45 – Do Better, Be Better
Proverbs 2: 2 – 4 (NLT)
Tune your ears to wisdom and concentrate on understanding
Concentrate
Cry out
Seek them
Do something
Jumpstart to A Better Life
3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Proverbs 3:3-4 (NIV)
LOVE
The Hebrew word denotes loving kindness. The KJV translates the word, “mercy”
Love is a connector to Heaven
FAITHFULNESS
Indicates the character quality of being consistent for the long haul
Adhering to the same principles all the time no matter who’s around
In the Hebrew word it is TRUTH…..trustworthy
Hinder progress when we’re unfaithful
FAVOR
Gained by being loving and faithful
The Hebrew word means delight, acceptance, and pleasure. Favor is when God and others delight in you, accept you, and are pleased by you.
The excuses we make for not being loving and faithful
We’re blocking our own favor
It’s easy to be unfaithful. It’s hard to be faithful.
Hard to make sure you keep your word all the time.
- It takes effort.
“The lazy person claims, ‘There’s a lion on the road! Yes, I’m sure there’s a lion out there!'” Proverbs 26:13 (NLT)
- Life is hard.
We make it harder by not being loving and faithful.
“People with good understanding will be well liked, but the lives of those who are not trustworthy are hard.” Proverbs 13:15 (NLT)
- We’re stressed out.
We fight against the currents in our lives. We fight against the natural flow. Life doesn’t have to be as hard as we make it.
18 There are three things that amaze me – no, four things that I don’t understand; 19 how an eagle glides through the sky; how a snake slithers on a rock; how a ship navigates the ocean, how a man loves a woman Proverbs 30:18 – 19 (NLT)
How to succeed at love and faithfulness
“Depend on the Lord in whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16:3 (NCV)
5 Trust the Lord with all your heart, and don’t depend on your own understanding. 6 Remember the Lord in all you do, and he will give you success. Proverbs 3: 5 – 6 (NCV)
Don’t take your own counsel. Find someone who knows.
Tamala R. Maddox, Ph.D.
Principal
R.F. Bumpus Middle School