Remembering is a skill. Sure, there are those who have been blessed with a good memory. But they are exceptions. For most of us, remembering is a skill, like speaking in public, singing, reading, thinking, or swimming. We improve at a skill by hard work—direct effort applied with a good deal of concentration, mixed with proper know-how.
Read MoreCategory Archives: Friendship
Who Cares?
Who really cared? His was a routine admission to busy Bellevue Hospital. A charity case, one among hundreds. A bum from the Bowery with a slashed throat. The Bowery . . . last stop before the morgue. Synonym of filth, loneliness, cheap booze, drugs, and disease. The details of what had happened in the predawn of that chilly winter’s morning were fuzzy. The nurse probably shrugged it off.
Read MoreKeeping Good Company
In our continuing quest for divine wisdom, I have suggested, first, that we read Proverbs regularly and, second, that we gain the perspective of experienced, godly believers. We must also guard what we have. Choose your friends carefully. My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent. If they say, “Come with us, Let us lie in wait for blood, Let us ambush the innocent without cause;
Read MoreSowers of Dissension
The last two abominations break from the pattern of using body parts as illustrations. The Lord finds these activities detestable, and they are linked together because they have similar effects on the community of God’s people. 6. A false witness who utters lies: Rare are the truth tellers, and many are those who deliberately misrepresent the facts.
Read MoreAnger against God’s Enemies
As David thought about God’s intricate design of humanity in Psalm 139, and he pondered the Lord’s loyal love for each individual He took such care to fashion and endow with purpose, the king grew angry at the enemies of God. How ungrateful. How disloyal! How outrageous that they should rebel!
Read MoreCooperation
Great civilizations often achieve great things because they have a great leader who casts a vision, marshals their resources, organizes their members, inspires their action, and of course, goes before them. People generally fare better when they have a leader, when someone helps them cooperate and accomplish what can only be achieved with a coordinated effort. But what if there is no leader?
Read MoreResponse to Others
Psalm 101, David’s spiritual manifesto in song, began with a list of admirable qualities the king desired to cultivate. He then took a good look around him to determine how he would respond to different kinds of individuals based on their positive or negative influence. The Blameless. He who walks in a blameless way is the one who will minister to me. (101:6b)
Read MoreWould You Like Hatred with That?
I am so pleased that Solomon did not overlook discontentment. On three separate occasions he offered wisdom for all of us, especially for those times when we are tempted to feel sorry for ourselves. You may have already noticed that all three of this week’s verses are comparative couplets, proverbs in which one thing is declared superior to another.
Read MoreA Tool for Good
We continue today our examination of constructive speech. While the tongue can cause great damage to relationships and even entire communities, wise use of speech can strengthen relationships and unite people behind divine truth. Preachers, teachers, and evangelists possess this sobering potential. 4. Witnessing, teaching, comforting
Read MoreFriendly Wounds
As we continue to examine the five kinds of constructive speech noted in the book of Proverbs, we must accept that not all constructive speech is pleasant. In fact, the most helpful use of the tongue can be quite uncomfortable for everyone involved—the speaker, the hearer, and bystanders. Moreover, pleasant, soothing words given in the wrong context can lead to disaster.
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