Tag: Proverbs

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motivation

The Freedom to Make Bad Choices

Cartoon of a boy with a big mouth about to consume a birthday cake. The caption reads, "This choice make come back to haunt him."

Ooh! That choice may come back to haunt him! But I can relate. My inner child likes to make gluttony an Olympic sport. I’ve been called a cookie monster fairly recently. I have made my way through scores of cakes, pies, and assorted baked goods over the years. They would probably fill an Olympic size pool.

Cartoon of a boy with a big mouth about to consume a birthday cake. The caption reads, "This choice make come back to haunt him."

We have the freedom to make bad choices every day. Of course, there is always a price to pay. If I didn’t attempt to control my appetite and never exercised, I could be facing a much heavier body with chronic illness. But that would be my choice.

I could choose to weigh thirty pounds heavier as I did twenty years ago. It would be my choice, because as Zig Ziglar said, “I never accidentally ate anything!”

Some bad choices are made knowing there are consequences. Some are made out of ignorance. We can be foolish and choose to ignore the wisdom that can save us from heartache. Some bad choices are made out of entitlement. We think we deserve something so we feel justified in making that choice.

But when we make a bad choice, let’s be honest enough to admit it was our choice. It does no good to blame others for our bad choices. It reminds me of this proverb:

The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the Lord.

Proverb 19:3 KJV

Yes, we have the freedom to make bad choices. But we also have the responsibility to own up to them. The next time I see a plate of cookies (especially chocolate chip cookies), I will probably indulge. But I won’t blame anyone but me if I gain a few pounds.

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motivation

The Weight of Worry

Two goldfish look worried as they see their bowl is cracked

I’m a professional worrier. I worry about my kids. I worry about the world my future grandkids may one day inherit. I worry too much about finances, climate, politics, and if we have enough of the vital things like popcorn in the cupboard and ice cream in the freezer. 

I come from a long line of worriers. I remember riding with my grandmother to pick up my grandfather from a trip. He was on a tour bus. The whole time, she was fretting that the bus could be in a fatal accident, that he possibly didn’t make the bus (it was long before cell phones), that she didn’t get the address to the pickup up site right. By the time she got all of her worries out, I was a nervous wreck and Grandpa was right there with group, waiting for us.

There have been times in my life when I’ve felt like the two goldfish in my illustration. I just know the bowl is going to burst any moment and I’ll be clinging for life. Can anybody relate?

Two goldfish look worried as they see their bowl is cracked

Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.

Proverbs 12:25 (NLT)

This proverb reminds me of what a comfort it is to give a word of encouragement. It can be easy to get discouraged by all the bad news and the prophets of doom. But an encouraging word lightens my load. It lets me see how silly my worries can be. An encouraging word gives me hope and reminds me that the vast majority of things I worry about never happen.

This is why I have decided to blog daily. Tomorrow, I will have blogged daily for three months. I hope if you have followed along, you have been encouraged along the way.

So be encouraged, my friend! Things aren’t as bad as they seem. At the very least, you don’t live in a cracked fish bowl!

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motivation Proverbs

Broken Beyond Repair

Cartoon of one woman saying to another, "Sure we're all broken people, but Frank is just cracked!"
Cartoon of one woman saying to another, "Sure we're all broken people, but Frank is just cracked!"

Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery.

Proverbs 29:1 NLT

Criticism can sometimes hurt. It’s especially painful when our pride gets in the way and we feel we don’t deserve the rebuke.

Criticism can also be wrong. The talent manager of the Grand Ole Opry fired Elvis Presley after he bombed on stage and said Elvis should go back to driving a truck!

Cartoon of one woman saying to another, "Sure we're all broken people, but Frank is just cracked!"

Yet, there is truth in today’s proverb. While criticism can hurt, it can also be an opportunity for growth. The challenge is to glean truth from a barbed comment and learn what you can from it. Elvis learned from that experience the audience of the 1954 Grand Old Opry wasn’t his audience, but he soon found his base. If he was determined to go back to the Opry and focus on it, we may have never heard of Mr. Presley.

If we do anything of value, we will face critics. Decide today how you can learn from it without allowing it to get you down.

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motivation

Of Dogs and Fools

I’ve had a few dogs over the years. The one thing they had in common is that they did things that just weren’t good for them.

And yes, I’ve seen dogs do what the following proverb says:

As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness.

Proverbs 26:11

You would think dogs know better. You would also think we humans would know better. We frequently do things that aren’t good for us.

  • Eat or drink to excess
  • Get involved in bad relationships
  • Zone out on television or other media
  • Repeat bad habits in work or personal life
  • Speak something we know we shouldn’t say

This proverb reminds me of how repulsive a bad habit can be. Before we return to that foolishness once again, let us consider how foolish it is to do the same mistake again and expect a different, better result.

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motivation

Lions, Tigers and Bears!

Polar Bear Kahuna

There are times when we have legitimate fears. It can keep us from making foolish choices like betting all your paycheck on a horse, running in traffic without looking for traffic or speeding in a snowstorm. Foolish choices have repercussions.

There are other times when we make excuses for something we know we should be doing. Our imaginations work overtime while the rest of us are lazy.

The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion on the road! Yes, I’m sure there’s a lion out there!”

Proverbs 26:13 NLT

This morning, I smelled a skunk when I went for my run. I hesitated for a moment, then when I checked, it was obvious its stench was nearby while the lovely creature wasn’t. I could have used that as an excuse not to run the moment I smelled the lovely aroma.

We can watch out for excuses that keep us from our full potential. Yes, life is risky and we need to take proper precautions. But It is also good to take some risks and get out there, even if there’s a chance a lion, tiger bear or skunk may be on your path.