Proverbs 9:13-19: Compare

A foolish woman is clamorous; she is simple, and knows nothing. For she sits at the door of her house, on a seat by the highest places of the city, To call to those who pass by, who go straight on their way: “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here”; and as for him who lacks understanding, she says to him, “Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” But he does not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of hell. Proverbs 11:13-18

Reread Proverbs 9 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+9&version=NKJV)  and compare Wisdom and the foolish woman. 

Wisdom works. Proverbs 9:1, 2. 

Foolish woman sits. Proverbs 9:13. 

Wisdom offers food she has prepared. Provers 9:4, 5

Foolish woman gives stolen food. Proverbs 9:17

Wisdom offers instruction, learning, life! Proverbs 9:9-11

Foolish woman offers death. Proverbs 9:18

When you look at the comparison, why would anyone chose to follow the foolish woman? Simply put, wisdom offers a FEAST, the foolish wisdom garbage. Wisdom offers abundance of riches and life; the foolish woman misery and death. 

It's clear to see the difference and when given the choice, we say we'd of course choose wisdom! We want to very best, not the leftovers and misery. BUT, in reality what do we choose? 

The enticement and flattering words of the foolish woman draws us in. We want to see if what she offers is 'really that bad'. It sounds good, looks good, and I can do it in secret so none will know. 

But first off, we know. That secret begins to eat away at us. Ww have to live with the knowledge that we sinned. Secondly, God knows. Nothing done in secret remains secret. The consequences of the sin effect our hearts, mind, and lives. And then soon effects our relationship with those around us. 

Read Proverbs 9 again. Compare what is offered, then consider the choice you will make. And remember it's not a one time choice. It's a daily, 24/7 choice. Choosing wisdom and enjoying the benefits she offers begins with a heart permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG). 

Before each action/reaction, thought or word, THINK and evaluate whether you are choosing  wisdom or the foolish woman. If you are hesitant on making your choice, re-read Proverbs 9 and compare what the two have to offer. 

Comparison

Yesterday, I was talking with my chiropractor, Dr. Moore.

We were discussing Bruce Johnson,

 a gentleman running

across America to raise awareness and money

for Community Crisis
Center, Elgin, IL (http://www.unitedstatesrun.com/).

He is running about a marathon a day to accomplish his goal. He's had a few injuries recently, yet he continues to run in spite of the pain.

There are many people who can continue to do amazing things no matter the pain. How do these people accomplish that? There are days where my pain is so intense that I can't do much more than get dressed and make to the sofa. When I compare what I can do with other others do it's frustrating. Why can't I ignore my pain and do......whatever?

But then I stop. Comparison isn't always a good thing. Pain is very personal. Each person is able to handle pain differently. I've learned how to function well with a constant headache; however, some can't lift their heads off a pillow when they have a headache. We don't know how each other feels or what they are feeling. We only know what we experience and what our bodies can tolerate.

Some days I do push myself beyond my limit. But for me, that still backfires, has I end up on the sofa for several days until the pain level lowers to a functional level. But if I don't push myself from time to time, I won't know what I can do or handle. Yet, I can't compare my life with someone else. That's not fair to me or them. I do need to continue doing what I can each day to continue building stamina and tolerance to the pain. I need to work at listening to my body and realize when I'm reaching my limit and when I can push for more.

When I look back to the beginning of my pain journey, I can see the progress I've made. I've learned much about chronic pain and how the body works. I now can tolerate more pain than 9 years ago. And I've learned many techniques to handle chronic pain. Learning to live with pain is a journey. And a great deal of tolerating pain is mental. The mind is powerful and controls much of our health, however, we don't use the power of the mind like we should.

I look at others, like Bruce, who continue with their journeys in spite of the pain and applaud them! For me, I need to work with in my abilities and work toward my goals the way my body and mind allow me. I won't compare my progress to theirs, but their stories and lives will be inspirations to what the body can withstand.

Will I ever run a marathon? Probably not. Even before my injury, I was not a runner. But I do know that if I continue to work on my goals, I'll be closer to them, each year—that is one comparison worth making!

Creating a positive day is a personal achievement. Each day, it takes all my mental, physical, and spiritual abilities to create a day that is positive in all areas of my life. And all that energy spent, is well worth the effort. 

You can also follow Bruce on FaceBook:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/United-States-Run/143331158263?ref=nf.