Honour

It is not good to seek honour for yourself

Pro:25:27

Pushing yourself up the ladder even if you have to stamp on another's shoulders; taking accolades for yourself. These could be irrational allegories. But the truth is we do it daily. Self conscious as we are, we do this, demanding words of appreciation, acknowledgements and awards, as we desire these, we actually demean ourselves.

We even glorify and holify ourselves, when the honour comes our way as we desired, reflecting it to God, by saying, "All glory to God", or "Praise The Lord", or "It is the Lord's doing". But deep down inside, there is that selfish wry smile of self satisfaction. God looks at that smile with contempt for He sees pride. He sees an idol. He sees sin.

Image credit: https://www.yourownplace.org.uk/awards-love-them-or-hate-them/

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Amma

Pro:23:25 May she who gave you birth be happy Make your parents happy. Be wise. Because they have sacrificed much to make you what you are right now. Oh! When I am able to earn, I will buy the best things for her. Will it make her happy? Nope. I will buy her the best house and provide for all her needs. Will that satisfy her? No. Oh I will give her all what she needs. Will that make her have a peaceful life? No. What will make her happy? Acknowledge her sacrifice. Spend time with her. Pray with her. Pray for her. Talk to her. Lest you would reach a situation when wouldn't be able to, even if you desire. Yet Jesus said, if anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters, yea his own life, he cannot be my disciple. What does this mean? Why does Jesus advocate to hate our parents. Love is relative for mankind. There is something called loving more or loving less. If I love someone less than the other, it is

"As well" is the standard

Avoiding a fight is a mark of honour Only fools insist on quarreling. Pro:20:3 The normal path is to start or continue on a quarrel. For the world's teaching is to pin your point. If you do not stand for yourself, who else will stand for you? The Kingdom perspective is different. Walk the extra mile, show the other cheek as well, is what the master teaches. Picking up a fight is easy normalcy. But avoiding by keeping quiet is the difficult one. You might seem to have lost the battle. But it is foolish to insist on quarreling. To keep on blabbering is useless. Learn to keep quiet. Let others win. Your identity is not based on whether you win this or not. Your identity is that you are a child of God. That doesn't change if you win or lose. Even if you are on the right side, by keeping quiet you let God do the talking. God will work for your benefit. God will do the convincing. God will work on your behalf. He will bring a solution as you keep quiet and let Him. I

Noble woman

Proverbs Chapter 31 is an epilogue of a woman of noble character. A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Husbands if you get such a wife as in Proverbs 31, you are blessed. Wives, if you are such a person as this, you are a blessing. But wives know that, you cannot be like that always or forever. Even for a day it's a struggle. Some say, I am not like that, so I am not a blessing for my family. My genetic make up is not like that. I also want my children to arise and call me blessed. I too want my husband to praise me. But i am not as efficient as 'x' or 'y'. I am not beautiful. I am not confident of my physique and stretch marks and wrinkles. My hair is graying. I am still struggling. If you think in terms of these negative line of thoughts, you will reach nowhere. In fact if you think like this you will become an antonym of blessing. Now what is the key to be a blessing? What is the key to change? V:30 Charm is

Sacrificoholic

Pro:21:3 The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just. Than when we offer him sacrifices 1Sam:15:22 Obedience is better than sacrifice And submission is better than offering the fat of rams. By giving God or by thinking of giving to God by giving to the church or to those in need, man often thinks he can cover up his sins. By paying his alms, by going for pilgrimages, by making himself suffer, he thinks God will overlook all his known and unknown sins, man tries to please God. But in God's realm it won't work that way. Isa:64:6 When we display our righteous deeds They are nothing but filthy rags. God doesn't weigh our good deeds and bad deeds and see which is heavier and then deal with us accordingly. His standard is such that sin cannot go unpunished and the wages of sin is death. And that punishment had to be dealt with on the cross on Calvary by God Himself, because man could not do anything to save himself. For God so loved you and me that He did not

Reroute

Pro:19:21 You can make many plans But the Lord's purpose will prevail. Prevail means, prove more powerful and superior. It just doesn't mean, God will impose His plans as a cruel ruler - like whatever you plan, only His purpose will come to pass. You plan in vain. It doesn't just picturize God as a cruel ringmaster, who forces His plans into our life and makes us do things which He wishes, no matter what. But He is a compassionate father who wants the best to happen in our life. His sovereignty picturises His goodness too. The best that we can do is to desire for planning like He plans. Fully trusting in the way He leads. He will not take us in a way and ditch us midway. Even if we take foolish choices in between, He will transform that to His wonders, because His ultimate beautiful purpose of remaking us into the image of Christ has to happen. He chose them to be like His Son (Rom:8:29). He knows everything. He controls everything. And because He is love and

Iron sharpens iron

Iron sharpens iron So a friend sharpens a friend. Get a good friend. A friend who is godly. A friend who has values. A friend who is loving. To get a trustworthy friend is like a lottery. Who will be there whenever you are in need. A friend is need is a friend indeed. But what if you literally do not have a friend. What if none wants to be friends with you. Jesus is willing. Jesus calls you a friend. A Saviour who saved you from eternal hell is wanting to be your friend. If only you would open the door. Does that sound childish and untheological? Well those without even a single friend would pounce on this. John:15:15. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. Image credit: https://www.kristenbhubler.com/personalgrowthblog/iron-sharpents-iron

High walls

Anyone who trusts in high walls invites disaster Pro:17:19 High walls are supposed to protect you in times of disaster. High walls protect you from enemies. High walls give you security. But wisdom says, these are all false securities. The very same thing you trust in becomes your snare. If you have bulit high walls for protecting against enemies, enemies will come and destroy the walls. Do not trust in your assets. For they will all fail. Be it education or bank balance or parents or children. Everything and everyone will fail. Only God will never fail. Jesus is the same yesterday today and forever. He never changes. Let Him be your fortress and your rampart. He is an everpresent help in times of trouble. He will be there with you till the end of age even beyond into eternity. In fact here it says, anyone who trusts in high walls will "invite" disaster. He is a jealous God - a righteous kind of jealousy which knows that trusting in Him alone is our chief end,

The halfbaked Bard

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