So, I'm almost finished with the Book of Proverbs in the Bible now. I finished all the proverbs of Solomon (up til chapter 29). Yes, chapter 31 about the virtuous wife is still left unread this time around. But that's besides the point. Everytime I read through proverbs, a get a sense of a running theme. The thing is that, each time I get a different theme. For example, the first time I read it through, I remember feeling like the theme was in my own words of course, "Listen to people who correct you." Another time, it was "God has a plan for your life... let Him lead it." This time was kind of crass, "Shut up and listen." Yeah, those exact words aren't written anywhere in Proverbs or in the Bible for that matter. But it was like God was highlighting all the verses about knowing when to speak, the virtues of keeping my words to a minimum. As it is later written in the Book of James, "be quick to listen and slow to speak."
I'm sure some of you out there are probably rejoicing after reading this, saying something like "Hideyo's finally got it! Woo hoo!" I know here in Japan, this is an area of my life that I've been working on. But then, it's easy to be quick to listen and slow to speak when you're in a foreign country. I don't have a firm grasp of the language so, I don't... lemme correct that, I can't speak my mind all the time. So naturally, I'm a lot slower to speak. I guess the true test'll come when I come back to the good ol' U.S. of A.
So here's a notice to all of you. Keep me accountable to this "new" lesson. If, at anytime, I become obnoxous because I'm talking to much, lay down the law like Mr. T. "Quit yo jibber jabber." Or go Different Strokes style with "Whatchu talkin' bout Willis?" Or go Biblical, "Proverbs." Say something so that I'll remember what God has taught me through his Word. And so that I'll be less annoying.