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Apply Your Heart – Proverbs 23
“Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.” – Proverbs 23:12 (BSB) Where is your heart? Your mind? Your attention? What are you listening to? These things matter. They determine who you are and who you are becoming. The old computer programmer’s axiom, “Garbage in – garbage out” applies here. We consume a ridiculous amount of content, news, and information every day thanks to the electronic devices that are practically glued to our hands. At some point we need to ask ourselves how this is affecting us. It can’t be good. Thankfully, you are already taking steps in the right direction. You are committed to absorbing…
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Virtue Not Spin – Proverbs 22
“A good name is more desirable than great riches; favor is better than silver and gold.” – Proverbs 22:1 (BSB) This proverb speaks quite plainly of the value of a good reputation. But don’t think for a moment that it refers to the necessity of hiring a good publicist or spin doctor to manage the way that others perceive you. Nope. It refers to the importance of an impeccable life, lived publicly and privately in accordance with the highest values. It’s said that “you are who you are when no one is watching.” This is the very definition of integrity. Integrity contains not only the idea of moral strength, but…
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Got any plans? – Proverbs 21
“The plans of the diligent bring plenty, as surely as haste leads to poverty.” – Proverbs 21:5 (BSB) What are you planning? We’ve all heard the old adage, “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Is that what the writer is really getting at here? Plans are good. They are a terrific use of our God-given imagination. We envision for ourselves what a better future could look like. What does that mean for you? How would you define a better future for your life? What steps can you take to make your future better? These are all great things to ponder. But dreaming only goes so far. The…
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Refrain from Strife – Proverbs 20
“It is honorable to refrain from strife. But every fool is quick to quarrel.” – Proverbs 20:3 (NRSV) We live in a divided world. We are each so full of our own opinions, we can barely recognize those who disagree with us as human. Society, as served up continually to us by our devices, will only show us data intended to reinforce our already tightly held viewpoints. Families and friends are divided by party lines. People are losing their jobs over political statements. Peaceful protesters are being arrested and having their bank accounts frozen in previously free countries. The most extreme radicals are even willing to kill anyone bold enough…
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A Better Resolution – Proverbs 19
Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. – Proverbs 19:21 (NIV) So how is your day going so far? How’s your year? Is it living up to your expectations? Have you managed to keep those optimistic resolutions you started out with on January first? Most of us find that things don’t always turn out as we plan. So you do you react when that happens? Disappointment? Frustration? Resignation? Anger? I have nothing against planning and goal setting. I believe they’re both important to our progress, whatever the endeavour might be. I’ve worked a good part of my life as a music…
