This is our True Woman Tuesday Week 3 study of lessons 7-9. We start this week with Proverbs 31 verse 26 She opens her mouth in wisdom, And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.This has always, always been my downfall. Ask anyone, they'll tell you I can't keep my mouth shut! Which might be okay, if what came out of it was kindness and wisdom. But, let's face it, the things that come out are awful sometimes.
Nancy Leigh DeMoss says "So many of us talk in ways outside our homes that we don’t think to talk inside our homes. How can I encourage? How can I speak words that lift up? I find that when I go to visit my family—I live alone, but when I go to visit my family, I find that often-times I don’t have the common courtesies with them that I do with people outside my family." This is true for me also. I usually get upset faster with my children or my husband than I would a friend or a stranger. They say you hurt the ones you love the most, or something like that.
I need to learn self control. I don't have to say every single thing that comes to mind. But, if I want the words coming out of my mouth to be different, I have to stop and think before I speak. I need to talk with God and ask for the right things to say. I need to ask myself “Is what I’m about to say wise? Is it worth saying? Does it need to be said?” If the answer is no, then I should just keep my mouth closed, as hard as that is for me to do.
Verse 27 talks about how she watches over her home and does not eat the bread of idleness. Boy, they are just all on me today, huh? I am definitely lazy with a capital L! Nancy says if we are idle we can't manage our homes well. But, she also says with the Lord's grace we can learn to be productive, virtuous, women. As she says "You’re never more like Jesus than when you’re serving."
I think the best way to start out is by starting my day with the Lord. I have a book of daily devotionals I am reading and it seems to always be exactly what I needed to hear on that particular day. However, there are some days when I think I am too busy to read this before starting my day and those are usually my worst days. So, I definitely need to stop thinking I know best and start reading His word!
If you want to see what other ladies thought of these lessons please visit Tammi's site where everyone is linking up.
7 comments:
Thanks for your thoughts - and your humbleness (is that a word?!) in admitting your weaknesses and desiring to change.
This was such a convicting week for me too!
What a great post! These are some great thoughts Nancy. Thanks for sharing.
My sister-in-law and I were just talking about how sometimes we might say to our families things we would NEVER say to friends and strangers...makes me stop and think long and hard. Sounds like your time studying these lessons is profitable!
It is a blessing to be able to learn from the WORD along side other women, other sisters-in-Christ! Praise God.
definitely in agreement that these two verses hit close to home...and i have so found that getting up early nad starting my morning with HIS Word...letting Him speak to me and give me Scripture to meditate on...Scripture to help to take my thoughts captive throughout the day is the MOST helpful thing i can do! :)
And it's true too, what Nancy says about if you humble yourself and apologize for saying the wrong things each time it happens, you'll begin to do it less! Forcing ourselves to admit openly that we did the wrong thing is great incentive to quit repeating the mistake!!
Yeah, this week was a tough one ~ the words, the idleness... all issues of mine, too! Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Great thoughts! I have trouble holding my tongue too and I felt like these lessons were talking straight to me! See you next week :)
The self control part, and not saying everything I THINK and FEEL was a BIGGIE for me!! Praying that we both develop that fruit of the Spirit in our lives, my friend!!
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