2006-01-23 - No Bitter Pills, No Rough Roads

Originally Published 1998-11-27^*

Proverbs 31:31 - Give her the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

"Shame, shame,
  Double shame
Everybody knows
  Your name."

I was a troublesome teenager. I spent the 7^th grade in three schools due to moves, and another move in the eighth grade put me in a new state, new school, with new faces, new everything. I spent the whole eighth grade in trouble. In my struggle to be accepted and have friends, I was the class clown, the worst of the worst and the baddest of the bad. I was suspended three times for foolishness. To sum it all up, no one's parents wanted me as their child's friend.

What I absolutely hated was the fact that every time someone was suspended, the whole school knew -- literally. Their name would be announced over the loudspeaker at the end of the day. It took all of the next year to live down that one bad year. I felt as if I had to be doubly good, in order to get rid of the bad.

The things we do follow us. We all have a reputation of some sort. The things we do, the things we say, our character, everything we are reflects whose child we are.

I've changed a lot since the eighth grade. Humble pie and crow are not my favorite foods and I am learning to avoid them. In 2 Timothy 2, Paul says, "And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also."

Paul knew that his works were safe to sing about in the gates. His footsteps were safe to follow in. The fruit of his hands was untainted and pure for the lips.

That is the goal of the Proverbs 31 Woman. Safe footsteps, she really isn't thinking about other people singing her praises, so much as she is making sure that what she says, what she does, everything she is is safe for the next generation to follow.

She doesn't need to toot her own horn; the band is playing for her.

Oh God, I thank You for the lessons that You are teaching me as I follow You on the straight paths which You have laid before me. I thank You for giving me people who leave safe footsteps to follow in. I thank You that You were the first to walk that road, and that You left a shining path for Your followers. We are blessed. Thank You, Lord, I love You because You first Loved me. Amen

Comments or Questions?
Sandi

sandi@cfdevotionals.org
http://www.cfdevotionals.org

^* This devotional was originally published as part of an excellent series. If you'd like to see any other installments, you can find them at: http://www.cfdevotionals.org/links/devseris.htm#virtue