“By mere words a servant is not disciplined, for though he understands, he will not respond.” – Proverbs 29:19 Teddy Roosevelt maneuvered the US military through more than a few tight squeezes during his presidency (1901-1909). He espoused this West African proverb as...
“I hate when they make you wait in the room. Because it says ‘Waiting Room.’ There’s no chance of not waiting. They call it the waiting room; they’re going to use it.” - Seinfeld Seinfeld captures that slow dread—waiting. But then there’s those times when you wait for...
“Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” – Proverbs 28:13 “We are regretful if there are people who may feel offended.” That’s often what passes for an apology today. The more public the person...
“Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.” – Prov 27:2 The movie Air takes you inside the early days of Nike and tells a marketing story that has become a cornerstone of the modern sports era. How does a person transcend to a...
“Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts of his own feet and drinks violence.” – Proverbs 26:6 This chapter lists many warnings about the dangers of dealing with fools. (Prov 26:1-10, 12) The violence of this one seems gratuitous. You’re only sending a...
“What your eyes have seen do not hastily bring into court, for what will you do in the end, when your neighbor puts you to shame? Argue your case with your neighbor himself, and do not reveal another’s secret, lest he who hears you bring shame upon you, and your ill...
“Do not move an ancient landmark or enter the fields of the fatherless, for their Redeemer is strong; he will plead their cause against you.” – Proverbs 23:10-11 When you visit a foreign country, standard advice is to try to blend in. How well you succeed will depend...
“Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.” – Proverbs 22:15 Discipline has never been in vogue. For some people, being severe seems to be the only thing left in life they still enjoy, but that’s not the same....
“A gift in secret averts anger, and a concealed bribe, strong wrath.” – Proverbs 21:14 I remember one of my early experiences of getting caught in the gears of church bureaucracy. I wanted to pull off an event and its promotion only a few days beforehand. “We can’t do...
“‘Bad, Bad,’ says the buyer, but when he goes away, then he boasts.” – Proverbs 20:14 My struggle with buyer’s remorse grows worse with age. I used to not give a second thought to impulse purchases. Granted, that may be because they usually involved some combination...
Join our mailing list to receive the latest content.