This week I read Proverbs chapters 10 through 12. I want to share a favorite proverb from each chapter and I invite you to read along in Proverbs with me.
Proverbs 10
"The memory of the righteous will be a blessing,
but the name of the wicked will rot." Proverbs 10:7
I've told the youth at church this and I've written this before, "you write your eulogy today." Have you ever been to a funeral where such great things were said about the deceased? Have you ever thought, "I hope people say things like that about me when I die"? I have thought that before. I want to leave a legacy. I want my memory to be a blessing and to do that I must be a blessing today. I end every blog post with the word 'today' because I firmly believe today is our opportunity to be a part of eternity because we aren't promised a tomorrow. So, if when you die you want folks to say, "She was always there for me when I needed her" you've got to be there for people today.
Conversely the name of the wicked will not be remember fondly. The wicked don't leave a legacy, they leave infamy. For example, the name Adolf used to be an extremely popular name in the German speaking world, but after WWII the name became rare. Adolf Hitler literally caused the name Adolf to rot.
Leave a legacy through righteous living rather than a rotten name.
Proverbs 11
"Like a gold ring in a pig's snout
is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion." Proverbs 11:22
Single friends, pick people based on character not beauty alone. Beauty is not bad at all but it does not have the power to cover up faults forever. For a humous example of this check out this Demitri Martin video.
Friends, if you seek character in a mate beauty often comes with it. I won't promise every time, but I can tell you that I looked for character and I got a beautiful woman, too. My wife Christine has great character and is everything I wanted physically, too. And I believe that her character is what makes her more lovely to me all the time.
Proverbs 12
"An anxious heart weighs a man down,
but a kind word cheers him up." Proverbs 12:25
As I wrote in my last post, depression and anxiety is in the spotlight of society since the suicide of Robin Williams. It's even more on my mind because of a friend who attempted suicide days before Williams took his life. Anxiety and depression can weigh a man down; these diseases and moods are strong, but kindness can be a cure. Kindness is not the only remedy. Doctor prescribed drugs, counseling, etc are other great remedies, but kindness is also a remedy.
Don't withhold kind words. We never know who needs a kind word to counter anxiety. Plus, words of affirmation is a common love language and people need to be shown love. You may never know the effect your words can have and you may never know if you'll be able to share a kind word later. Many funerals are full of words spoken to a casket that were never said to the person.
So, remember that anxiety is powerful but so is a kind word. Be sure to make character what we search for in mates and friends. And leave a legacy by living righteously today.
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