May 31st

Today's reading from the One Year Bible Chronological Reading Plan is Proverbs 14-16

You can read a sermon on Proverbs 15:8 by John Piper here.

Scripture
Proverbs 15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger (NIV)
A gentle response diffuses anger, but a sharp tongue kindles a temper-fire (The Message)

Proverbs 15:13 A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit. (NIV)
A cheerful heart brings a smile to your face; a sad heart makes it hard to get through the day. (The Message)

Observation
Our attitudes and words have a huge influence on not only us, but those around us.

Application
Though obviously these verses are applicable for all areas of life, today they made me think of parenting and the power my attitudes and words have over my children and the overall atmosphere of our home.

The saying goes "If Mom ain't happy, ain't nobody happy" and unfortunately that saying is very true. However, happily, the reverse would be just as true.

Smiling is infectious. So is laughter.

It's true. Try it if you don't think so. If you smile at someone, almost inevitably they will smile back at you. Unless they think you're up to something :)

As mother's we have the power and ability to influence the atmosphere of our homes from the moment we get up to when we get into bed.

If I greet the day with a smile on my face (v 13) and patience and encouragement on my lips (v 1), I am going to help my family be in a good mood and help deflect arguments and minor skirmishes that regularly occur when humans spend time together in close quarters.

But if I am sad, impatient, curt or even harsh in my tone - I can see the change on those little faces. And it rightly fills me with remorse. Thankfully, children are very quick to forgive when their parents repent and ask for forgiveness. And truly, almost nothing makes the same impressesion on a child as seeing their parent (whom they love and respect and want to be like) admit when they are wrong, make amends and request forgiveness.

Determine to answer gently. Determine to smile and laugh more. And watch your house be transformed!

Prayer
Lord, I thank you for the myriad of emotions we are able to feel every day. Help us to deal with our emotions properly. Help us not to let our emotions, fickle as they are, rule us and those around us. Help us see the tremendous power and influence our words and attitudes have on the atmosphere in our homes. Lord, we want to exercise patience in word and deed, we want to answer gently, we want to smile and see that smile reflected on the faces of our children, we want to infuse our homes with joy - give us the strength to do that consistently, faithfully, even when we don't feel like it because we know it is the right thing to do. Thank you Father.
Amen.

Tomorrow's passage: Proverbs 17-19