Proverbial Wisdom

INTRO.- Quips, quotes and notes

- Most husbands become interested in politics. In fact, many of them are already the minority leader in their house.

- The most difficult arithmetic to master is the art of counting our blessings.

- It’s funny how a bad cold improves enough to let a person accept a party invitation. (yes, but not to go to church)

- The dollar has dropped in value – but there’s no need to worry until some country turns down our foreign aid.

- When a child hears a bad word, it goes in one ear and out his mouth.

- Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak. Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.

- The way of the transgressor may be hard, but it sure isn’t lonely.

- Nothing is harder to see than the naked truth.

- There are so many credit cards in use today that the only people with cash are kids who just got their allowance.

- Baldheaded people should remember that when God made heads, he covered up the ones He didn’t like.

- Some people suffer in silence louder than others.

- How often have you met a critic of the church who has tried to make it better?

- Unless you are willing to admit your ignorance, you will never be able to acquire knowledge. (True with acquiring God’s wisdom as well)

- The United States is the only country in the world where a man can keep three cars in his garage and not own a single one of them. (or two or even one car)

- These days the only thing that gives you more for your money than it did a year ago is a bathroom scale.

- Adolescence is when you think you’ll live forever. Middle age is when you wonder how you’ve lasted so long.

- Inflation is when you find that your nest egg won’t even make an omelet.

- George Washington had a problem no president since has had to deal with. He had no previous administration to blame for his troubles.

- Biting remarks are often the result of snap judgments.

- It’s often a show of strength not to show strength.

- Most of us could do twice as much if we didn’t spend half the time explaining why we don’t.

- The older generation thought nothing of getting up at 5 a.m. The younger generation doesn’t think much of it either.

- Some politicians campaign for the FUNDS of it.

Now to the book of Proverbs.

I. FRIENDS AND BROTHERS

17:17 “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”

ILL.- A little boy asked his mother if he could go out and play with Timmie. “You know you don’t like Timmie,” his mother said. “All right,” replied the youngster, “then can I go out and fight with him?”

ILL.- Rodney Dangerfield said, “Once I told my old man, ‘Nobody likes me.’ He said, ‘Don’t say that—everybody hasn’t met you yet.’”

ILL.- Two men were out hunting in the northern U.S. Suddenly one yelled and the other looked up to see a grizzly charging them. The first started to frantically put on his tennis shoes and his friend anxiously asked, “What are you doing? Don’t you know you can’t outrun a grizzly bear?”

“I don’t have to outrun a grizzly. I just have to outrun you!”

That is not the kind of friend to have. A true friend stands beside you, even in tough times. A friend loves at all times.

ILL.- Here is an example of true friendship. Jackie Robinson was the first black to play major league baseball. Breaking baseball’s color barrier, he faced jeering crowds in every stadium. While playing one day in his home stadium in Brooklyn, he committed an error. The fans began to ridicule him. He stood at second base, humiliated, while the fans jeered. Then, shortstop Pee Wee Reese came over and stood next to him. He put his arm around Jackie Robinson and faced the crowd. The fans grew quiet.

Robinson later said that arm around his shoulder saved his career. And that’s true friendship.

ILL.- Someone said, “You can always tell a real friend: when you’ve made a fool of yourself he doesn’t feel you’ve done a permanent job.” Yes, that’s a friend who loves at all times.

ILL.- Someone said, “Friends are people with whom you dare to be yourself. Your soul can be naked with them. They ask you to put on nothing, only to be what you are. They do not want you to be better or worse. When you are with them, you feel as a prisoner feels who has been declared innocent. You do not have to be on your guard. You can say what you think, as long as it is genuinely you. Friends understand those contradictions in your nature that lead others to misjudge you. With them you breathe freely.”