The West Side church of Christ

“A gracious woman attains honor, And ruthless men attain riches” (Proverbs 11:16 NASU). Here are two different routes to success often taken in life. One is marked by violence and betrayal and gains temporary blessings on earth. The other is gracious, kind, and helpful and leads to something more precious and lasting than money. We [...]

In 2 Kings 13:20-21, an intriguing story is recorded. Some Israelites apparently opened the grave of Elisha intending to bury a man (placing multiple bodies in a burial site was the common practice of that day). As they were doing this a band of marauding Moabites came near so they hastily threw the dead man [...]

“He who is guarantor for a stranger will surely suffer for it, But he who hates being a guarantor is secure” (Proverbs 11:15 NASU). This encourages businessmen to make sure they exercise extreme caution about how they do business and who they do business with. If there are any doubts at all, perhaps it would [...]

“Where there is no guidance the people fall, But in abundance of counselors there is victory” (Proverbs 11:14 NASU). Sometimes it is difficult to take advice from others. We may think we can handle the problem ourselves or it isn’t necessary to bring others in. We think of this as independence, but it is [...]

Imagine all of your time, energy, skills, and resources are like steam. Steam can quickly evaporate and do nothing, but properly channeled it can move large objects like a steam powered train. We often have difficulty finding ways to apply our gifts, are afraid to use them, or just lack motivation. As a result they [...]

“He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets, But he who is trustworthy conceals a matter” (Proverbs 11:13 NASU). Talebearers are those go around spreading gossip, rumors, and bad reports about others. They make public parts of your life others do not need to know. Proverbs advises us that the wise course of action [...]

“He who despises his neighbor lacks sense, But a man of understanding keeps silent” (Proverbs 11:12). In Hebrew, the concept of a neighbor and the concept of a friend are the same and the same word is used for both. Friends and neighbors are those who are often close to us in life. They share [...]

“When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, And when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting. By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, But by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down” (Proverbs 11:10-11 NASU). When wickedness is predominant, cities quickly become horrible places no right thinking [...]

My wife and I love camping, but have not been able since our four-year old was born. Now with a four year old and two 18 month old boys, we found the prospect a bit daunting. So we decided to try camping in our back yard. In doing so, we were prepared to flee back [...]

“With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor, But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered” (Proverbs 11:9 NASU). Godless people use words to destroy and tear others down. They practice lies, deceit, gossip, and slander. Many people’s self-esteem has been destroyed by the lies and deceit of others. They replay the unkindness in [...]