Proverbs 21:9 – Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife. (NIV)

Sometimes the Book of Proverbs makes me laugh out loud. Today's verse had me smiling because I know what it feels like to be in the doghouse, especially when I'm the one who sent me there.

I've got this picture in my mind of the writer being a very wise man who's sitting at the table writing down all of these great words of advice and feeling very smug with himself, only to realize much too late that he forgot again to take the garbage out. Before he can gather all of his scrolls together, he's outside sitting on the corner of the roof in the pouring rain, remonstrating with himself for being so absent-minded and upsetting his wife. Perhaps his wise instruction might have been better if he had written:

"Better to remember to take the garbage out than end up in the doghouse on the corner of the roof."

This is what makes me love the Bible so much. There's always a verse or two that is applicable for each and every situation that we find ourselves in, especially when we make mistakes and need to resolve situations of our own creating.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to be aware of other people's feelings and be sensitive to their needs. Teach us the wisdom of patience and grant us gracious opportunities to resolve issues that we have unwisely created. In Your holy name, we humbly pray. Amen.

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About the author:

John Stuart <traqair@aol.com>
Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
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