Like one who seizes a dog by the ears is a passer-by who meddles in a quarrel not his own (Proverbs 26:17). Northeast Tennessee is known for its tough territory -- right in the thick of the Appalachian Wilderness -- but even more than its tough territo… more »

What a man desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar (Proverbs 19:22). The 19th chapter of the Proverbs has a very strong sociological feel to it.  It examines a lot of the relationships between people and money.  Verse 1 and verse 14 po… more »

Casting the lot settles disputes and keeps strong opponents apart (Proverbs 18:18). Baptists have a lot of unwritten (or vaguely referenced) rules, and one of them is that playing things by chance is a dangerous thing to do.  I grew up Conservative Bap… more »

The laborer's appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on (Proverbs 16:26). I'm going to be honest here, at the risk of sounding like a cold-hearted, grumpy-eyebrowed grinch (and at Christmastime, too!).  I'm going to just come right out and say t… more »

Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse (Proverbs 9:7). It's the kind of situation that made everyone within a 10-meter radius uncomfortable; but I never know exactly how I'm supposed to respond.  A young mot… more »