Proverbs 17 - Little Reminders

 

Wait, I finally caught up?!  Yay!  I know how trying it can be to walk with someone who is lagging behind.  You're amazing for carrying on while I got some much-needed rest! 

Ready to keep going?  Chapter 17, it feels like a collection of short, practical truths, you know, those little things you can tuck in your pocket and actually use during the week?

Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, 

than a house full of sacrifices with strife. (v1)

Basically, peace is better than plenty. I would rather sit in peace and quiet and eat a cracker than a butter-smothered steak in a toxic atmosphere. God reminds us that peace is worth protecting, even if it means life feels a little plain on the surface. once in a while. 

He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; 

but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends. (v9)

That’s a good check for the way we handle the mistakes of others, isn't it?  Do I keep bringing it up? Do I replay it in conversations? That only pushes people away. Don't be the one to keep bringing up past mistakes.  It kills relationships.  Real love knows when to let something go and move forward.

And verse 22 might be one of the most encouraging to me in this this chapter. 

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

It’s true - joy lifts us in a way nothing else can. Laughter really does heal. It softens the blows of life and reminds us that hope is still alive.  But.....on the flip side, when your spirit is crushed, it affects everything.....our health, our attitude, even our relationships. 

So, what do we do with all of these scattered morsels of wisdom?  We tuck them into the corners of daily life!

Wisdom doesn't just shout in the big moments, it whispers in the small, everyday ones. 

That’s what walking in wisdom looks like on a Wednesday afternoon. :)