Liz Curtis Higgs's Blog, page 9

What Compassion Really Means

Passion. Now, there’s a loaded word. It could mean an intimate physical connection or a strong level of motivation or the final days of Jesus’ life on earth.

With God, it’s all of the above:

His hands formed us in our mothers’ wombs.

His love motivates us to love one another.

His suffering on our behalf makes knowing Him possible.

Let’s face it, “Our God is full of compassion” (Psalm 116:5).

Since com in Latin means “with,” and pati means “to bear, to suffer,” this is patience (last week’s study) taken to the next level.

After all, we can show patience toward someone from a distance, but compassion? That’s far more personal, more involved, more…well, passionate.

It’s not waiting. It’s doing.

It’s not watching. It’s helping.

When we’re in pain, we don’t want someone to feel sorry for us, pity us, or say, “Too bad, so sad.” We want someone to walk beside us, share our burden, and say, “I love you. Let me help.”

This is what God does, beloved.

He walks beside us.

He bears our suffering.

He is with us. And He is for us.

Want the world to know what it means to be loved by God? Don’t show them how strong you are. Show them how weak you are. Then show them God’s strength, God’s mercy, God’s compassion.

Not, “Look at me in Jesus!” But, “Look at Jesus in me.”

The feminine form of the word racham in Hebrew gives compassion a deeper spin, because it also means “womb.” When we care for someone enough to help them, it’s because we have a “brotherly feeling” toward them, as if they were “born from same womb.”

Oh, my. Very close indeed. Brothers. Sisters.

If we love God, we can never think in terms of “us / them.” Just “us.”

The wonderful ministry that cares for children in need all over the world is called Compassion International for good reason. It’s a reminder that we are called to “be kind and compassionate to one another” (Ephesians 4:32), just as the Lord has been kind and compassionate to us.

The Greek word means “tenderhearted”—literally, “having strong bowels” (sorry). Think of it as feeling gut-level sympathy for someone. The kind that makes you reach for your wallet, reach for your passport, and above all, reach for God’s hand, as you reach out to the world, near and far.

Compassion begins with God: the One who is with you, the One who bears your burdens. Let go, my friend. Let Him carry you.

Trust in this glorious truth: “His compassions never fail” (Lamentations 3:22).

He will never let go.

He will never turn away.

He will always see you through.

Could you take a moment to Share Your Thoughts about what God’s compassion means to you? You’ll find a link below. I read and cherish each one, and love how you encourage one another!

Your grateful sister, Liz

@LizCurtisHiggs

   

The post What Compassion Really Means appeared first on Liz Curtis Higgs.

Why Is God So Patient with Us?

I’ve been asking this question since the day I stepped into God’s embrace. Why do You put up with my foolishness, Lord? Why are You so patient with me?

One minute I’m praising, the next minute I’m grumbling. One minute I’m kind to others, the next minute I hurry past someone in need. One minute I vow to honor Him, the next minute I’m seeking glory for myself.

What a mess. Seriously, who could live with a person like that, let alone forgive them, let alone love them?

If you’ve been wondering the same thing, I’m so glad you’re here. A two-part answer is waiting for us in His Word.

First, God doesn’t just show us patience. He is Patience. It’s how He defines Himself.

Proof? His Word tells us that “God is love” (1 John 4:16) and also that “Love is patient” (1 Corinthians 13:4). It’s like that formula we learned in high school math. If A=B and B=C, then A=C. So, God = patience.

He said so Himself. When Moses went up to Mount Sinai, the Lord descended in a cloud (I’m still trying to get my head around what that must have been like) and proclaimed, “I am the Lord God. I am merciful and very patient with my people” (Exodus 34:6 CEV). Again, God = patience.

A more common translation for patience is “slow to anger” (NIV), and the one that best captures the original Hebrew is “longsuffering” (KJV). It’s a combo of two words—arak, meaning “long, patient, slow” and aph, meaning “nostril, nose, face, anger.”

In other words, God waits a very long time before He gets in your face. Literally, that’s what it means. (Do you love this?)

The Lord isn’t patient because we deserve it. He’s patient because it’s who He is. He doesn’t lose patience with those He loves, since patience is His very nature.

I just have to say, WOW. Like, how have I missed this for 30+ years?

A second reason why God is patient with us?  His patience is necessary for our salvation.

Peter assures us the Lord “is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). A couple verses later, Peter says it straight out: “our Lord’s patience means salvation” (2 Peter 3:15).

If He wasn’t patient, we would be done for.

But He is patient. Therefore, we are saved.

[Liz pauses here to jump up and down with grateful joy.]

Paul reminds us that he—“the worst of sinners”—was shown mercy, so that “Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:16).

God waited for you, beloved. He did.

He is still waiting for others. That’s what compels us to share His love with everyone who crosses our path. Not just friends, family, and neighbors, but also strangers, who step in and out of our lives for a fleeting moment.

How do we do we share His love in 30 seconds or less? Not by preaching or prodding or pleading, but by being patient. Waiting instead of whining. Smiling instead of stewing. Taking our place in line with a calm spirit. Letting someone in need go ahead of us.

Since “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience” (Galatians 5:22 NASB), then patience is God working through us to reach those who are lost (and often don’t know it).

When we are patient in an impatient world, we show people the One who is patient with us.

I hope you’ll Share Your Thoughts below, describing what God’s patience means to you.

Your many comments last week were a huge encouragement to me and to others. Thanks for taking the time and making the effort!

Your grateful sister, Liz

@LizCurtisHiggs

   

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What’s So Great About God?

In a word, everything about God is great.

His love. His mercy. His patience. His presence. His faithfulness. His forgiveness…

The list is so long, I could blog about His greatness until I depart this planet! Meanwhile, let’s dive in for the next 30 Wednesdays and see what God has for us. (Did I mention how glad I am you’re here?)

If everything about God is great, then everything about Him is worthy of our praise—both the truths that encourage us and the realities that (if we’re honest) unnerve us.

He records your first breath and your last.
He counts all the hairs on your head.
He stores your tears in a bottle.
He watches each step you take.
He knows everything about you. All of it.

A frightening prospect, unless you know and love Him. A comforting truth, once you realize He knows and loves you. Intimately. Completely.

It’s great to give thanks to the people who enrich our lives, but praise and worship—acknowledging His worth-ship—is meant for God alone.

Moses declared, “He is the one you praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes” (Deuteronomy 10:21). God knows us so well. If we’ve “witnessed” (CEB) something, we’re far more likely to believe it. Especially if His great “deeds” (GW) and His wonderful “works” (HCSB) turn out to be “mighty miracles” (NLT), way beyond anything we’ve ever seen or imagined.

Finding an empty space in a crowded parking lot? Pulling out a forgotten $20 bill from the pocket of your jeans? Answers to prayer, maybe, but not what Moses was talking about. God’s people watched some really big miracles come down. A stairway to heaven, a burning bush, a swept-aside Red Sea.

Miracles like that are both “awesome” (CEB) and “fearsome” (MEV), both “astounding” (GNT) and “staggering” (MSG), equal parts “amazing” (ERV) and “terrifying” (CEV), striking a healthy fear of God in our hearts. Even if we didn’t see those miracles in person, we read about them in Scripture and are humbled.

This is where we need to begin.

He is great, and we are small. He is “powerful” (NLV), and we are powerless without Him. He is Lord of all, and we are not.

Beloved, this is good news. We don’t want a God we can control. We want a God who controls the universe. One who can never be conquered or fully understood. We want to shout with triumph, “Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom” (Psalm 145:3).

Here we are, trying to wrap our heads around His greatness, when it’s “so vast and deep” (AMP), it can’t be grasped” (CEB). It’s immeasurable, “unsearchable” (ASV), and “beyond discovery!” (TLB). Sometimes the point of studying God’s Word is to show us how much we don’t know, and can never know.

This is certain. He is worthy of our worship. He deserves our deepest praise.

Heavenly Father, Your greatness takes my breath away. When I’m tempted to toss up my hands in frustration, help me lift up my hands in adoration. Worship isn’t about knowing things. It’s about knowing You, the One who knows me. It’s about praising You, the only One who is worthy.

Instead of asking a question, I’ll simply invite you to Share Your Thoughts below, perhaps telling us how God has revealed His greatness to you this week. Such a blessing, when we learn from and encourage one another. Happy 2015!

Your grateful sister, Liz

@LizCurtisHiggs

    

P.S. It’s not your imagination: my website has a new design! Bigger type should make it easier to read and less clutter will make it easier to find things. Take a quick look around and see what you think!

The post What’s So Great About God? appeared first on Liz Curtis Higgs.

Your 50 Favorite Proverbs: #1 Trust. Follow. Accept. Embrace.

Here we are, standing on tiptoe, gazing at a fresh calendar full of possibilities. Clever you, choosing the perfect Proverb to end one year and begin the next.

It’s actually two verses with one powerful message. Diana and her daughter both count this passage as their favorite, which has “forged a special bond” between them. Brenda has these verses on her desk at work and on her shower curtain at home (perhaps like this one or this one or this one), to keep her spiritually on track each day.

Even if you know these verses by heart, take a fresh look and see what God might be saying to you, as together we celebrate a life-changing year in His Word.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

    and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to him,

    and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart… Proverbs 3:5

Trust. It’s the first thing a child learns. And the first thing a child of God learns, as we discover how to “lean on, trust in, and be confident” (AMP) in Him.

In order to “place your trust” (VOICE) in God, you must first lift something off your own shoulders—the need for control, the need to have all the answers—and deposit those things into His loving hands.

Then, you must let go.

In Hebrew, kol means “all.” Not some, not most, but all. Holding back nothing, making no demands, we must “completely” (ERV) release our deep need to be in charge.

The Lord knows how hard this is for us, and what it will cost us to trust Him. The sacrifice of self. The putting aside of pride. The laying down of arms.

No more fighting Him. No more insisting on having our own way. As if we knew best. As if.

…and lean not on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

It’s helpful to have something to lean on. A rail when we climb steps. The back of a chair when we have to pull on a shoe.

But “lean not” isn’t asking us to avoid doing a physical thing. It means “don’t depend” (ERV) and “do not rely” (AMP) on that which is undependable and unreliable.

The Hebrew word, shaan, means “to lean, to support oneself.” When you think about it, leaning on or supporting yourself is nigh to impossible. Where would you put your hand? Where would you rest your weight?

The One who loves us knows we can’t stand on our own. Depend wholly on ourselves? Go through life without Him? We’re simply not built to do that.

Whether you call it “insight” (AMP) or “intelligence” (CEB) or “judgment” (CEV), our own understanding is not to be trusted. “What you think you know” (GNT) isn’t enough to carry you through.

Our flawed thinking will invariably lead us downward rather than upward. The Lord who formed our gray matter and shaped our intellect cautions us, “Never depend upon your own ideas and inventions” (VOICE), and whatever you do, “don’t try to figure out everything on your own” (MSG).

Christina, who also chose this verse, realized, “My own understanding is often very limited and faulty. I have no recourse, save to trust in the Lord.”

So…can we live out our favorite Proverb? Can we let go and trust God?

…in all your ways submit to him,… Proverbs 3:6

There’s that word again. All. Utterly inclusive. Nothing left out. “Everything you do” (GNT) pretty much covers it.

In Hebrew, yada means “to know”—a different idea of “submit” altogether. We are to care more about knowing the Lord than knowing ourselves. To “remember” (GNT), “acknowledge” (ASV), and “recognize” (AMP) Him. To “think about what he wants” (ERV), and discover everything we can about His character, His attributes, His nature.

This is what God is waiting for us to grasp:

If you knew Me, you would trust Me.

…and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:6

No maybe here. A promise. A guarantee. “He’s the one” (MSG)

The truth, beloved? God is in control whether we allow Him to be or not. We do not make Him Lord. He is Lord. The moment we accept that reality, the very second we bend our hearts and knees to His power and might, we find our loving God is already blessing us, already taking us by the hand, already leading us in the right direction.

Our paths aren’t meant to be straight in a literal sense, like straight lines. After all, it’s the unexpected curves, the bends in the road, the surprises along the way that keep us on our toes and make the whole trip more fun.

God promises He will “help you go the right way” (ERV)—which is His way. That’s the only way you want to walk. Not because you aren’t smart enough to chart your own course, but because you’re smart enough to know His course is the best one for you.

He will “guide you on the right paths” (HCSB) and “keep you on track” (MSG), no matter how many twists and turns you travel between here and heaven.

Lord, I want to trust You in all things, not just some things. Help me learn from You. Help me lean on You. Help me let go of my stubborn need to control. Help me understand that loving You with all my heart means trusting You with all I was and am and will be. Lord, please carry me across the threshold of a new year, safely in Your arms.

Now it’s your turn

Consider these four New Year’s resolutions from Proverbs 3:5-6. Which one would be the easiest for you to keep? And which one the hardest?

Trust His love.

Follow His lead.

Accept His will.

Embrace His peace.

Please share your thoughts by clicking Post a Comment below. Your honesty and openness are a blessing to us all.

A reminder that each time you post a comment from now through 11:59pm ET tonight, you’ll be entered to win one of the custom gifts I purchased for you in celebration of our 2014 study!

Minutes before midnight this New Year’s Eve, I’ll chose 10 winners at random from all our December comments and give away 5 silvery necklaces from Jessica Ely Jewelry and 5 fine art prints from StudioJRU, each one featuring our #1 favorite from Proverbs. I love these beauties and hope you will too!

 

Meanwhile, your Printable of Proverbs 3:5-6 awaits you, as do all Your 50 Favorite Proverbs on Pinterest. Love seeing them all in one place.

What’s next?

So, I had this plan for our 2015 study, thinking we’d unpack all the wonderful things you are in Christ. “You are adopted,” “You are beautiful,” “You are created”…you get the idea.

Then I prayed about it. And the Lord said, “No. Show them Who I am.” Even now, my heart beats faster, remembering that moment.

The truth is, being told that we are loved and protected and forgiven is only meaningful if we fully understand the One who loves, protects, and forgives. That’s why we’ll spend the first half of 2015 celebrating the many reasons He Is Worthy of Our Praise.

I know you’re super-busy, so my posts will be half this long (promise!) and truly encouraging, as we praise the Lord for “His Grace,” “His Kindness,” “His Mercy,” “His Patience,” “His Strength,” “His Love”…oh, my. Is it January 7th yet?

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise. Psalm 145:3 

Happy New Year!

Your grateful sister, Liz

@LizCurtisHiggs #50Proverbs

 

Click on my pic to see my 2015 speaking calendar.

P.S. My 2015 resolution? For a Happy Year, be made New: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Your 50 Favorite Proverbs: #2 Go with the Flow

What a sacred and glorious day to open His Word together!

This year my goal was to memorize all our 50 verses from Proverbs. Right. Still working on that.

Sandra, who chose Proverbs 4:23 as her favorite, remembers when a Sunday School teacher “asked our class to memorize this verse and gave each of us a copy handwritten in calligraphy.” So wise, that teacher.

Kathleen posted this verse on her refrigerator “when our girls were growing up. Important.” And Kay heard this verse during a sermon. “‘It’s all about the heart’—that’s what the preacher said. It hit me then and it continues to strike a holy chord in me.”

Here’s the verse these women can’t forget.

Above all else, guard your heart,

   for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 

Above all else,… Proverbs 4:23

I chose a wintry shot of Notre Dame to help us imagine the one thing we cherish most, lifted high above the snares of this world.

The Hebrew word mishmar means “a place of confinement,” where we can protect what truly matters “more than anything else” (GW). Keeping it safe from danger with “diligence” (ASV), “watchfulness” (DRA), and “vigilance” (AMP).

Above all else, our society values beauty, wealth, fame. Visible, temporal.

Above all else, our God values the hearts of His people. Unseen, eternal.

What do you call precious? What do you need to protect above all else?

…guard your heart,… Proverbs 4:23

It’s not a suggestion; it’s a command: “Keep your heart pure” (NLV). Seriously, Lord? Pure? In this culture? We’d have to turn off our televisions, avoid our computers, skip going to the movies, stop reading the newspaper—

But that’s not what Jesus said: “As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world” (John 17:18).

For as long as we’re here, this is where we’re meant to be. Surrounded by constant temptations, pulled this way and that, we are called and equipped by God to choose wisely.

Katie admits, “I used to think of Proverbs 4:23 as a protective verse, but I am now starting to think of it as a proactive verse.” Well done. By the power of the Holy Spirit, you can “protect your mind” (CEB) and “guard your thoughts” (CEV).

We’ve found the Hebrew word leb several times in Proverbs. No surprise, when it appears nearly six hundred times in the Bible! It means our “inner man, mind, will, heart.” Not the fist-sized organ beating in our chests, but the place where we feel and think and seek after God, since in Him “we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).

Why your heart is so important to God:

That’s where you store His Word. “Lay up his words in your heart” (Job 22:22).
That’s where you respond to His invitation. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart” (Deuteronomy 6:5).
That’s where you learn to trust Him. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart” (Proverbs 3:5).

With our hearts safely in His hands, our lives roll in the right direction.

…for everything you do… Proverbs 4:23

All the “important things of life” (NLV), all the “issues” (ASV) we’re wrapped up in, all the “consequences” (CJB) of our actions—they all begin in our hearts.

Take that big Christmas gift I ordered for Bill. The one he is going to fuss at me for. It came straight from my heart—not to win his favor, but to show my husband how much I love him.

This is why God cherishes our heartfelt devotion: we’re no longer trying to earn His favor, His mercy, His grace. We already have that, and we know it. The Gift is given. The Gift is everything. God cannot give us more than He already has, because His Son is enough. His grace is sufficient.

Our gift to the Lord—our worship, honor, and obedience—springs from our love for Him, a love that cannot be contained. Like “wellsprings” (OJB), the love in our hearts overflows its banks. Spilling out, it creates a streambed that “determines the course” (NLT) our lives will follow.

We don’t decide our future, beloved. We just decide Who to love.

…flows from it. Proverbs 4:23

This broad stream in the Highlands of Scotland doesn’t question its “source” (CJB) or worry over its course. It simply flows. The water “cometh forth” (WYC) and goeth. (Sometimes the English major in me longeth to speaketh like that.)

Flow is a wonderful thing. Every minute of every hour, our beating hearts send blood flowing through our bodies, keeping us healthy. We don’t have to think about it. We don’t have to plot, plan, or scheme. It just flows.

In the same way, when we fill our hearts with God’s wisdom, when we love and trust instead of fret and fuss, God does something amazing. He turns our mess into righteousness. He changes our stop-and-go into flow.

Heavenly Father, flow sounds so good right now. Like peace, comfort, and rest, all rolled into One. However long it takes, help me hide Your Word in my heart, one verse at a time. Let Your love for me rekindle my love for You. Let Your trustworthiness strengthen my ability to trust You. I never want to forget the Gift You gave us two thousand years ago. We’re still unwrapping it, Lord. Still marveling over it. Still singing with our whole hearts, “How silently, how silently, the wondrous Gift is given.”

Now it’s your turn

What does “guarding your heart” mean to you?

Bless you for clicking Post a Comment below to share your thoughts with us this holy season.

Each time you post a comment now through December 31, 2014, you’ll be entered to win a lovely prize that features Our #1 Favorite Proverb of the year. One comment per post, just to be fair. I hope you’ll comment every week (feel free to pop on my blog and post comments on the weeks in December you missed)!

Minutes before midnight on New Year’s Eve, I’ll chose 10 winners at random and give away 5 silvery necklaces and 5 colorful prints. Watch your inbox, as I’ll be reaching out to our winners via email.

Your Printable of Proverbs 4:23 awaits you, as do all our favorite Proverbs on Pinterest.

Can you believe it? Next week we’ll unpack your #1 favorite. And I’ll spill the beans on what’s in store for 2015. Merry Christmas, dear one!

Your grateful sister, Liz

@LizCurtisHiggs #50Proverbs



 



Bless you for reading my books this season!

Your 50 Favorite Proverbs: #3 Beware of Princess Charming

Back in the day, young women went to charm school to learn all the social graces—how to sit, stand, and walk properly, how to dine in a formal setting, how to address people in every situation.

One skill that wasn’t taught was deception. Sadly, we learned how to do that all by ourselves, with a little help from the father of lies.

But our story isn’t finished. While we’re living and breathing, there’s still time for the Father of Truth to change us into His kind of honest-speaking, holy-living woman. Watch.

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;

   but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Proverbs 31:30 

Charm is deceptive,…  Proverbs 31:30

Charm sounds like a good thing. The Hebrew word chanan means “favor, grace, elegance.” But when charm is used for the wrong reasons, those “pleasing ways lie” (NLV).

That old saying, “Flattery will get you everywhere”? That’s the charm we’re talking about, the kind used to “fool” (EXB) people, for our own benefit.

A telemarketer called our home, selling a long-distance service. She pressed on with a cheery, sing-song rendition of the obvious script before her, until Bill finally said, “Ma’am, I’m afraid I don’t have time for this conversation.”

Her charming tone turned to steel. “We are not having a conversation, Mr. Higgs. I am telling you about my product.”

Okay, then. Let’s not go there.

…and beauty is fleeting;… Proverbs 31:30

Faith Baldwin said, “Time is a dressmaker specializing in alterations.” Oh baby. We know that’s right.

Beauty as the world defines it doesn’t hang around very long. The firm muscle tone and wrinkle-free skin of youth “fades away” (CEV) with each passing year, until it finally “disappears” (GNT), despite all the age-defying (or is it age-denying?) products on the market.

In Hebrew, hebel shows us why beauty “evaporates” (GW). The word literally means “vapor, breath.” Poof. Gone. In the end, attractiveness “comes to nothing” (NLV) and will “vanish” (CJB) without a trace.

Am I saying an older woman isn’t beautiful? Absolutely not! That silvery hair, those permanent smile lines, the glow of wisdom in her eyes? All stunning.

But the media would have us believe otherwise. Their message is, “Looking good means looking young.” When an older woman is trotted out? She’s inevitably described as “youthful, for her age.” Sigh.

That’s why the Proverbs 31 woman looks in a different direction.

…but a woman who fears the Lord… Proverbs 31:30

When Dianne chose this verse as her favorite, she said, “In our society, we are always pushed to focus on our appearance. I want to be a woman who fears the Lord!”

We do too, sister. We want to be the kind of woman who lives “reverently and worshipfully” (AMP), who “honors the Lord” (CEV), and shows Him the deepest “respect” (NIRV).

Fear is the right word for it, considering His limitless power.

Fear God, and there’s no need to fear anyone or anything else.

Taricia believes, “Knowing God is a woman’s true beauty.” We’ve seen how gorgeous God’s woman can be. Her eyes shine with His love, her mouth smiles with His joy, her hands move at His bidding, her feet follow where He leads. She exudes His peace, she offers His hope, she knows His Word, she speaks His truth, she embraces His people, she glorifies His Name.

She’s the woman we all want to be when we grow up.

God alone makes that possible. It isn’t a matter of trying harder or doing more. It’s putting God at the very center of our lives and placing each minute in His more-than-able hands.

…is to be praised. Proverbs 31:30

Hmm. Praised by people? I wouldn’t count on it. People withhold praise for lots of reasons—jealousy and envy among them. Paul reminds us, “ If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10).

Yet, this verse assures us a godly woman “deserves to be praised” (CEV) and, in fact, “will be greatly praised” (NLT). By whom? Maybe hubby and the kids, if she has them: “Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her” (Proverbs 31:28).

So, how’s this going at your house? Right. Mine too.

How about at work? Among friends? The truth is, trying to please people—even people we love—might never earn us much applause. That’s okay. They’re not our Audience.

Annie Chapman wisely says, “The balanced woman is not out to please some of the people all of the time, or all of the people some of the time. Her strategy for living is to be simply, purely, passionately devoted to the Lord.”

There’s our answer: God is the One who will praise us.

The Hebrew word for praise here is halal, which means “shine.” So beautiful. God turns the warmth of His light on us, He shines His attention on us, He bathes us in the glow of His approval—not because we’re good, but because we belong to Him and He is good.

Job remembered “the days when God watched over me, when his lamp shone on my head” (Job 29:2-3). Those days returned for Job, and they can become a reality for us. Not by polishing our personalities or buffing up our appearance, but by loving, serving, honoring, and worshiping the One who is worthy of our praise.

Heavenly Father, I’ve spent too many years trying to be charming, so others would like me. Too much effort trying to be pretty, so others would look at me. Help me turn to You with holy fear and humble trust. If applause comes my way, let it be from You. If You shine Your favor on me, let it be for Your glory alone.

Now it’s your turn

How can you live out this familiar verse, starting today?

Bless you for clicking Post a Comment below to share your heart with us.

A happy reminder: each time you post a comment now through December 31, 2014, you’ll be entered to win a fab prize that features Our #1 Favorite Proverb of the year. One comment per post, just to be fair, but feel free to comment every week.

Minutes before midnight on New Year’s Eve, I’ll chose 10 winners at random and give away 5 silvery necklaces and 5 colorful prints. What a fun way to ring in 2015!

Your Printable of Proverbs 31:30 awaits you, as do all our favorite Proverbs on Pinterest.

Just two weeks remain in our year-long study. It’s been a blast to meet with you every Wednesday (or the occasional Monday or…uh, Friday). Wait until you see what God has in store for us next year!

Your grateful sister, Liz

@LizCurtisHiggs #50Proverbs

 

Your 50 Favorite Proverbs: #4 All Grown Up

You’ve no doubt seen a print of Proverbs 22:6 posted in a church nursery, urging young parents to raise their little ones to walk the straight and narrow, so they’ll stick to the path even when they’re older.

But the women who chose this verse as their favorite aren’t mothers of toddlers. No, they’re mothers with grown children who’ve lost their way.

Susan admits, “I put a lot of faith in this verse, since my adult daughter and son-in-law don’t attend church anymore.” Diana is there too: “My first son is a good man, but far from the Lord.”

Sisters, you have so much company. Don’t lose heart. God is beside your loved ones, just as He is beside you. Even if you don’t have kids, God has a word waiting for you here. Keep reading—and be encouraged.

Start children off on the way they should go,

   and even when they are old they will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6 

Start children off… Proverbs 22:6

I’m partial to the King James Version, “Train up a child.” It’s a spot-on translation of the Hebrew word, chanak, meaning to “train up, dedicate,” like putting a rope in a horse’s mouth to show who’s in charge.

Being the parent is the hardest part of parenting.

Loving your kids? Easy.

Caring for their daily needs? Intense, but manageable.

Carpooling them from A to B? Time-consuming, but also a great chance for meaningful convos.

The challenging bit comes when we must “teach” (CEV) our kids how to do life. That means learning how to “direct” (NLT) them, without pushing or pulling. And how to patiently “give instruction” (YLT), instead of just barking out orders (oops).

It is day-in and day-out difficult, but gotta-do-it necessary.

…on the way they should go,… Proverbs 22:6

This isn’t like, “Hit the road, Jack.” In Hebrew, derek means “way, road, distance, journey, manner.” We’re called to teach our kids not only the right destination, but also “the right path” (TLB), the best way to get there.

Kim has accepted the reality that “not all my grown children are currently walking His path for their lives. But I know that God is holding each of them in the palm of His hand.” Count on it, beloved. Jesus said of His followers, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28).

Now, check this out. “They should go” is peh in Hebrew, which literally means “mouth.” We’re back to that horse, unhappy about chomping on a rope between its teeth. Like a kid who balks at being asked to follow the house rules.

An untamed horse is beautiful to look at it, but of little use to its owner—until a horse trainer steps in. The trainer understands what’s needed, gently but firmly breaking the horse, then training it according to the animal’s natural strengths and abilities.

In the same way, we’re to train up our children “in a way that fits their needs” (ERV), always taking into account their “individual gift or bent” (AMP), looking to God to guide us, even as we guide them.

When we become parents, the word trust takes on a whole new meaning.

…and even when they are old… Proverbs 22:6

“Old” doesn’t mean elderly here. It just means no longer a child. Old enough to make decisions without any parental prompting. Old enough to be considered “grown” (CEV). Not one particular birthday, but “all their life” (GNT).

Sadly, when children reach adulthood, they often decide our guidance is no longer needed. As Marilyn shares, “My relationship with my daughter is on rocky ground, and she wants nothing to do with me. Yet I believe God is faithful. He comforts me with His Word.”

Yes, dear sister. This week’s verse from Proverbs is all about comfort and assurance.

Fear not. God has this.

…they will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6

That’s a promise we can hang onto with both hands. If we not only teach our children well, but also live out our lives before them in a way that consistently points to the Lord and His Word, the day will come when “they will remember it” (GNT) and “will not depart from it” (ASV). They’ll “remain” (TLB), rather than “swerve” (CJB) or “leave the right path” (ERV).

Sharon confesses, “I have a child that hasn’t spoken to me in over five years. After reading this Proverb, I realize God alone knows the path my son needs to follow.”

Yes, He does—just as He knew all about the desperately crooked path I would travel. If you’ve heard or read my faith journey, you’ll understand why I believe God can and will redeem your prodigal, in His own time and in His own way—which is always the best way.

If He can save a wretch like me, He can rescue anyone. Even if you didn’t raise them to know the Lord, He is able. Even if you messed up a hundred times, God never messes up. “The Lord knows those who are his” (2 Timothy 2:19), and He will make certain they get home.

In the meantime, keep loving them. Keep praying for them. Reach out to them, even if they don’t respond. And trust God to honor His wonderful promise: “Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save” (Isaiah 59:1).

Heavenly Father, You are the only Parent who gets everything right. Help those of us with young children to train and teach them, wholly dependent on You. Give those of us with grown children the courage to wait and trust, knowing their lives are safely in Your hands. For those among us who don’t have children, let us be a witness of Your grace to everyone You bring across our path. Oh, how you love Your children, Lord!

Now it’s your turn

How does this verse comfort or encourage you?

Bless you for clicking Post a Comment below to share your thoughts with us.

A reminder that each time you post a comment from now through December 31, 2014, you’ll be entered to win a lovely prize that features Our #1 Favorite Proverb of the year. One comment per post, just to be fair, but feel free to comment every week.

Minutes before midnight on New Year’s Eve, I’ll chose 10 winners at random and give away 5 silvery necklaces and 5 colorful prints. (So fun, to play Mrs. Claus.)

Your Printable of Proverbs 22:6 awaits you, as do all our favorite Proverbs on Pinterest.

Just three Wednesdays left in December—and three Proverbs left to explore. I’ve learned a ton this year. I pray you have too!

Your grateful sister, Liz

@LizCurtisHiggs #50Proverbs

 



For readers who love a romantic time and place: A Wreath of Snow

For children who love a heartwarming story: The Pine Tree Parable

For friends who love being inspired: The Women of Christmas 

Your 50 Favorite Proverbs: #5 It’s Hard to Be Gentle

When common sense is no longer common, we need God’s wisdom more than ever. Take today’s verse from Proverbs. It sounds easy. The kind of thing everybody knows how to do.

But, knowing what’s right and actually doing it—well, that’s where wisdom comes in. And the strength to do it? That’s where God comes in.

A gentle answer turns away wrath,

   but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1 

A gentle answer… Proverbs 15:1

When someone is being nice, it’s easy to respond in a way that’s “soft” (ASV) and “sensitive” (CEB) and “mild” (DRA).

But that’s not the situation in this verse. The person in question isn’t being remotely “tender” (EXB) or “kind” (CEV). He or she is full of wrath. Downright cruel. Lashing out.

At this point, we have a choice.

We can either defuse the situation or we can make it explode.

…turns away wrath,… Proverbs 15:1

Amid the “fury” (CJB) that’s flying around the room, the “anger” (EXB) that’s heating the air, the “rage” (GW) that makes us want to strike back, the Holy Spirit quietly nudges us.

Give them the last thing they deserve or expect.

Give them mercy, kindness, and love.

Seriously? Yes. The Hebrew word shub means “to turn back.” In essence, to help someone repent. Turn around. Go back to God.

When we respond to anger with kindness, we show people how much God loves them and longs to welcome them into His embrace.

That’s why His Word urges us, “As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12).

The Lord knows that gentleness “deflects” (CJB) negativity, then “diverts” (ISV) it in another direction. A genuine word of compassion “soothes” (CEV) ruffled feathers and makes anger “disappear” (ERV).

Angela chose Proverbs 15:1 because it helped her “be more cautious with my words, bringing more peace to my life.” Rischa agrees this verse can “stop a lot of arguments before they even get started.”

Through your faithful obedience, God can use you to halt anger in its tracks and draw others unto Him. Wow, right?

…but… Proverbs 15:1

Yes, but. This is what happens when God’s wisdom runs counter to our flawed human nature (which it generally does). We know in our hearts and minds what we should do, but we follow our raw feelings instead.

A vague memory of God’s command to “turn your other cheek” (Luke 6:29) may flit through our minds, but we’re too hurt or embarrassed or red-faced or hot-headed to consider why the Lord might ask us to do such a difficult thing.

In the heat of the moment, we don’t act; we react.

We fight fire with fire. We strike back.

…a harsh word… Proverbs 15:1

Our words are “sharp” (EXB) like a knife, “rough” (ERV) on the ego, and “grievous” (ASV) to the heart. We are “offensive” (CEB) by choice and are “mean” (NIRV) by intent. That frying pan? Back up.

The “hard” (WYC) words we speak are designed to inflect maximum pain. We may call it self-defense—“Hey, she started it!”—but our response doesn’t demonstrate our faith in a grace-giving God.

After that, things quickly go downhill.

…stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1

That other person? Now she’s really mad. “Tempers rise” (CJB) in tandem, and “fury” (DRA) escalates. Our heart rates go up, our blood pressure increases, and our bodies produces more testosterone. That leads to “more anger” (NCV) and a strong desire for “vengeance” (WYC).

This Hebrew word aph not only means “anger”—it’s also the word for “nostril, nose, face.” We literally get in each other’s faces, nostrils flaring. This anger isn’t only on the inside; it’s very much on display, and it’s ugly.

We may not hit each other, but we will definitely hurt each other, inflicting painful wounds that often fester and refuse to heal.

Is the problem the other person’s anger? No, beloved. The problem is our own pride. The pride that won’t bow to God’s leading. The pride that’s determined to win battles, rather than win souls.

Oh, Lord Jesus. As I type these words, my heart is heavy. How many times have I used a sharp retort, focused on retaliation instead of reconciliation? How many hours have I wasted grinding my teeth, when I could have humbly submitted to your Word and watched a miracle take place—a relationship restored, a soul saved?

Forgive me, Lord. Help me trust in the strength and power of the Holy Spirit to calm my heart, guard my tongue, and guide my actions. Help me think beyond the present outrage to the possible outcome. Help me put You first, other people second, and myself last. Help me resist what comes naturally and trust what comes supernaturally.

Now it’s your turn

Barbara, who also chose this verse, admits, “Allowing God to quiet my spirit and my mouth is not always easy; but I know it is best.” After reading today’s study, what might your prayer be?

Thanks so much for clicking Post a Comment below to share what’s on your heart.

A reminder that each time you post a comment from now through December 31, 2014, you’ll be entered to win a lovely prize that features Our #1 Favorite Proverb of the year. One comment per post, my friend? Just to be fair?

Minutes before midnight on New Year’s Eve, I’ll chose 10 winners at random and give away 5 silvery necklaces and 5 colorful prints. Yay!

Your Printable of Proverbs 15:1 awaits you, as do all our favorite Proverbs on Pinterest.

Today’s verse really nicked close to the bone for me. Not always comfortable, but always necessary. Thanks, Lord.

Your grateful sister, Liz

@LizCurtisHiggs #50Proverbs

 

For readers who love a romantic time and place: A Wreath of Snow

For children who love a heartwarming story: The Pine Tree Parable

For friends who love being inspired: The Women of Christmas 

Your 50 Favorite Proverbs: #6 How We Roll

This week’s verse? I spent too many years living it in reverse. My version went something like this:

Commit your plans to paper,

   and hope the Lord likes them.

Of course, God’s Word says just the opposite. His version is the right one, the one that matters:

Commit to the Lord whatever you do,

   and he will establish your plans. Proverbs 16:3 

Commit to the Lord whatever you do,… Proverbs 16:3

Donna chose Proverbs 16:3 as her favorite: “Prayer first is a mighty force when guidance and direction is needed.” Exactly so.

This is how we roll, sisters. We pray.

Now, get ready for a big, juicy aha: the words “commit” (ASV) and “trust” (NLV) and “share” (CEV) and “depend” (EXB) and “show” (WYC) and “lay open” (DRA) are all fine translations, but the original Hebrew gives us the best word picture of all.

Galal means “to roll.” To physically roll something away from you. To release it. As my friend, Karen Ehman, says, “Let. It. Go.”

Imagine rolling your “work” (NLV), your “efforts” (GW), your “activities” (HCSB) off your shoulders and onto His. Think of laying your daily burdens at His feet. Picture entrusting your loved ones to His care. Envision releasing your long to-do list to Him, then letting Him put things in order and check off each item for you. Done.

That’s what this verse from Proverbs asks us to do. “Roll your works upon the Lord” (AMP). Trust Him to guide you from one task to the next, according to His best plan for you. Put your faith in His choices for your day. Let go of the need to control. every. minute.

Stop measuring a productive day by what you have accomplished, and celebrate what God has accomplished in and through you.

…and he will establish your plans. Proverbs 16:3

Jeanne held onto this verse while planning her oldest daughter’s wedding. “Whenever I got overwhelmed with all the details, I repeated Proverbs 16:3, reminding myself that her special day belonged to the Lord, and I dedicated it to Him. The result was a day beyond my expectations, filled with delight and joy overflowing.”

Wish we’d been there, Jeanne. Always a joy to watch God work.

In Hebrew, His plans, His “purposes” (ASV) for us are kun, or “firm.” God leaves nothing to chance or whim. What we call interruptions, God calls perfect timing. What we consider mistakes, He considers lessons.

Before your plans are ever written or spoken, they are thoughts. That’s the exact meaning of the Hebrew word, chashab. God doesn’t wait until you’ve done something to get involved. He is in your heart and in your thought processes from the beginning. We’re talking the very beginning, beloved.

Because of His boundless love, your “thoughts shall be directed” (DRA) by Him, and “He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will” (AMP).

Wait. Is this like brainwashing? No, this is more like heart cleansing (Hebrews 10:12). God assures us everything “will work out well” (NLV), according to His plan for us.   So, our “planning will succeed” (ISV) because God is alive and at work in our hearts, minds, and actions.

Laurie loves Proverbs 16:3 because it reminds her “to commit my actions and plans to further God’s kingdom, and not my own agenda.” So well said. And Betsy’s beautiful thought? “May God guide me always to be at work in His will.”

Heavenly Father, in this busy season of making a list and checking it twice, help us lay down our pens and our plans, and seek You in our prayers. Guide our thoughts, so they are in alignment with Yours. Give us the courage to say no to overspending and yes to spending more time with You. Let Your light shine in the darkness of our days. Let Your love shine in our works and on our faces.

Now it’s your turn

What do you need to roll onto the Lord’s shoulders right now?

Sometimes typing our thoughts onto the screen literally gets the ball rolling. Please click Post a Comment below and share what’s on your mind.

As a special thank-you for being one of my faithful readers, each time you post a comment on my blog from now through December 31, 2014 (one comment per post, just to be fair), you’ll be entered to win a special custom-made gift from Lizzie which features Your #1 Favorite Proverb of the year!

Of course, if I show you these items, I’ll be spilling the beans. So…trust me? They are lovely. Minutes before midnight on New Year’s Eve, I’ll chose 10 comments at random and give away 5 silvery necklaces and 5 colorful prints, both with Proverbs __:__ on them.

As always, your Printable of Proverbs 16:3 awaits you, as do all our favorite Proverbs on Pinterest.

So excited about spending December with you!

Your grateful sister, Liz

@LizCurtisHiggs #50Proverbs

 

For readers who love a romantic time and place: A Wreath of Snow

For children who love a heartwarming story: The Pine Tree Parable

For friends who love being encouraged: The Women of Christmas 

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Your 50 Favorite Proverbs: #7 Laughing Matters

A verse with the word laugh? I am so in.

Holidays are meant to be wonderful, meaningful, and joyful.

Yet sometimes they end up being fretful, stressful, even dreadful.

My recipe for keeping things merry and bright?

Add thankfulness on the menu for Thanksgiving
Place Christ at the very heart of Christmas
Wrap everything with a generous sense of humor

She is clothed with strength and dignity;

   she can laugh at the days to come. Proverbs 31:25

She is clothed… Proverbs 31:25

It’s often the first thing we notice about a woman—her clothing, “her garments” (ISV), how “she dresses” (GW).

This woman in Proverbs may be strong, but she’s not dressed for battle. Back in the day, we wore business attire like a suit of armor, as we headed out to slay dragons in the corporate world. Case in point: in the deep recesses of my desk, I found a pad of sticky notes from the ‘80s, featuring a career woman’s checklist for success: “Look like a lady. Act like a man. Work like a dog.”

Hmm. The not-so-good old days.

We know better now. It’s who we are, rather than what we wear, that leads to genuine success. And it’s what we do for others that matters in the end. As Kate Halverson once said, “If you are all wrapped up in yourself, you are overdressed.”

…with strength… Proverbs 31:25

This Proverbs 31 woman really knows how to dress. Not just in linen like the priests, not just in purple like royalty, not just in her own fabulous handmade creations—she also wears strength and dignity like a shield, “as if they were her clothes” (NIRV).

The Hebrew word oz means “strength, might.” What does a strong woman look like? Not strong-willed; in fact, just the opposite. She’s strong enough to be flexible, without fear of losing control, knowing “her position is secure” (AMP).

It’s the strength of the Lord that empowers her—and us, beloved.

“The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation” (Exodus 15:2).

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me” (Psalm 28:7).

And if you cling to the promise, “The joy of the Lord is your strength,” here’s the rest of the story on that verse. After God’s people were exiled in Babylonia, they returned to Jerusalem and celebrated with a feast not unlike our Thanksgiving.

“Nehemiah said, ‘Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength’” (Nehemiah 8:10).

There it is, beloved. Joy. More on that in a second.

…and dignity;… Proverbs 31:25

How would you describe dignity? It’s more attitude than aristocracy. Humility, rather than nobility. The Hebrew word hadar tells us this woman was dressed in “honor, splendor, majesty.” Some translations go with “glory” (JUB) or “beauty” (DRA) or “respect” (ERV).

Put them all together and you get a sense of what God is calling His daughters to step into: His world. His truth. His holiness.

Impossible? Not when it’s His doing: “I the Lord am holy—I who make you holy” (Leviticus 21:8).

We’re never too old—or too young—to walk in His strength.

..she can laugh at… Proverbs 31:25

You know I’ve been waiting all year for this part! Imagine being “full of joy (NLV), someone who’s “confident” (CEB) and “cheerful” (CEV), who’s not “afraid (GNT) or “anxious (EXB). Yes, please.

Why merely giggle, when you could guffaw?

Why simply smile, when you can snort?

My role models growing up were all funny women. First, I loved Lucy. And Ethel. Then, I longed to be Carol Burnett. Or Phyllis Diller, who said, “A smile is a curve that sets everything straight.”

Laughing is one way we express our true selves. Our polished image goes right out the window. We can learn how to walk, stand, sit, eat properly, but when we laugh, we lay all pretense aside.

Years ago I saw a magazine ad that said, “Q-tips now come in beautiful decorator canisters. One for every room of the house.” I missed this in Home Ec. Are we supposed to have Q-tips in every room? Tissues, maybe, but Q-tips? I suppose this holiday season, you could pick a decorator canister to match your dining room. You know, in case your guests want to clean their ears before dinner.

The truth? Laughter is good for our hearts, souls, and minds. It’s a free gift from the Lord. No cost, no calories, no guilt, no regrets. Besides, as Fred Allen said, “It’s bad to suppress laughter. It goes right back down and spreads to your hips.”

…the days to come. Proverbs 31:25

A woman of God not only laughs in the here and now; she also “smiles at the future” (GW), and does so “without fear” (NLT).

She’s not overly concerned for her children, not frightened about her finances, not freaked out about getting older. She knows that “she and her family are in readiness for it” (AMP), because their lives are grounded in God’s truth and wrapped in God’s love.

With the Lord holding our Forever in His hands, we can look “forward to the future with joy” (NCV) and “laugh in the last day (WYC), starting this day.

Happy Thanksgiving, beloved. And don’t forget the Q-tips.

Now it’s your turn

Can you think of something funny that happened one Thanksgiving?

We’d love to hear about it! Just click Post a Comment below and share your experience. And those adorable girls in the photo above? They traveled to Scotland with me one November. Beautiful as they come, and making silly faces at one another—on purpose, for the camera—to celebrate their friendship. Love. It.

Your Printable of Proverbs 31:25 awaits you, as do all our favorite Proverbs on Pinterest. Quite a collection now!

We’ll spend the last few weeks of 2014 unwrapping your favorite verses in Proverbs, then put a bow on the year December 31st. In the days to come, may joy abound in your heart and in your home!

Your grateful sister, Liz

@LizCurtisHiggs #50Proverbs

 



For fiction readers who love a romantic time and place: A Wreath of Snow

For children who love a heartwarming story: The Pine Tree Parable

For friends who love an encouraging word: The Women of Christmas