“Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.” – Proverbs 19:11 There are people who impress you, but you can’t figure out why. They possess some hidden mystique. You can be one of those people. All you’ve got to do is let more...
Have you heard the other side?
“The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.” – Proverbs 18:17 I listened to my friend recounting the failures of someone he didn’t know was also my friend. I wanted to hold up my hand, to interject that his account of the...
Is injustice systemic or individual?
Every so often, atrocities rise to the level of global attention in a way that triggers and disturbs our conscience, and evokes a collective outcry of “No! This isn’t right! This needs to stop.” These instances are rare, not in the sense that the atrocities are rare...
The nuclear family isn’t going away
David Brooks wrote a provocative and fascinating article in the Atlantic around the start of Covid, which could not have emerged at a more poignantly ironic moment, given its title: “The Nuclear Family Was a Mistake”. It classifies the American obsession with nuclear...
The crown jewel of saying less
“Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.” I admit feeling the irony of waxing eloquent about keeping your mouth shut. If I wrote nothing, you might be tricked into believing that I have more profound thoughts...
Your speech is about experience, not skill
“The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.” – Proverbs 16:1 Supposedly, ninety percent of communication is nonverbal. We comprehend nearly all of a person’s meaning through body language and tone. If that is true, it's safe...
The people who say just the right thing
“The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.” - Proverbs 15:28 I have a mentor who always knows exactly what to say. Sometimes it’s a word of encouragement. Sometimes it’s a question. Sometimes he challenges me...
Hard work pays
“Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.” – Proverbs 14:4 There’s an adage that if you want to find someone to do a job, look for the busiest people. The underlying principle is that the people who have the...
How to avoid being heart sick
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” – Prov 13:12 It’s pretty much the same feeling for me every January. Either the Cowboys narrowly miss the playoffs, or they stumble their way down through a playoff elimination game...
Substance over semblance
“Better to be lowly and have a servant than to play the great man and lack bread.” – Proverbs 12:9 Credit card debt is one of the most sadistic inventions of the past hundred years. People can now pay for luxury they can’t afford like never before. That’s not the only...