Nags, Nit-pickers, and Next Month …

For the sake of all involved, I will tread lightly in this chapter. Why? Because there are two verses that paint vivid word pictures about fussy wives. Ladies, breathe deeply and relax, while this chapter points out a pattern for you to avoid, I will point out some for the men as well. I would be stupid not too.

Yesterday’s post was long. I promised a concise one today. So, let’s get to it.

Here are some main points from Proverbs 21:

• Verse 5 – Wise plans carefully crafted and followed lead to plenty; sudden designs and endeavors rarely work out. As described in Proverbs, planning is more than developing a blueprint for your future, it requires prayerful planning that will walk in step with God’s Word. A well thought out brothel might make you some money, but it doesn’t met the criteria for what God desires for your vocation.
• Verses 9 and 19 – It’s better to sleep in the attack or hide in the woods than to live with a nag or nit-picker. Settle down ladies, settle down. The only reason for offense here is if you actually are one who nags or nit-picks. Feel free to ask your husband if he thinks that you nag or nit-pick. After your “discussion,” please post comments here on the blog to let us all know how it went. Seriously, there is a principle here to embrace, not to clench your fists at. In Proverbs God often warns women about their words and attitude. This is not to be tough on you ladies. It is His way of promoting inner beauty and quietude; this will be displayed in a lovely fashion in Proverbs 31. Now, to be fair, in Proverbs God warns young men against chasing earthly pleasures, and all men about the ugliness of arrogance. The warnings that God gives in general, as well as those specific to men or women, are meant for us to gain wisdom and to grow more Christ-like in character. In short, wisdom should winsome in its ways, for men and women.
• Verse 17 – Pleasures often bloom into vices; vices bear bushels of ruin. We can honor God with simple things in life, or cheapen them by overusing them. Verse 20 points out that fools squander simple things by indulging in them.

• Verse 19 – The reason men like to go deer hunting or camping.
• Verse 26b – Being generous honors God and helps others. 

Full stop, here is an amazing memory verse:

“Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.” Proverbs 21:23

That one hits me right in the snout, every time. Ladies, notice that it says, “his mouth,” and “his tongue.” Just pointing that out … the Bearded Acorn strives for equity in all things.

As an aside, several of you have asked what will happen once we finish Proverbs in January. For February, the ole Bearded Acorn is considering walking through a short book of the New Testament. Perhaps, James, Philippians, or Colossians. We could only cover a chapter per week. I could post three times each week to outline, unpack, and make application points from that chapter. What are you thoughts? Any requests (requests subject to approval, offer void where prohibited, Virginia residents must pay sales tax). Please share your thoughts or requests by using the “Comment” button below.

Congratulations! You have now read and studied two-thirds of the way through Proverbs. Good job …

Ladies, the guys have it coming in later chapters. Be patient …