So here are my favorite verses from Chapter 20. (I used New Living Translation all the way)
3Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor;
I think I've been doing much better with walking away when I'm in a quarrelsome mood. Yes, I'm still walking away waaaaaaaaaay too slowly, but at least I'm walking away. Do you guys know how easy it is to insist on making your point heard?! God knows I'll be walking away, reciting everything in my head just so I don't say it out loud and continue an argument, but I pray I get to the point where I just let it go totally.
5Though good advice lies deep within the heart,
a person with understanding will draw it out.
We can all hear, read, and imbibe the best advice in the world, but what good is it, if we don't really understand that advice and apply it to our lives? For instance, I know it's great advice to invest finances, but guess what? I have ZERO clue how to invest, so I'm not doing it. I know it's good to do, it's right there at the back of my mind, but because I don't get it, I can't put it into practice.
6Many will say they are loyal friends,
but who can find one who is truly reliable?
Have you had those friends who will swear to heaven and back, that they've got yo back? And then when trouble comes, they're missing in action?
11Even children are known by the way they act,
whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right.
Think about this. You can describe a little child by their behavior (friendly, troublesome, boisterous, precocious, etc) - how much more an adult?
12Ears to hear and eyes to see—
both are gifts from the lord.
I don't know if you've been seeing a lot of the Gratitude Challenges that have been going on all over social media - Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Blogsville, etc. It's been reminding people to give thanks and be grateful for the little things. We all wake up, go about our day, and take things like sight and the ability to hear for granted. But everything we have, is because of God! Random fact (and maybe TMI) - I think peeing is one of the most boring things in the world. Maybe it's partly why I don't drink enough water. But imagine that patient in the hospital who has to get toxins removed from their body through tubes and machines, because they can't pee. Sometimes I catch myself complaining and stop and say, "Thank you God that I can walk to the bathroom and pee!" (Sorry for the TMI)
18Plans succeed through good counsel;
don’t go to war without wise advice.
You can have the best plan in the world, but you need someone else to look at the plan and give you GOOD counsel and advice. They might see a gap that needs to be filled that you can't see.
19A gossip goes around telling secrets,
so don’t hang around with chatterers.
You know that your friend that's giving you gist and gossiping about that guy or girl? The minute you turn around, the same friend is giving your gist to someone else. And if you gossip (as I have done), try to stop (as I have done).
24The lord directs our steps,
so why try to understand everything along the way?
This is a BIG ONE!!!!!!! If God is in control, and we know He's in control, why do we still worry about everything? Why do we worry about the little things here and there? How can we build our faith and dependency on Him if we know everything that's going to happen? (Whoa, I totally just had an epiphany as I wrote that!) We can't know and understand everything. And for those times when we don't know/understand, it's alright - just leave it to Him. YAAAAAAAAAAAAY, I'm happy this is back :D
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ReplyDeleteThanks Nike :)
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