20 Life Lessons Proverbs Taught Me

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When it comes to life lessons and wisdom, Proverbs is like the ultimate roadmap.  It's filled with so many life lessons to help us tackle some of life's everyday challenges and to help build great character.   King Soloman prayed to God for wisdom and God granted his request.  Soloman then compiled some of that wisdom into the book that is Proverbs.

Bible 365: Week 28

I was super thrilled about week 28 because we got to read Song of Solomon!!  If you remember, I've mentioned more than once that Song of Solomon is my favorite book of the Bible.  It's a beautiful love letter/poem/love song.  In fact, the Bible dubs it "the song of songs" (Song of Solomon 1:1).  We also finished the book of Proverbs, read Ecclesiastes and got started on the book of Isaiah.  So, here are the seven things I learned in week 28.

1-"Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised." (Proverbs 31:30)  The 31st Proverb is about the qualities of virtuous wife.  And it just reminds of the type of qualities I should be putting into my children.  You see the 31st Proverb isn't just for women but for men as well.  It's a guide for our sons so that they will know what to look for in a wife and for our daughters so that they will know the traits that are needed to be a good wife and mother. 

I also look at it as a call to men to show respect to all women.  How can you expect to find a virtuous wife if you're out here treating all or the majority of women like objects?  And women how can you expect to attract a virtuous husband if you don't have any standards yourself?  This Proverb goes both ways for sure.

2-"What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be numbered." (Ecclesiastes 1:15)  I was watching Daddyless Daughters last night and this scripture goes along with what they were saying about how we often times get into relationships with men that are broken and not prepared to meet our needs as husbands and fathers.  So, they run away or we do things to cling to them.  We end up losing them anyway and breaking ourselves in the process.  You can't change people.  That's God's job.  If something is crooked recognize that and keep it moving.

3-"To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven." (Ecclesiastes 3:1)  I always try to remember that everything that happens in my life has a purpose.  I may not know what that purpose is at first, but at the end of day it usually reveals itself.

4-"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.  For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.  But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to him up." (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10) I know a lot of live by the saying "I can do bad all by myself," but we have to keep in mind that it's smarter to keep a friend that we can do good with.  Someone who will be our shoulder to cry on, a voice of reason or helping hand when we fall.

5-"Also do not take to heart everything people say,.." (Ecclesiastes 7:21) People talked about Jesus like a dog.  He didn't let that deter him from his purpose. So, don't let your nay sayers distract you from your purpose, your dreams, your goals, your family, your marriage, etc.  At the end of day God's say is the only one that matters.

6-"A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes merry; but money answers everything." (Ecclesiastes 10:19)  Money makes the world go around.  Just make sure that you're using your money for good.  All money isn't good money and sometimes we're quick to spend our money in the wrong places.  We turn our head to the fact that some companies do some not-so-good practices and still give them our dollars.  It's easier to turn a blind eye than go out of your way to find another business to fill that need.

7-"Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is as strong as death, jealousy as cruel as the grave; its flames are flames of fire, a most vehement flame.  Many waters cannot quench love, not can the floods drown it.  If a man would give for love all wealth of his house, it would be utterly despised." (Song of Solomon 8:6-7)  It always baffles me when people who get divorced say they're divorcing because they fell out of love.  It makes me wonder if it was ever really love in the first place?  I'll be the first one to admit that there have been past boyfriends that I thought I loved on the degree you're suppose to love the person you want to marry.  And reflecting back on it now, I can see that I didn't love them to that degree at all.

Lust and butterflies got me caught up.  Clouded my mind.  I definitely believe that there are degrees to love.  Before we say I do we need to make sure that our love for our future spouse is stronger death.  Ask yourself if you're willing to give up your wealth for that other person?

Would have material things or could lose it all and still happy because you have your one true love?

Week 29 Readings

7/15: Isaiah 7-12

7/16: Isaiah 13-18

7/17: Isaiah 19-23

7/18: Isaiah 24-27

7/19: Isaiah 28-31

7/20: Isaiah 32-35

7/21: Isaiah 36-39

Bible 365: Week 27

Happy Monday!  I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July holiday.  The rain threatened to ruin ours but thank goodness for covered porches.  We've had 11 days straight of off and on rain.  And one day the power even went out for three hours.  However, I still manged to get my Bible 365 reading in.  And I hope you did too.  Here are the seven things I learned in Week 27.

1-"Prepare your outside work, make it fit for yourself in the field; and afterward build your house." (Proverbs 24:27)  A lot of us try to do this backwards.  We try to build our houses (obtain material things) before we've made it fit for ourselves in the field.  Material things cost money.  And there's no use in getting yourself in debt that you can't afford.  A lot of people wanted to plan the government and the banks for going bankrupt when the economy crash, but truth for some was that they were trying to live a lifestyle they really couldn't afford to sustain minus maxing out credit cards and quick money loans.  Build your bank account up first (emergency fund) and then choose your investments and purchases wisely.

2- "Seldom set foot in your neighbor's house, lest he become weary of you and hate you." (Proverbs 25:17) Don't wear out your welcome.  We all need to have places we can go when need to.  However, if you've already worn out your welcome, those doors will not be open for you in your time of need. Remember, absence makes the heart grow fonder!

3- "Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him." (Proverbs 26:27)  When you try to hurt others you only succeed in hurting and destroying yourself.  I had someone try to hurt me last year. And while they did hurt me, this year they reaped the seed they sowed.  However, I'm not taking in delight in that person's current situation and have actually been praying that their eyes be opened.  I want this person to want to and work to become a better person and so that they be blessed.

4-  "Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth, a stranger, and not your own lips." (Proverbs 27:2)  Nobody loves a bragger.  It's okay to tell people that you've accomplished something but let them decide for themselves if you're best or the greatest.  This is the key to staying humble.

5-  "He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy." (Proverbs 28:13)  We all fall short.  We all have a past with things that we may not be proud of.  I know that I certainly do.  And I'm not afraid to admit that.  I'm not a perfect person and I don't pretend to be.  I am a good person.  And I've stumbled, lost my way and gotten caught up at times.  However, what's helped me to dust myself off and get back the path is my willingness to admit that I had fallen off it in the first place.

6-  "A man's pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor."  (Proverbs 29:23)  I've seen pride cost people their marriages, their families, their jobs and more.  Shoot pride can even cost you your soul!  Don't be a fool and let your pride get the best of you.  Keep in mind what's really important.

7-  "Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar." (Proverbs 30:6)  Don't use God's word to tell a lie.  Have you ever heard the story about Satan coming to Jesus on the mountain top and he tried to use the scripture against Jesus?  Yeah, you can't use the Bible to justify your wrongdoing and evilness.  It will come back on you!

Week 28 Readings
7/8- Proverbs 31
7/9- Ecclesiastes 1-2
7/10- Ecclesiastes 3-5
7/11- Ecclesiastes 6-8
7/12- Ecclesiastes 9-12
7/13- Song of Solomon 1-8
7/14- Isaiah 1-6


How do you stay humble?

Bible 365: Week 26

I did it y'all!  I made it to the halfway mark of this Bible 365 Challenge.  I'm so proud of myself for not throwing in the towel.  I really feel like I've grown in my faith.  On a daily basis, I find myself just doing simple things that are making me a better person.  For example, I'm taking more deep breaths when I get frustrated with the kids or the Mr.  I don't just fly off the handle all the time.

I even find myself speaking and smiling more at strangers when I'm out and about.  You never know what people are going through.  That little smile or hello could be the first good thing that's happened to them in months, weeks or days besides waking up each morning.  Now without further ado, here are the seven things I learned in Week 26 below.

1-  "Better is a dry morsel with quietness, than a house full of feasting with strife." (Proverbs 17:1)  The Mr and I hit on this subject the other night.  We talked about how you have to be careful of who you let in your house.  Some times having a house full of people of all the time means you stay knee deep in drama.  Like the saying goes sometimes less is more.

2-  "A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; he rages against all wise judgment." (Proverbs 18:1)  I know people say that all we need is Jesus and I agree that ultimately that is true.  However, I often wonder if the reason the person saying it is saying it because they have a hard time getting along with others?  You see being a good Christian is all about being good with and to others.  You can't learn wisdom if you're never around wise people because you always want everything YOUR way.

3-  "Chasten your son while there is hope, and do not set your heart on his destruction." (Proverbs 19:18)  Let's face it, all parents aren't good parents.  Yeah, I said it.  I've been around some ratchetness that were of the mindset that was 'my child is bad and he/she ain't never gonna be nothing.'  That kind of parenting just burns me up.  I want to shake that person and ask him/her why they didn't just give their child up for adoption? Kids don't come out knowing right from wrong.  We have to teach them and encourage them and help them when they stumble.

4-  "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise." (Proverbs 20:1)  I'm not knocking anybody who drinks because I sip a few times a year.  However, I just want to say that everybody doesn't have to be in the club or at home getting tipsy.  Ain't nothing cute about that.  It turns me off when I see person always posting on FB or Twitter about how tipsy or 'turnt up' they get.  Like why is that something to brag about?  I'm proud to say that I've never been drunk or hung over!

5-  "He who follows righteousness and mercy finds life, righteousness and honor." (Proverbs 21:21)  Being around goody two shoes isn't always a bad thing!

6-  "Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man do not go, lest you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul." (Proverbs 22:24-25)  Let go of those friends who are always behaving like an enemy in disguise.  I apply this to some family members too.  You can never be too careful of the company you keep.

7-  "He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord." (Proverbs 18:22)  Remember in Genesis, God said that it was not good for man to be alone.  So thankful that my husband found me and now has added favor in the sight of God!

Week 27 Readings

7/1: Proverbs 24

7/2: Proverbs 25

7/3: Proverbs 26

7/4: Proverbs 27

7/5: Proverbs 28

7/6: Proverbs 29

7/7: Proverbs 30

Bible 365: Week 25

I'm still chugging along with my Bible 365 Challenge.   I'm very proud of myself for making it this far.  And to those who have taken this journey with me, I'm proud of you too!  It's been nice to have to have the support.  Moving on, I'm sharing 7 things I learned below in Week 25.

1- "A wise makes a glad father, but a foolish son is the grief of his mother." (Proverbs 10:1)  Remember, when your parents warned you about hanging out with the wrong crowd?

2- "He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich." (Proverbs 10:4)  Next time you fix your mouth to complain about not having enough or not living your dream, ask yourself if you're being diligent enough in your efforts to obtain it?

3- "He who walks with integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will become known." (Proverbs 10:9)  Bloggers, we definitely know a thing or two about integrity, especially in this age of sponsored posts and reviews.  Don't sell out for a quick buck!

4- "Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins." (Proverbs 10:12)  Don't waste your life hating those who wronged you when you could be spreading love.

5- "In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise." (Proverbs 10:19)  Listen first, think, and then speak.  Words hurt just like a hit and can't be taken back!  Trust me I know from experience.

6- "The merciful man does good for his own soul, but he who is cruel troubles his own flesh." (Proverbs 11:17)  Don't get so caught up worrying about if others are living right that you forget to check yourself.

7- "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise." (Proverbs 12:15)  We often use the excuse that everybody else is doing it to justify our wrongs, especially when it comes to lying, cheating and being rude but disguising it as 'keeping it real.'

What life dos and don'ts do you live by?

Week 26 Readings

6/24: Proverbs 17

6/25:  Proverbs 18

6/26:  Proverbs 19

6/27:  Proverbs 20

6/28:  Proverbs 21

6/29:  Proverbs 22

6/30:  Proverbs 23

Bible 365: Week 24

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6).  With the Mr's surgery getting closer and closer, I am definitely putting ALL my trust in Him when it comes to how well things will go.  I'm not afraid to admit that my thoughts have been a bit tortured thinking about all the things that could possibly go wrong.  But because I'm putting my trust in God, I know that everything is going to be okay.  And even more comforting is that fact that my family, friends and you all are praying with us that all goes well and that nothing happens to my husband until he has his surgery.

We were talking the other day and he shared with me that while his condition isn't too serious, the doctor did warn him that lifting the wrong thing or moving the wrong way could land him in some serious trouble.  I think he waited to tell me because he knew I'd worry even more if I knew earlier.  But again I trust God to keep him safe.  Also, this week I've been practicing Proverbs 3:27.  It commands us "Do not withhold good from those to who it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do so."

You see while this economy is rebuilding and getting better, there are still those in our communities who need help and support.  And to do my part in helping those families and persons out, I've been donating a lot of stuff over the past week to a local charity.  Some of the things were hard to part with like a few of JJ's first outfits and some of my maternity clothes.  They have great sentimental value for me, especially since my kiddies are no longer babies.  However, to hold on to all of those things when I know another family could benefit from them is a bit selfish and not practical considering we're pretty much out of space in our current rental.

I just made up my mind that once I placed something in the go pile, it stayed there.  And surprisingly when I went to drop off more stuff on Father's Day, I felt detached from it.  I felt happy that I was being a blessing to others.  I even took the kids with me.  Moo asked if we were giving the stuff to charity and I said yes.  "To help little kids like me and JJ?" she asked.  All I could do was nod and smile because she sounded so thrilled and excited at the thought of her being helpful to other kids her and her brother's age.

I'm so proud to know that I'm raising compassionate and caring children.  On a different note, I just want to say in closing be careful of the situations and people you allow and put into your life, especially your marriages and relationships.  Proverbs 6:27-28 says "Can a man take fire to his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be seared?"   I've said this before but when you let any- and every- thing into your life, you will reap what you sow.  So make sure you're sowing good seeds!

Week 25 Readings

6/17: Proverbs 10

6/18: Proverbs 11

6/19: Proverbs 12

6/20: Proverbs 13

6/21: Proverbs 14

6/22: Proverbs 15

6/23: Proverbs 16

Bible 365: Week 23

So, we officially wrapped up the book of Psalm and have started Proverbs.  I like to refer to Proverbs as the book of wisdom and pro righteous living.  I mean if you break Proverbs up it's a combination of the words pro and verbs.  And we all know that if you're pro something that means you're in favor of it and verbs are things that you can do physically.  Seriously, the book of Proverbs is going to give us pretty much the game plan for how we should be living our lives.

In fact, Proverbs 1:7 tells us that "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction."  I don't know about you all but I've met a few fools in the Christian community.  They think they know it all and they want to live their lives according to their own terms instead of God's.  They want to pick and choose what's a sin and what's not.  And honestly, I think it's because they don't have a healthy dose of fear of God.

I'm not saying I'm perfect because I'm not. However, I'm smart enough to know that I don't have all the answers.  Therefore, I listen and seek the advice of my elders and church leaders at time.  I also try my hardest to live my life as close to perfect as I can.  There are times that I still get angry and fly off the handle. However, you won't catch me out in these streets stealing, killing, cheating or lusting over what's not mine.

But the point is that I'm trying to perfect my issues that aren't pleasing to God, whereas a fool or foolish person could care less.  They just throw caution to wind and live life without morals or good standards.  And I think that we all know a few people who fit that bill.  

I also like Proverbs because to me it speaks to our youth and young adults.  They're getting on up there in age and getting grown.  Some of them are letting their heads get big and whatnot.  Proverbs 1:8-9 urges them to "...hear the instruction of your father; and do not forsake the law of your mother; for they will be a graceful ornament on your head, and chains about your neck."

I took these verses to heart.  When I lived under my mother's roof, I definitely obeyed her rules (laws).  And I am proud that I did because I maintained a good reputation.  Guys knew not to approach me with any games because I wasn't interested in sex, drugs or any of that other crazy stuff that can come with guys in high school.  I didn't run with the crowd of fast girls.  I kept my head the in books and went to church religiously.  I was teaching Sunday school and VBS, volunteering at nonprofits and participating in other character building activities.

Proverbs 1:18-19 warns about the side effects of greed saying, "But they lie in wait for their own blood.  They lurk secretly for their own lives.  So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain; it takes away the life of its owners."  Yep, greed is one of those 7 Deadly Sins!  We hear of all these celebrities dying young and you can often times look back and see that they started going down hill when they started to get greedy and cocky with their fame.  This can happen to anyone.  You get a dose of something good and then you OD on it.

"How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?" asks Proverbs 1:22.  I think the reason being a Christian is so hard is that in all honestly God is not a simple a god.  He's complex.  He could have just created us and not given us any commandments, but He wanted to challenge us to be more.  The fact that He gave us the ability to create life through reproduction is proof that nothing about Him is simple.  If that were so, He would have just kept on creating adults like He did with Adam and Eve.  Instead, we get to watch and experience the different stages of life.

I just really hope that as we make our way through the book of Proverbs that you will seriously open your mind to the wisdom and instruction that is being given.  Don't take the simple way out but rise to God's challenge!

Week 24 Readings

6/10:  Proverbs 3

6/11:  Proverbs 4

6/12:  Proverbs 5

6/13  Proverbs 6

6/14:  Proverbs 7

6/15:  Proverbs 8

6/16:  Proverbs 9