Gems worth pondering
February 25
"A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit."
(Proverbs 29:23)
A father and his tall young son were walking through a narrow hallway which was crossed overhead by a large beam. The boy did not notice the beam as they were talking.
Suddenly his father said, "Stoop! Stoop!" The young fellow didn't understand what he meant until he hit his head against the low beam.
Then his father said to him, "Son, you are young. You have life before you. Stoop low as you go, and you will miss many hard bumps!"
The young man never forgot that lesson on humility from his father. It was a help to him all through his life. (Submitted by R.K.)
N.J. Hiebert # 3626
February 26
"Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him." (1 Samuel 3:18)
How do you confront your mentor (parent, elder, older brother) with bad news? Eli, the mentor in this case, had not personally done anything wrong. In fact, it was because he hadn't done anything at all (regarding his sons) that God had to deal in judgment with his house. A few years later, Samuel had to do the same thing again - only this time he had to confront King Saul for something he didn't do either (see 1 Samuel 15). Three principles apply here:
1. Be sure of the Scriptures;
2. Be sensitive to the hearer;
3. Be slow to condemn.
Let the Word of God do the work of God! (Craig Funston)
If advice we would convey, there's a time we should convey it;
If we've but a word to say, there's a way in which to say it.
N.J. Hiebert # 3627
