Enough talk, it's time for action!

Do not boast about tomorrow, 
 for you do not know what a day may bring forth
Proverbs 27:1

Boast: An act of talking with excessive pride and self-satisfaction.

There is a difference between optimism and being boastful. The ability to look into the future and see the best that life has to offer that you may strive for success is a great motivator.  In contrast the person who never shuts up about what they are going to do and how impressive they are, always ends up getting on your nerves. 

The future is full of much uncertainty, in truth no man can guarantee what tomorrow will (or won't) deliver.  With this in mind, it is also important to pursue life or you may discover that it is passing you by.  The people that I find the most inspirational and interesting to talk to, are not the ones who talk the biggest but rather the people who don't need to boast because their actions speak louder than mere words.

Take hold of life and be a person of action and measurable success rather than someone who relies on boastful promises of what they are going to achieve.

Breaking bones and changing the world, all with your tongue

Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, 
 and a gentle tongue can break a bone.
Proverbs 25:15

The pen is mightier than the sword, but with your tongue you can break bones!  Are you making full use of your tongue?

I am challenged by two key components of this proverb. Firstly, that it is through patience that large scale change is brought about.  Persuading a ruler is massive, the ability of an ordinary individual to bring about change on a national scale is no small thing.  I think that with an understanding of the patience and persistence that may be required, you would ensure that you were well prepared and not attempt to bring change unless you were confident with your argument's validity.

Secondly, the power of gently spoken words.  This seems to fly in the face of the parliament we see today, where it is the person who can yell over the raucous protests from the opposition party that is upheld as being victorious.  A gently spoken word turns away aggression and has the power to inspire action.

If you want to bring change and challenge someone's understanding, approach the situation with patience and persistence and understand the disarming nature of words gently spoken.

Crazy homeless men and psycho street kids, what are you missing out on?

If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, 
 he too will cry out and not be answered.
Proverbs 21:13

Do you feed the hungry, clothe the poor, and visit people in prison?  I am referring to the physical act of getting your hands dirty and building relationships with these people face to face.  Giving money to charities and churches is important but you may be missing the point.

I have always appreciated the practice of helping those in need and have given financially to different organisations in support of this idea.  But it is only in recent years that I have come to understand the true power of actually getting out there and doing something practically myself.  I think that as a society we like to be seen to be generous but often retreat from coming face to face with the hurt, suffering and poverty that people around us are facing.

It can be inconvenient to your lifestyle to build relationships with people in need, but when you see them through the eyes of God and start to love them, they bring a change for the better into your own life.  Hugs from psycho full of beans street kids, is something you will never experience whilst sitting in the comfort of your home. 

Stop making excuses about being busy with stuff and go help someone in need.  You may find that when you are struggling, it is the inspiration and joy from these people that helps carry you through.

Get out of bed you slacker!

Do not love sleep or you will grow poor; 
 stay awake and you will have food to spare.
Proverbs 20:13

It can be so hard to get out of bed some days.  It's amazing the excuses you can formulate at that time of the morning to avoid throwing back the doona and extracting yourself from the warmth of your bed.

Something I have come to realise is that the people who are consistently successful, are the ones who get up early and get a head start on everyone else.  So this is something that I have been trialling of late.  It is definitely a great feeling once you have made it out the door, but I think my increasing dependence on coffee to maintain this intensity may not be so good.  One step at a time.

This proverb really does ring true.  Get up early and you get so much more done. 


Give it a try.

Maybe yelling at God wasn't such a good idea

A man's own folly ruins his life, 
 yet his heart rages against the LORD.
Proverbs 19:3

Ever had those moments when you're standing there yelling at God, like He is hard of hearing?

It is the classic scene in the movie; the winds is howling, the rain is bucketing down, you're sailing a ship (we all sail ships right?) and your yelling at the top of you're lungs, expelling all your pent up frustration with God.  He must get this all the time, but are we really just looking to shift the blame away from ourselves?  

This proverb reminds me of the need to be accountable for my own decisions and actions.  Getting angry with God and entering into a yelling match will only leave you hoarse and exhausted.  The beauty of His love for us and the freedom of choice that He grants us, is that we have to take responsibility for how we choose to live out our lives.

Trust in God and seek Him for guidance and wisdom in life.  When the world comes crashing down, rather than looking to shift the blame to God direct your frustration to bringing change in your own life and the lives of those around you.

After being given up for dead, imagine the joy when you are rescued

Each heart knows its own bitterness, 
 and no one else can share its joy.
Proverbs 14:10

The whole world is literally watching as you await rescue, stuck down a mine for 69 days.  The emotional roller-coaster experience of spending 15 days without any sign of rescue and then finally being reunited with your loved ones.  The sorrow and joy of this experience is something that will only truly be understood by those 33 men.


As I read this proverb this morning I was thinking about these trapped miners and how one miner in particular, Yonni Barrios Rojas was coming up to face a very public scrutiny of his personal life.  During the time that this man was trapped underground he was found out to be having an affair with his wife, who consequently refused to even watch the rescue.  He must have felt mixed emotions when he surfaced to see his mistress waiting for him.

What struck me with this whole experience and with the footage showing the excitement and anticipation upon the faces of the loved ones, is that it is easy for us to sit back and think we understand what they have gone through.  The truth is that you can probably never truly understand the pain and joy that is experienced by others.

Be careful not to judge others for you can never really know where they are coming from and the experiences that have shaped who they are.  Living a life of love and grace with those around you is always the best response.

I didn't even touch the guy, ump!

A fool shows his annoyance at once, 
 but a prudent man overlooks an insult.
Proverbs 12:16

Team sport; some say the true character of a person is shown once they cross that white line.  Have you ever had words with an umpire or maybe given a little shove to the opponent?

I have reignited my passion for playing team sport this year and have enjoyed the rush of adrenaline and felt 'alive' as my pounding heart tries to tear a hole in my chest.  It's amazing how wired you can get from the whole experience, I know because a late game last night meant I only got 4 hours sleep.  In the moments of passion we are often confronted by the whistle of the umpire and the corresponding call that surely wasn't right, 'I didn't even touch the guy' (as the opponent lays sprawled across the court at your feet).

The ability to keep your mouth shut can make a huge difference.  The umpire will always get calls wrong, what you will find though is that the more you whinge and complain the more that calls will go against you.  Contain your frustration, the quicker your over it the quicker you get back in the game.

This proverb applies not only in sport but also in life and relationships.  It is the fool who unleashes their frustration, the better approach is to bite your tongue and overlook the insult.  People will always offend you and mess you around, it's part of spending your life interacting with other human beings.

Quick to apologise and slow to anger is a sure winner in relationships and marriages
(Hot tip for young players).

How many people have to die before you will be "generous"?

A generous man will prosper; 
 he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
Proverbs 11:25

Australia is a country that is known for lending a helping hand.  The bush fires, floods, tsunami, red shield appeal are all examples where we reach into our pockets to help others who are doing it tough.  But do we limit generosity to giving money once or twice a year? What about our daily interactions with those around us?

I have always enjoyed being able to give to people financially especially when there in no expectation and it comes as a great surprise to the receiver.  The point of the gift is to bless the person in need but as this proverb suggests, the person giving the gift often finds the real blessing is in the giving not the receiving.

Recently I have been reminded that generosity stretches beyond just finances, though this is often an important place to start.  The ability to give someone your time and attention may be the gift they really need.  This then turns around each of our daily interactions from the subconscious what can I get out of this person  to the pretence of how can I brighten this persons day. Imagine if we were able to leave every conversation having made that persons day just a little bit better.  It really is a challenge sometimes especially when you can tend to be task focused like me.

Generosity; to give without the expectation of anything in return.  Be generous in finance and love.  You may find that a little self sacrifice brings the greatest returns in life. 

Maybe the problem isn't everybody else...

To fear the LORD is to hate evil;
 I [Wisdom] hate pride and arrogance,
 evil behavior and perverse speech.
Proverbs 8:13

We are all selfish.  Racism, poverty, crime, violence, pollution, they all stem from the core problem that all humans are naturally selfish.  If we are all God's creation why is it easier to make selfish and destructive choices than it is to help those around us. What hope do we have for living a life of good?

I guess this is where we have to make a choice.  To reject evil, is to fight every day against your natural human response, but to give in to it is to live a destructive life that ends in a lonely death.  Through choosing to fear (respect and honour) God and seek wisdom, our heart starts to resemble his and we are given principles that guide us in making right, selfless choices.

God is all that is good in this world and as you seek and implement wisdom you will find that there is no room left for pride, arrogance, evil action and perverse speech.  However, this is a long ongoing process.  Having a heart for God and seeking to reject the corrupt nature of this world will not remove the fact that more often than not selfishness is our first thought.  

Challenge yourself to understand the heart of God and not to think of your self first.  Don't beat yourself up when you keep getting it wrong, we all mess up every day but our next choice is a fresh opportunity.  

If pride and arrogance are the fruit of selfishness, seek rather to exhibit the fruit of selflessness; love, peace, patience and kindness.

Are you smarter than an ant?

Go to the ant, you sluggard; 
 consider its ways and be wise!

It has no commander, 

 no overseer or ruler,

yet it stores its provisions in summer
 and gathers its food at harvest.

Proverbs 6:6-8

Can a tiny little insect really be wiser than a lazy man?

Ants have colonised almost every landmass on Earth. Their success in so many environments has been attributed to their social organisation and their ability to modify habitats, tap resources, and defend themselves. 

Ant societies have division of labour, communication between individuals, and an ability to solve complex problems.  These parallels with human societies have long been an inspiration and subject of study. 

[Ant - Wikipedia]

There are numerous lessons that can be learned from the humble ant.  For me this proverb highlights the ability of the ant to remain focused and adhere to some simple principals.  

The ant knows how to save and not eat into the profits when the going is good.  What's the first thing that most people think of when they get a pay rise or bonus at work? We needed a new TV. Time to take that weekend away. Just in time for the sale down at wherever.  Imagine using the extra money that you have survived without this far, to improve your long term position and create a buffer for when the winter times come.  Following the ant's little theory may well have avoided the sovereign debt crisis.

The ant knows how to work hard at the right time and convert labour into profits.  Work hard but work smart.  You have to be able to see opportunities and take them when the harvest is ripe, in business and in life.  Inaction is the biggest killer of success, don't be a sluggard.  If you start moving and only get something 80% right, at least you are better off than having done nothing at all.  Steering a stationary ship achieves nothing, but once the ship has momentum adjustments to its course are easily made.

Get up, get going and stay focused.  Simply acquiring knowledge is useless, it is in the application that wisdom is found.

The money, the power, the women

He will die for lack of discipline, 
 led astray by his own great folly
Proverbs 5:23

Sometimes we are our own worst enemy.  The temptations of this world are so real; lust, greed, and violence.  In the words of Tony Montana "you gotta make the money first. Then when you get the money, you get the power. Then when you get the power, then you get the women".  How many people are aspiring to this sort of success in one form or another?

I love watching movies.  I am always captivated by a good story and seek to learn from other's experiences, fictional as they may be.  It's amazing though how often the hero that we are aspiring to emulate is a ladies' man, or seems to leave a trail of violence-driven destruction in their wake (Bond, I can't get enough of it).  The problem is the movie ends and often we miss the real end to the story when they become old, bitter and broken hearted.  Or in the case of Scarface the consequences are fairly obvious, death.  He will die...led astray by his own great folly.  Paints a fairly bleak picture doesn't it.  We may not all be running drug rings but the temptations are the same.

To resist temptation and do what is right comes down to discipline.  This seems to be a common theme in the acquisition of wisdom (Short Sighted? You may need more than just glasses).  First you have to understand that your actions have long reaching consequences and then distinguish what is the right thing to do.  Second, you have to actually do it.  Simple, well not really otherwise we wouldn't all keep stuffing up.

No one is perfect and we will all continue to make mistakes.  Don't let that discourage you from desiring to make the right decisions and being disciplined so as not to give in to the temptations that flaunt themselves daily.

How to keep smiling, even after your world falls apart...

Above all else, guard your heart, 
 for it is the wellspring of life
Proverbs 4:23

Why is it that some people wake up to a heaviness everyday, where as others come up smiling no matter what life throws at them.  Bad stuff happens and is something we can't control. On the other hand, how you respond is entirely up to you?

Many people in life are defined by their worst moments, the pain from these events becomes a constant companion.  Whether it be bullying , broken relationships, or the death of a close friend or family member.  There are very real emotional consequences to life's worst moments that can take time to heal.  For me this proverb provides guidance to help get through the tough times and come out smiling at the other end.

Guard you heart.  Resist the temptation to hold on to hatred and pain.  Don't let hurt consume you and corrupt the purity of your heart.  I have personally gone through the pain and loss that came with the death of my mum after a battle with cancer.  It's a big thing for a 13 year old kid to lose a parent.  It was important for me not to convert that pain into hatred and bitterness.  I didn't blame other people, I didn't blame God,  bad stuff just happens some times.

The condition of your heart shines through in all your relationships and actions. Let your life be filled with moments of joy and not be defined by pain and hurt.  A cheerful heart will energise you and bring a smile not only to your face but also to the faces of those around you.

Short sighted? You may need more than just glasses

(¹ The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel)

for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, 
 doing what is right and just and fair
Proverbs 1:3

Life provides us with endless choices, challenges and opportunities.  Your view on life will affect your response to each of these.  Are you self focused and short sighted?  Is taking the easy way out your most common response?

This verse provides us with a choice, an opportunity.  The wisdom that is contained within the proverbs can be used to live a life doing what is right, just and fair.  Most of us would wish this to be said of how we lived our lives. The first part of the verse gives insight into what is required to achieve this.

Discipline is a word that makes most of us cringe. The association with punishment as a kid rings true for me.  The thing that I have come to realise is that nothing great can be achieved without perseverance and discipline.  This is what keeps you focused when you feel down, it gets you out of bed when all you want to do is sleep.  The ability to create good habits will help you overcome the emotional ups and downs.  Consistency over long periods of time will always out perform a one hit wonder.

Prudence:  Acting with or showing care and thought for the future (I had to look it up).  This means giving up the opportunity to cut corners and choosing to persist with hard work to achieve the long term gains.  The greatest achievements can take place over multiple generations, the pay-off may never be seen in your life time.  Now that kind of success takes prudence and discipline.

Seek to live a life doing what is right and just and fair.  Seek first wisdom and embrace discipline, making prudent choices with each step along the way.