Not Your Typical Church Lady

"Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding."

~Proverbs 4:7 (NIV)

I can still remember the first time I ever read from the book of Proverbs. We were sitting in Youth Group and my cousin, a few years my senior, bumped me on the leg and pointed to her Bible. There I read "Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife" (Proverbs 21:9, NIV).

We snickered and then instead of paying attention to whatever the Youth Pastor was saying, we spent the rest of the evening reading Proverbs and looking for more verses that made us giggle, such as Proverbs 21:19. The thought that grumpy wives were mentioned in the Bible and that their husbands might want to get away from them was hilarious in my juvenile mind. It was the first time I realized that the Bible was more than a dry old boring book that was laboriously thumped and preached about – there was some wit and humor in there too! And thus began my love of Proverbs.

It's hard to decide which verses to highlight because they all have value. To keep this from turning into a book (although, that's not a bad idea), let's talk about some verses that I've highlighted in my own Bible:

"Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act" (Proverbs 3:27). Here is an example of it practically applied: It's Friday, payday. On the way to pick up your child at the babysitters, you remember that you forgot to get money out of the ATM to pay said babysitter. Do you A) Say, ah, I'll just pay her on Monday; or B) turn around and go back to the ATM (only one mile away) and get the money? If we are not to withhold good from those who deserve it because it is within our power to act, we turn around and get the money. We don't make them wait all weekend.

"He who seeks good finds goodwill, but evil comes to him who searches for it" (Proverbs 11:27). There are chronically positive people and chronically negative people, and then there are those of us who float in between. If you are looking for good, you will be able to find a silver lining in all situations. This proverb reminds me of a quote by Fred Rogers, "When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'" Mr. Rogers' mom knew to seek goodwill.

The world is full of awful things. It always has been. But it's also full of very good things, treasures of beauty and kindness, love and forgiveness. It is a habit to highlight the bad and never the good. When you throw the spotlight on the bad things and that becomes your daily focus, you will forget that there is a balance to this universe and it's not as lopsided as you have made yourself believe. Get your nose out of the national news and put your nose back here in your local community. The Cove is still here being awesome to each other. If everyone else wants to fight, let them fight. Don't get sucked into it. Redirect your thoughts. Read also Philippians 4:8. Where you look is where your mind will go.

"The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice" (Proverbs 12:15. NIV). This is a train wreck that you just can't turn away from. A person announces that they are about to execute a very bad idea. You know the idea is terrible. You know that it will not work. You try to warn the person that the idea is very, very bad and that they should probably not do this thing. But they are so sure of themselves that they refuse to listen. It never ends well. But it ties right into Proverbs 22:3, "A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it."

"Better a little with the fear of the Lord, than great wealth with turmoil. Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred" (Proverbs 15:16-17, NIV.) Would you rather have a little and enjoy the daily blessings from the Lord, or spend your life chasing dollars at the cost of your happiness and health? Would you rather sit down to a simple meal of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with family and friends who love you and each other, or would you rather feast at a table where no one really likes each other and everyone is fighting? I'll take the pb & j with my sweet little family, thank-you-very-much. There is nothing wrong with scruffy love and hospitality.

As you can see, the book of Proverbs is practical and can apply to our lives today. This was just a mere glimpse of what they (the Proverbs) have to offer. The more you read it, the more it will stick with you. Give it a try!