Family

Do you happen to know what Proverbs 25:24 says?  Well, it’s a bit convicting for us wives, but I think it’s a good reminder for us today—so here it goes, “Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife. OUCH!  Are you a quarrelsome wife?  Another translation says a contentious wife…  The Hebrew word means strife—argumentative….It causes me to ask myself…am I a nagging wife—are you?  Ok, I don’t like this question either, but if I’m honest about it, there are times when I nag my husband about what he didn’t do that day, or something he did do that frustrated me.  Can you relate?  By nature, it seems we focus on what’s wrong with someone, instead of what’s right with them.  And let’s face it, our lives are hectic and when we get frustrated about things we take it out on the ones we love the most.  Sometimes our husbands get the brunt of our bad mood.  This verse certainly convicts me as a wife and the Lord has a thing to say to me and you about being a Godly wife.  We are called to love, not nag.  We are called to forgive and not hold grudges; we are called to speak words that bring life, not words that tear down.  Let’s take this verse in Proverbs to heart and ask God to help us be the women of virtue we are called to be.    Thanks for reading today!

-Joy

No one has to teach us how to be self-centered, we are born that way.  If you have been around children, you know what it’s like to witness selfishness first hand.  Children argue over books and toys. They say things like “Me first, I want that, give it to me”.  When there’s only 1 brownie left, they want the biggest half.  You know, I’ve also seen selfishness in adults too—especially in myself.  There are times when I can be just as selfish as a small child.  I rush into a restaurant so I can get in line first, I want the closest parking space, the shortest line at the grocery store and I don’t just want the biggest half of the last brownie—I want the whole thing!  Can you relate?  Listen to this verse found in the book of Philippians, “With humility of mind, let each of you regard one another as more important than himself”  Would you agree that most of us do not live this way?  It’s a struggle for us to regard other people as more important.  It seems as if we are wired to look out for our own personal interests instead of the interests of others.”  As if our time is more valuable than someone else’s time.  But, as followers of Christ, our lives should speak self-less-ness.   This verse in Philippians tells us to have humility of mind.  This means that within the private life of our thoughts, we should think of others above ourselves. Reminding ourselves of who are called to be in Christ—humble.  This will change our lives for the better.  It will create in us a selfless spirit and it will please God.  Maybe you too struggle with being selfish.  I encourage you to ask God to give you a spirit of self-LESS-ness.  Ask Him to help you be live out this verse.  And the next time there’s only one brownie left, put someone else above yourself and take the smallest half.