NOTE TO SELF--and anyone else interested

Do you "dabble" in wise communication? TODAY'S PROVERB: For as churning milk produces butter, and twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife. Proverbs 30:33 Talk about relevant. Today's proverb speaks of stirring up anger--something so widespread thanks to technology, that even toddlers mimic strong emotions on play cellphones. Why is the "stirring" happening? I think, we may be losing the art of communica tion. Communication is a two-way process. To do communication well, we must learn how to effectively send and receive messages. Perhaps we should begin one step before: what is the goal of our communication? If our goal is to impart information we think is helpful, how we relay this to someone should still involve that other person. We may think our info is valuable, but if we force it on them we can stir up frustration, which leads to anger, then strife. Strife closes hearts and makes it difficult to recover ground. A...

Who rules in our heart? TODAY'S PROVERB: A righteous person considers justice for the poor. The wicked one has no such concern. Proverbs 29:7 Yesterday, we spoke of GOD's justice. His justice applies to the poor or wealthy or anyone in between. His judgment is pure and with purpose--to bring order to His kingdom. He cannot be bribed. He gives mercy because He can see into our hearts and knows that the act of mercy can  change lives. When humanity tries to employ their own version of GOD's justice, it corrupts the system. Giving mercy for their own purposes destabilizes the law and incites fear and distrust in those governing and protecting us. In today's proverb, the righteous are protectors of the poor to ensure they are treated fairly. In our world, those that seek to corrupt GOD's kingdom, manipulate the poor and the wealthy by giving mercy and favors without responsibility. As Leviticus makes clear, favoring the poor OR the wealthy corrupts justice. It...

WATCH: We can be part of GOD's provision for others. https://www.facebook.com/tlvbiblesociety/videos/297966301032700/?notif_id=1538137771662248&notif_t=live_video_explicit

Do you have gleaning and harvest territories? TODAY'S PROVERB: To show partiality is not good—yet for a piece of bread a man may do wrong. Proverbs 28:21 They say justice is blind. The statue of a woman wearing a blindfold, holding a scale and sword can be seen around many a courthouses. It's actually a cool representation of an impartial judicial system that only weighs the evidence and metes out that justice firmly. In today's proverb, we  are cautioned against showing partiality. Which reflects what the Torah says in Leviticus 19:15: “You are to do no injustice in judgment. You are not to be partial toward the poor nor show favoritism toward the great, but you are to judge your neighbor with fairness." Earlier in Leviticus 19, we are commanded to not steal (vs. 11)--no one was to steal. This applied to the poor as well. Nevertheless, GOD did put systems in place to protect the poor from stealing to provide for themselves and their family. The systems were al...

WATCH: Our discussion of Proverbs 27. Is it wrong to want affirmation? https://www.facebook.com/tlvbiblesociety/videos/1916539745319606/?notif_id=1538051376489740&notif_t=live_video_explicit

How do we use praise? TODAY'S PROVERB: Let another praise you and not your own mouth, a stranger and not your own lips. Proverbs 27:2 This verse seems pretty straightforward, right? Don't brag or boast. But, as always with Proverbs, there are layers of insights and lessons. First, whether someone praises us, or we praise ourselves, the use of praise is tricky. Praise is an act of honor, gratitude, approval, and admi ration. It is not flattery. Praise is based on observable, affirmed, and confirmed facts. We praise GOD for all He has done for us. And hopefully we do this regularly. Praising someone for a great effort or talent is showing our approval and admiration. The result is we honor the person--we make special note of them. So, how should the recipient respond to praise? Do we refuse it as flattery? Or soak it in? I believe the first response should be gratitude. A simple "thank you" is a great way to begin. Gratitude acknowledges that the person(s) who...

WATCH: Great discussion of how anger can morph into resentment, which can morph into hatred. https://www.facebook.com/tlvbiblesociety/videos/242192083132691/

Are we taking the poison? TODAY'S PROVERB: One who hates, disguises it with his lips, but he stores up deceit within him. Proverbs 26:24 Why do people hate? Some people feel weak, victimized, or betrayed. Others are jealous and envious. Hatred is more than anger over some infraction against them, although that is almost always the root. Hatred is a state of being that views the world in darkness. Hatred takes an enormous amount of energy and time. It depletes the person of a healthy outlook on life because the person fixates on the anger and contempt and perceived or real offense. Why would someone hide their hatred? Plans for revenge? Guilt over a lack of control? Whatever the reason for disguising their hatred with flattery or deceit, eventually that hatred will push its way out. Can a follower of Jesus hate someone? Unfortunately, yes. The road to hatred begins with something someone did to us. Or a repeated offense we feel we have no ability to stop. At some point anger co...

WATCH: Warning. Sensitive subject. Victims of abuse. https://www.facebook.com/tlvbiblesociety/videos/585651541852639/

Redemption stories for all? T ODAY'S PROVERB: Remove the wicked from before the king, and his throne will be established in righteousness. Proverbs 25:5 Eventually, GOD will always reveal the wicked. Corruptness. Embezzlers. Predators. Sometimes it feels like it takes too long for those revelations, especially for the victims. But, I wonder if it is a test to see if those "kings"--those leaders--will do the right thing. If  there are people and systems in place to prevent a wicked person from abusing their power and having free reign in a righteous setting. Living with free will is not easy. Dealing with the one in sin who is repentant is complex. However, this passage seems very clear--wickedness needs to be removed. Perhaps this has to do with the insidious corruption to a "kingdom" when evil victimizes. When a leader victimizes a "subject" it destabilizes the whole organization. Trust is violated. To establish a congregation, ministr...

WATCH: You may already be a hero! https://www.facebook.com/tlvbiblesociety/videos/714596422225776/?notif_id=1537792112531884&notif_t=live_video_explicit

Can you "save" a life? TODAY'S PROVERB: Rescue those being dragged off to death, hold back those stumbling to slaughter. Proverbs 24:11 This verse reminds me of comic book heroes--the caped wonders who rescue folks from impending doom. There are real life heroes--men and women--who save lives everyday. Thank you to those "first responders," doctors, nurses, and ordinary citizens who step up when others can't or won't. But, there are others we don't think of who hold back those stumbling to slaughter--they rescue souls from the claws of death all around the world. Those who share the Good News. From a tiny nation GOD called out and raised up (Exodus 9:16), to a small, raggedy band of Jesus followers (Mark 16:15), to people like Billy Graham, to people like us, we are called out and raised up to share the wonder of a Savior who died so we wouldn't be dragged off by death, but lovingly embraced by the Creator of the Universe. We can be tha...

Who guides our heart? TODAY'S PROVERB: Listen, my son, and be wise, and guide your heart in the right way. Proverbs 23:19 I love the phrase, "guide your heart in the right way." Our heart can have a "mind" of its own. Driven by emotion and whim, it can be double-minded when left on its own. Fickle. The Bible is filled with warnings against being double-minded: Matthew 6:24: “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stick by one and look down on the other..." James (Jacob) 4:4: "You adulteresses! Don’t you know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." 1 Corinthians 1:17: So when I was planning to do this, I didn’t do so lightly, did I? Or the things I plan, do I plan according to the flesh—so it might be with me “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time? How do we keep our heart from fickle chang...

Does someone owe you money? TODAY'S PROVERB: The rich rule over the poor, the borrower is a slave to the lender. Proverbs 22:7 GOD has His own economy. If we think about it, He's always "lending" but never asks for repayment. And He certainly doesn't charge interest. If He did either we would be His slaves, not His children. Still, He may not expect full repayment, but He loves it when we try. He loves when we seek Him and  make the effort to live the way He designed us. He loves our gratitude and that we ponder His generosity in our praise and worship and how we live. What about us "borrowers" who live in this world of too-easy credit and retailers adept at convincing us we can't live without their wares? As a borrower, someone who doesn't have the means to purchase something outright, we should be prudent before we ever vow to pay. Do we really need this thing? Can we afford the payments, really? When we've finished repayment, will thi...

WATCH: Oh! Great insights into spiritual hoarding. Come join us! https://www.facebook.com/tlvbiblesociety/videos/311122683009872/

What clutters your sanctuary? TODAY'S PROVERB: It is better to live on a corner of a roof than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife. Proverbs 21:9 What fills our home? Today's proverb reminds me of Proverb 14:1: A wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands. Yes. That is our "superpower," my sisters. For good or evil. In today's proverb a quarrelsome wife--or woman, or mom--fills their home with such dissension it pushes out her loved ones. It reminds me of the television show HOARDERS. The program profiles those poor souls with homes filled with stuff. Their inability to let go of possessions has created unlivable situations. From china to plastic bags to empty cans of green beans, the thought of throwing anything away causes great distress. And, this disorder occurs in both men and women. While this type of hoarding is a disease, it prompted me to ask myself: What do I "hoard?" What am I afraid of letting g...

WATCH: A very powerful discussion of how loyalty to emotions and things from the past, can keep us from being faithful. Proverbs 20:6 https://www.facebook.com/tlvbiblesociety/videos/1450259295106581/?notif_id=1537446571005760&notif_t=live_video_explicit

What is the difference between loyalty and faithfulness? Why is it important to know the difference? TODAY'S PROVERB: Many a man proclaims his loyalty, but a faithful man who can find? Proverbs 20:6 What is the difference between loyalty and faithfulness? Loyalty has more to do with an experience--right or wrong--with a concept. Faithfulness has more to do with an individual and following what is right. In Luke 18:8, Yeshua wondered if He would find faith--those faithful to Him--in Israel. Some  people who were loyal to the idea of what the Messiah would look like had difficulty having faith in Jesus. He didn't fit their concept. Many Jewish leaders at that time were loyal to those misconceptions. Rather than re-examining the Scriptures in light of Jesus and all He said and did, they dug in their heels and hardened their hearts. Our experience and understanding can color our loyalty so we don't clearly see the truth. Are there perceptions we're loyal to that a...

Can understanding be served? https://www.facebook.com/tlvbiblesociety/videos/669594093414188/?notif_id=1537360111093907&notif_t=live_video_explicit

What do we serve? TODAY'S PROVERB: One who gets wisdom loves his own soul. One who treasures understanding prospers. Proverbs 19:8 Okay my fellow Wisdom's Journey travelers, I've discovered another so-called "archaic" definition. It's for the word understanding--and I believe it's key to getting more out of today's proverb. The archaic definition is: having insight and good judgment . The "contemporary" definition : comprehension or to perceive the intended meaning of words, language, or a speaker. Insight and good judgment. These are such important attributes to wisdom. They define a line that says this is right, this is wrong. This is true, this is not. While the contemporary definition is okay, it's a weak substitution for clear morals and discernment that comes from GOD's wisdom. I like to look at wisdom as a home. Inside that home are rooms that serve different purposes. Knowledge, discernment, and understanding all reside t...

WATCH: Do we edit our words? https://www.facebook.com/tlvbiblesociety/videos/532836133826855/?comment_id=532949767148825&notif_id=1537288412456061&notif_t=video_comment

Can we edit our words--before we speak? Proverbs 18:21--I love writing. Stories, devotionals, blogs. I love when an unformed idea or concept comes together on the page. The process of finding the right words that convey my hopes and dreams for a character, truth, or message. Writing and re-writing until it sings. There are certain people I trust to edit my work. Not just because they love my writing, but because they will be honest wit h me. They'll let me know when I've hit the mark, and when I've overshot it. The edits make my writing stronger, more relevant. Sigh . Sometimes I wish speaking was more like writing. Seeing the words and being able to read them over several times. Editing them carefully before ever allowing others to read them is so much safer than speaking. Words on paper have no impact on others until someone reads them. Words we speak, impact them immediately. I guess verbal editing has its own rules, like writing. Maybe:   speak no words to int...