will gain these religious principals and develop a relationship with God when they are 16?  So, if we don’t teach our kids to be respectful when they’re little…who will??????????

Because this is an example of how I’ve applied this Bible passage to my life, it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passage.




This is a connection I've made from this Bible passage. Please share your connections. 
Please click on comments below to share your suggestions. Thanks! Debbie

Those Who Turn a Blind Eye

Many seek the ruler’s favour; but every man’s judgment cometh from the LORD.  Proverbs, Chapter 29, verse 26.

It reminds me of politics on the local level.  I remember hearing about local businessmen who bought gifts for those who govern them, hoping to get political favors in return.  (Example: Companies were told they had to make costly anti-pollution adjustments to their factories.  The newspapers would note companies that were flagrantly non-compliant, without legal repercussions.  It was implied that the business had given a politician some gift large enough to overlook the fact that they were dumping waste into the public water supply, etc.)  So, this passage says to me that we may try to kiss up to the politicians of the world who might turn a blind eye to our actions, but God really knows what we do!

Because this is an example of how I’ve applied this Bible passage to my life, it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passage.




This is a connection I've made from this Bible passage. Please share your connections. 
Please click on comments below to share your suggestions. Thanks! Debbie

It Seems Some People Are Always Angry

An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.  Proverbs, Chapter 29, verse 22.

It seems that some people are always angry.  They are abrupt with others and say hateful things rather than try to work things out calmly.  They go around upsetting people everywhere they go, leaving a trail of arguments, fights and people with hurt feelings.  I learned a long time ago that my life runs a lot smoother when I stay clear of people like this.

Because this is an example of how I’ve applied this Bible passage to my life, it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passage.




This is a connection I've made from this Bible passage. Please share your connections. 
Please click on comments below to share your suggestions. Thanks! Debbie

Babbling Every Thought in Their Head

Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words?  there is more hope of a fool than of him.  Proverbs, Chapter 29, verse 20.

This is talking about our opinion of people who go around babbling every thought that goes through their head.  Do you trust people like that to know your deepest, darkest secrets?  Do you appoint people like that as heads of corporations?  Do you really trust them to be there in a pinch when you really need them?  They aren’t generally the people we turn to when we need help.

Because this is an example of how I’ve applied this Bible passage to my life, it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passage.




This is a connection I've made from this Bible passage. Please share your connections. 
Please click on comments below to share your suggestions. Thanks! Debbie

Dictators and Inhumane Situations

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.  Proverbs, Chapter 29, verse 2.

This reminds me of how I explain to my students about democracies where the people elect the government officials.  This is contrasted with some countries where the dictator takes over the country by force.  I tell them these dictators usually have their needs as a priority and not the needs of their citizens, who often live in impoverished and inhumane situations.

Here is a related passage:

*The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: but the wicked regardeth not to know it.  Proverbs, Chapter 29, verse 7.

Because this is an example of how I’ve applied this Bible passage to my life, it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passage.




This is a connection I've made from this Bible passage. Please share your connections. 
Please click on comments below to share your suggestions. Thanks! Debbie

The Fire Goes Out

Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.  Proverbs, Chapter 26, verse 20.

I like the visual picture I have with this passage.  One way of looking at this passage might be to think of the wood as the person who listens to gossip.  The fire is the person who spreads the gossip.  If people listen to gossip, it “adds fuel to the fire.”  If no one listened to these stories, it would put the gossiper out of business; because they do it for the attention it gets them.
Here is a related passage:

*The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.  Proverbs, Chapter 26, verse 22.

Because this is an example of how I’ve applied this Bible passage to my life, it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passage.




This is a connection I've made from this Bible passage. Please share your connections. 
Please click on comments below to share your suggestions. Thanks! Debbie

Taking the Bait

Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.  Proverbs, Chapter 26, verse 4.

Sometimes people treat others like a fishing tournament.  The fisherman baits his hook with some challenging remark, just enough to entice us to take the bait by challenging our religious beliefs.  Once we bite that lure and get involved in the interaction, the fisherman yanks the pole and starts to reel his catch in.  Usually, it’s best to resist the opportunity to respond to people when they set us up.

Because this is an example of how I’ve applied this Bible passage to my life, it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passage.




This is a connection I've made from this Bible passage. Please share your connections. 
Please click on comments below to share your suggestions. Thanks! Debbie

Kids With a Reputation Taking Pride in Being Able to Make Good Choices

He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.  Proverbs, Chapter 25, verse 28.

I would get kids through the years, which had a “reputation” for not being in control of their behavior choices.  I think they had been “out of control” for so many years that they thought they’d always be this way and so did some of their families.
After developing a bond with these students, they were more open to following the classroom rules and guidelines.  I tried to help them see the improvements they were making to be more “in control” of their actions and choices.  At first, they were reluctant to believe that they were capable of this, trying to revert back to old, comfortable ways.  After time and continued support to “be the best they could be,” they eventually started noticing that they were making more and more good choices and were thinking about the consequences of their poor choices more than they ever had.
It was exciting to see these same children leave my class at the end of the year, taking pride in their ability to be “in control” of their lives and choices.  They were better able to bounce back when things didn’t go the way they wanted.  They left with confidence, which is a distinct contrast from the student who had that reputation of “being out of control.”

What a difference consistent parameters make in their lives.  Ideally, all families would provide their children with consistent, appropriate rules, not changing them at whim.  This would help their children grow up learning to feel “in control” of their actions rather than becoming someone without rule over his own spirit.

Because this is an example of how I’ve applied this Bible passage to my life, it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passage.




This is a connection I've made from this Bible passage. Please share your connections. 
Please click on comments below to share your suggestions. Thanks! Debbie