Tiny Devotional for Monday, 11-29-2021

A great good morning to all my friends and neighbors in Internet Land! And to family members who have dropped by, it’s BACK TO SCHOOL DAY!!!!

A man who flatters his neighbor
Is spreading a net for his steps.
Proverbs 29:5, NASB

You look lovely today, Mrs. Cleaver!

It appears the Almighty doesn’t care for flattery. 

Why? Isn’t flattering someone just paying them a compliment? And isn’t that a good thing?

Well, no; that’s not what flattery is. Yes, it’s paying a compliment, but it’s not JUST paying a compliment. It’s paying a compliment to win trust, with the specific intent to violate that trust. 

It’s deceit + malice.

The flattery doesn’t always sound like Eddie Haskell. For example:

  • I’ve been flattered by scam emails that addressed me as “Dear Christian Brother;” I got one that informs me I’m to receive three million dollars because of my righteous reputation! 
  • Lately, I’ve been praised for my wisdom and courage in getting aboard with the latest crypto-currency offering. 
  • And, I just looked at my spam folder: my, my. There are 10(!) different girls wanting to meet me for carnal purposes, just in the last 50 emails my spam filter kicked out. 

How...flattering.

I guess the girls haven’t heard how righteous I am. I could use some of the three million dollars to tell them, I suppose.

In defense of Eddie Haskell, he never tried to take advantage of June Cleaver; he was just attempting to hide his wise-cracking nature from her.  It didn’t work; she always knew he was a harmless weasel. She understood boys, and knew Eddie’s ‘courtesy’ was too good to be true.

Remember June Cleaver's wisdom, when the flattery starts: if it sounds too good to be true, it isn’t true.

Peace be on your household.

Comments

  1. Bess BlackstoneNovember 30, 2021 at 1:21 PM

    Do I have to vacuum in high heels, though? Cuz I don't wanna.

    ReplyDelete
  2. On Christ the Solid Rock I StandDecember 1, 2021 at 5:20 AM

    So right my Brother Pat, if it sounds to good to be true, it isn't true and that's flattery starts.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tiny Devotional for Wednesday, 05-08-2024

Image
 A great good morning to all my friends and neighbors in Internet Land! And to family who might drop by, bring a treat for the puppy dogs. Wisdom speaks: I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me. Proverbs 8:17, NASB There is a double promise here. First, wisdom promises that this is NOT going to be a one-sided love affair. THAT'S a relief! Search your memory, for that crush you had on someone in the 6th grade that wasn't returned. Hopefully, that was the LAST time you found yourself in a one-way relationship, but we all had to learn.  Second, wisdom promises that all we have to do to find her is seek for her. We DON'T have to get dressed up with brains, education, or any achievements whatsoever; all we have to do is seek her, and she will be found. This may be a promise that can only be appreciated by someone who has had to make their living in sales (or recruiting). I did that for too many years, slaving away on the road or on the telephone, ...
Read more

Tiny Devotional for Saturday, 05-04-2024

Image
 A great good morning to all my friends and neighbors in Internet Land! And to family who might drop by, May the Fourth be with you! But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until the full day. The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know over what they stumble. Proverbs 4:18-19, NASB   The preceding four verses warn us away from following after evil, and describes those who do so. Then, we are told WHY we should follow the path of the righteous, followed by the reason not to follow the path of the wicked. Perhaps this is the right way of teaching. This morning, I have had to deal with repercussions of someone hijacking Vanessa's Facebook account. Using this formula, how would I instruct a potential hacker?  Don't be a hacker. People who hack accounts look for ways to take advantage of other people's identities. People who use systems the way intended are able to exchange information with confidence, to include...
Read more

I will NOT share space with Four Horsemen today!

Image
Today is the sixth anniversary of the day that Vanessa and I were united in Holy Matrimony. We eloped.  The email I sent out to close friends and family said: Unless you are very prompt about checking your email, by the time you read this, we will be married. It's scheduled as a stealth event (no invites, etc) just after the 5:00 PM service at Liberty Church. Vanessa and Pat  The reason for the elopement? Except for our church family, and one or two of our bio-family, we were catching great big gobs of resistance, and some astounding roadblocks. I think most of it was well-intentioned; people didn't want us to 'rush into things.' They didn't want us to have to face the rigors of living as a mixed race couple in the south. There were some SERIOUS questions about my health, and my ability to provide proper parenting to Kenneth and Alicia, who, at ages 6 & 5, were starting first grade and kindergarten. Yeah, got that; we had spent a LOT of time working on those iss...
Read more