Sunday Scriptures Deluxe

Sunday scripture time!

Man, I like this! This may become a regular post I do on Sundays... albeit shorter. LOL.

I was reminded of one of my favorite verses this week. I memorized it some 10 years ago.

Proverbs 13:20 MES Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces.

I like this verse a lot. Why? Because it's a good measuring stick when judging my friendships.

Am I growing as a person because of our friendship? Am I a better person? Am I wiser? Do you give good advice? Are you a good listener? Do you love me in the midst of all my shortcomings and slow to judge me (because you have your own!)?

Or has the drama increased in my life sense I met you? Are their guilt trips involved? Am I more erratic or volatile since I've been running with you? Are you jacking up my money and credit? Am I worse off emotionally and spiritually? Are you constantly judging me? Am I just straight up drained?

As you can see, I moreso look at personal progress from an intangible point of view. The only tangible you see above is somebody messing up by money and credit (that ain't gonna happen).

Let's just say, I ain't calling nobody a fool... but this is a person I won't be hanging around. I don't stand long for people stressing me out. Period.

I read somewhere long ago that you should be able to put a "+" or a "-" next to the names of all the people you know. Anyone with a "-" next to their names needs to be kicked to the curb. I thought that was harsh when I heard that years ago. But the older I get, the more I understand that. Yes, it is harsh. But it's harsher dealing with someone putting you through drama for the next 10 to 20 years. Hmm...

Something to think about.

I found this verse of scripture... interesting.

18 Proverbs 26:18-19 CEB Like a crazy person shooting deadly flaming arrows are those who deceive their neighbor and say, “Hey, I was only joking!”

 That is one heck of a visual. A crazy person running down the street with a bow and arrows... which he lights on fire and just starts shooting. Well, imagine the scene: it is chaotic. There is confusion. Folks are trying to get out of the way. Those hit with the arrows are injured and burned.

But it describes the chaos and confusion and pain when someone deceives you, also. And then, even though they apologize, you can tell it's not all that sincere. Emotional injury occurs.
You know me by now. I accept your apology. But I am more prone not to too much fool with you too much too more. 

But I know people who have been conned by the same person over and over again. And that person comes back and cons them into believing that they didn't mean it...

And it happens again and again.  A vicious cycle indeed. 

And as that verse describes... a most painful one.


Finally, a few scripture from Romans 14. I posted the whole chapter last year, I believe. Complete with an angry manifesto (Not really angry... more like annoyed. It's the reason I don't get caught up in these religious discussions... and for goodness sake, why I don't pick on trivial stuff like people's hair!).  

We were directed to another verse in this chapter during a sermon. I remembered that it was one of the most memorable and important chapter I read last year, and I perused other parts of it.  

19-21So let's agree to use all our energy in getting along with each other. Help others with encouraging words; don't drag them down by finding fault.

22-23Cultivate your own relationship with God, but don't impose it on others. You're fortunate if your behavior and your belief are coherent. But if you're not sure, if you notice that you are acting in ways inconsistent with what you believe—some days trying to impose your opinions on others, other days just trying to please them—then you know that you're out of line. If the way you live isn't consistent with what you believe, then it's wrong.

Finding fault with people drags them down. We see that all the time. We are pros in being judgmental. Encouraging and building people up takes a lot of maturity.

I am struck by the whole "You're fortunate if your behavior and your belief are coherent." That means that you're all good if what you say and what you do actually line up. It also means that I really have to watch my own self and actions closely.

And you can tell you are out of line if

1. You impose your opinions on others.
2. You are trying to please others.

Man, those two things... that's a big swath of every day human nature, ain't it?

I don't impose my opinions on others. If you want my opinion, you gotta drag it out of me, kinda like Will Smith was dragging that alien across the desert in the movie Independence Day. LOL

I just don't do that. For me, it's because my life and your life are different. I just feel wrong imposing my opinion on anyone. People who do that relentlessly, well, I see it as a way that they pump up their own self-esteem.

I told someone that one time. "Yo, if you need to use me to better your self esteem, then fine. Do that!"

(I didn't have to deal with anymore of that off that person. Ever again. Humph. I didn't ask for your opinion, and I KNOW how to get your dipping duck behind out of my business, honey).

Now if my opinion comes from a heart of encouragement and positivity? Or if there is a good history of discussion with positive results between myself and someone? Then I am more apt to give it. If not, I shut up.

Now, the whole pleasing of others... That is a strong indicator that one is not strong in their convictions. Man, we just wanna be accepted by others, don't we? Sometimes, we are willing to drop our beliefs to the ground in favor of being part of the popular group. This is understandable in high school, but I feel like once we hit those 30s, that should start to fall off. And I know people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s who strive to please others at the inconvenience and detriment of their own selves. And that's not a good thing. Not a good thing to be in bondage to people like that. Not at all.
 

Those are three interesting scriptures/passages.

That could've been three posts, hunh? LOL

Me and my prolific self.
 

I couldn't decide between the three. They were all on my mind this week..

Those are self assessment scriptures. Who am I and what am I doing and how do I feel about myself and who am I running with? Yeah, those types of scriptures that help you gauge yourself and the people you trust yourself with.

Hope they are as useful to you as they are to me.