Here's the deal - Read one chapter in the book of Proverbs every day. (If you start today, you would read chapter 30.) Each day read the chapter that matches the date on your calendar. If you miss a day, jump to today's date. Try it for 30 days and see how close you come to building a new relationship skill (good habit). Try marking one verse that impacts you each day, then send it in a text or email to someone else. Invite them to try this experiment. (If you break this chain, you are in danger of making beautiful children cry, and perhaps, maybe, you could be so unlucky as to win $10 million dollars - so, don't break this chain. Right?) I'll try blogging each day on the verse I've chosen.
Here's my verse for the 29th of January:
Verse 1 - "Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be broken beyond repair."
- Stubborn refusal - What makes me afraid of mistakes? Why do I need people to only point out what is wonderful about me?
- God takes mistakes and mess-ups and uses them (if we allow Him).
- What do I do when I'm criticized? Beat myself up? Become defensive? Attack? Run?
Today's verse: Proverbs 30:33 "As the beating of cream yields butter, and a blow to the nose causes bleeding, so anger causes quarrels."
- I meet almost daily with individuals or couples who struggle with anger. Often anger is the sign that there's poison from the past that needs more a deeper level of forgiveness. Forgiving is like anything in relationships, it takes time.
- Anger can sometimes be fed by a lack of passion. (God's clear design for you TODAY!)
- Anger and defensiveness go hand in hand. "Bruce, when you're defensive, your ability to 'hear' the other persons heart - what they mean, is a very difficult thing!" Great communication has a lot to do with being able to send "you count a lot" messages, not defensive "you're dangerous and not so good for me" messages.
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