June 28, 2025

We hear it said that we should be kind to others because we don’t know what they are going through, but many times we don’t take it to heart. It’s probably because we fail to think it through. It is true that some people are consistently unpleasant and find negativity in everything, but for the most part, if someone is unkind to you, it may be because they are having a bad day. No one knows what kinds of problems our fellow humans are dealing with, which is no excuse for them to be unkind. However, considering this can help us react out of concern rather than bite back at them with our own unhealed emotions. Your kindness can change their day and how they respond to you.

One day, I was at the deli counter, and the person with the grumpiest disposition ended up waiting on me. And rather than match her emotion, I decided to show her compassion. Instead of barking back at me as I had seen her do with others, she melted into a puddle and told me her story. From that point on, she always reached out to me with kindness. 

We don’t know the bitterness within someone else’s heart, so don’t let them steal the joy God has given you. Let some of that joy spill out and change someone’s day for the better..

The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy. Proverbs 14:10

June 27, 2025

Early one morning, around 4:30 a.m., my dog, Rudy, woke me up, needing to go out. It was an emergency of sorts, and he couldn't hold it any longer. So I gathered myself and got him ready. We were at the beach, so it was a little more of a process than being at home where I could just let him out the door; I had to put on his leash and harness, make my way to the elevator, and then we were out the door. Nothing unusual except this time of morning is when the sprinklers come on. Rudy had to go so badly that he ignored them, and both of us got soaking wet! I'm sure we must have looked like a sight coming back into the building dripping wet. I could have just ignored Rudy and made him wait a little longer until it was a decent hour, but he's a little smarty pants and would have kept me up anyway. Rudy may not be a beast like the Bible mentions since a beast is a large animal like a donkey or ox, but he is my pet, and I care about his feelings because I love him, so I treat him well, just as I'm sure you treat your pets well because we are concerned for the creatures God gives us charge of. However, I'll bet you didn't know that there was a proverb that mentions such care. God calls such a person who cares for their beast righteous. Caring for God's creatures may not be the only thing that makes you righteous, but your love for his creation may be a sure sign that you love Him. Rudy had no trouble going back to sleep, but I couldn't because of a shower I hadn't planned.

A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. Proverbs 12:10

June 26, 2025

There is a manatee that I see travel down the coastline daily when I'm at the beach; it is quite a sight to see. As it makes its way, people on the beach get excited and take out their phones to photograph and video it, trying to capture a perfect shot of its magnificence. I've made note that it stays as close to the shore as the depth of the water allows, usually in a trench between the beach and a sandbar. That said, I love to float in the Gulf when the temperature is mild. It was high tide, so the water became deep rather quickly when I entered it. As I relaxed and began enjoying the water, I had a fleeting thought about that manatee. Moments later, I noticed a dark creature floating under me; I freaked out and screamed, but I quickly realized it was that manatee. It stopped to try and figure out what I was, then moved on. I know I scared it when I yelled out! If I had let my feet down, it would have touched me! God is good to me, and over the years, He has given me some rather intimate encounters with some of the creatures of His creation. This time was no different. 

Now, remember, I knew there was a possibility I could encounter that manatee and had put that in the back of my mind; that's wisdom, but isn't it funny that God reminded me about it a few minutes before He put it right under me? He gave me fair warning, and I still got a fright. If I had been quiet, it may have stayed a little longer, but screaming caused it to swim away; that's foolishness. The point is that our mouths can destroy what God intended for good. Use your brain and watch your mouth!

Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction. Proverbs 10:14

June 25, 2025

If only we could defeat the beast within, we could go on to build our wisdom! 

Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars: She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table. Proverbs 9:1-2

In Proverbs 9, Solomon compares wisdom to foolishness. It is in this chapter that we find the famous proverb that tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; those are wise words, and we would do well to follow that truth. However, what struck me was that the sinful beast within is what causes us trouble. We need to kill the beast that keeps rising within us, making us look foolish; that’s when we can celebrate. The enemy and his cronies can only tempt us; we are the cause of our own sinfulness. We are to blame when we foolishly sin; it’s not the devil’s fault that we fell for his temptation.

Another point is that we will not take any wealth gain with us when we die, but we will take our wisdom. Set your heart to learn as much as you can and use that knowledge to gain wisdom while in this realm. The old saying, “You can’t take it with you!” is true unless you are referring to wisdom! What is the beginning of wisdom? The fear of the Lord that leads to salvation in Jesus! That’s smart!

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. Proverbs 9:10

June 24, 2025

I'm sure you've heard this proverb:

Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart. Proverbs 7:2-3

However, I'll bet you didn't know it preceded a story that Solomon tells that cautions his son against falling for an adulterous woman. In this proverb, he warns young men to be careful not to entertain a woman who has too much time on her hands and leaves her home at night to trap them with her lustful desires. This proverb serves as a warning to all of us not to let our sensual desires overtake us, causing us to abandon our good sense in pursuit of a need we should take control of. Even though this is a practical warning for us to control our mortal bodies, there is also a spiritual aspect to this proverb: Jesus is our spouse, and for us to turn our desire towards anything worldly that causes us to turn away from Him is adultery. It's easy to fall prey to worldly desires; that's why we must stay connected to Jesus through prayer and scripture. Staying close to our Savior will keep us on the track of good behavior. 

Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death. Proverb 7:25-27

June 23, 2025

If Solomon were alive today, would you take his marriage advice? God must have thought he was an expert, or it wouldn't be in the Bible. He left us an entire chapter on adultery, but he, being a king, had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. It seems he didn't listen to his own advice, or this writing came after years of dealing with all these women and his constant thirst for someone different. It was likely adultery after his first wife, but then he kept adding more and more. Was this proverb actually about entertaining strange women, or was it about spiritual adultery? It is true either way. We should avoid entertaining anyone or any entity that would come between us and our Savior. His advice is practical, yet it was coming from someone who, in his youth, set for himself a harem of women. I'm being hard on him because he is the least likely person we would ever listen to when it comes to avoiding the dealings of a sensual woman who has evil intentions. Solomon was the wisest person to have ever lived, yet even someone as intelligent as he was had a weakness and could fall prey to temptation and sin. The main thrust of this proverb is that we should be careful not to involve ourselves with a strange lover; they will ruin our marriages. God will forgive, but you will have to live with the consequences and punishment of your infidelity.

For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:

But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword.

Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. Proverbs 5:3-5

June 22, 2025

The book of Ecclesiastes seems to be written to the rich to teach them to share. However, chapter 11 focuses on giving without the worry of how your gift is used. There are times that we should give to someone when the Holy Spirit prompts, but most of our giving should be to your church, who carefully distributes it where the most good will be done. I can guarantee you that if you give out of the goodness of your heart, whatever you give will be returned to you abundantly. Assess your life. Consider that your circumstances may be a reflection of how much or how little you sow into the kingdom of God. Remember, you reap what you sow. 

Being a proponent of tithing, I know the financial benefits of it. There was one time when our tithe was automatically deducted from our account. We began to notice that things were not going very well, and we were experiencing more than our share of repairs in our rental homes. It turned out that something had gone wrong with the automatic debit a few months back, which made us realize why we were facing additional expenses. Even if you believe that tithing is Old Testament and not for today, you will find life a bit easier if you joyfully sow into God’s kingdom without any hope for a harvest. 

He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. Ecclesiastes 11:4

But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 2 Corinthians 9:6