~ " Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and man." ~ Proverbs 3: 3-4
We always see the third chapter of Proverbs quoted and it's usually verses five and six that we are reminded of. But, what about verses three and four? I was reading these verses this morning and I thought they were wonderful verses that needed some reflection.
When I was a teenager in High School in the seventies, there was a necklace that was popular that many girls wore. It was a lariat. This necklace was a long strand of usually a gold chain that you would simply wrap around your neck and let it hang down gracefully on your throat. I eventually got one of these treasured possessions. I was so proud, and happy that I had something stylish like so many of the other girls. Unfortunately, today I have no idea where this necklace is! It's really too bad because this piece of jewelry has come back in style. I guess maybe it fell off of my neck, UN-noticed. I let this "leave me" without knowing it.
We as Christians should be like Christ, the Bible describes Jesus as "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14) I believe that these verses in Proverbs are very similar. We should be truthful with people, but we should be careful to give out the truth with kindness and in love.
We need to have the truth inside of us. What is in our hearts will come out. So we need to write God's truth on the tablets of our heart. We need to read it and meditate on it. Our life as Christians should be a balance of truth and kindness. Jesus lived this out for us as an example for us to live by.
So the next time we think about putting on a lovely necklace like a lariat, one that wraps around our necks, let's remember truth, and kindness. We will make the people around us happy, and we will be pleasing God also! How lovely that is indeed!
We always see the third chapter of Proverbs quoted and it's usually verses five and six that we are reminded of. But, what about verses three and four? I was reading these verses this morning and I thought they were wonderful verses that needed some reflection.
When I was a teenager in High School in the seventies, there was a necklace that was popular that many girls wore. It was a lariat. This necklace was a long strand of usually a gold chain that you would simply wrap around your neck and let it hang down gracefully on your throat. I eventually got one of these treasured possessions. I was so proud, and happy that I had something stylish like so many of the other girls. Unfortunately, today I have no idea where this necklace is! It's really too bad because this piece of jewelry has come back in style. I guess maybe it fell off of my neck, UN-noticed. I let this "leave me" without knowing it.
We as Christians should be like Christ, the Bible describes Jesus as "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14) I believe that these verses in Proverbs are very similar. We should be truthful with people, but we should be careful to give out the truth with kindness and in love.
We need to have the truth inside of us. What is in our hearts will come out. So we need to write God's truth on the tablets of our heart. We need to read it and meditate on it. Our life as Christians should be a balance of truth and kindness. Jesus lived this out for us as an example for us to live by.
So the next time we think about putting on a lovely necklace like a lariat, one that wraps around our necks, let's remember truth, and kindness. We will make the people around us happy, and we will be pleasing God also! How lovely that is indeed!
Beautiful message, JoAnne! Thank you! I love Proverbs. And the thing is, my grandpapa started drilling into me as a small child to read a chapter from Proverbs one day, and a chapter from Psalms the next day. If I had been obedient to that advice, I would be a wise person indeed in my old age! We should encourage our children to read them daily, as well!
ReplyDeleteThat's so true Kathey. For several years now, I have read a Proverb a day that coincides with the calendar day. So glad the Lord is still showing me new things and speaking to me through it. His Word is "living and active"! So thankful for that.
ReplyDeleteAfsoon, I visited you blog, and it is also very inspirational. I liked it very much. I'm sorry when I left the comment I misspelled your name, and I thought that you still lived in Iran. Thank you for visiting my blog. I am now a follower on your blogspot so that I can keep up with you.
ReplyDelete