Tuesday; April 22

When I was young and would fuss about being bored, the significant adults in my life would provide an answer for my complaint – they would find me some work to do.  After I realized admitting to being bored was backfiring, I learned to stay quiet; but even that didn’t work because it was during those quiet times is when I would find myself getting into too much mischief.  It was also during these times when I would come face to face with the proverb, “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop”.  This adage is often attributed to Solomon and while the Living Bible translates Proverbs 16:27 as, “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop; idle lips are his mouthpiece.”, many of the others say something like, “A worthless man digs up evil, while his words are like scorching fire.”.  Even though the modern expression might not be traditionally biblical, the concept is moral if not spiritual.  Boredom often produces trouble.

The older I get the more I believe this – and not just in actions.  I have found that I can stay on a positive track by keeping my mind occupied, but often find myself struggling when I am not focused on something positive and worthwhile.  Interestingly, the struggle isn’t just in what I think about, it can also have an impact on how I think.  The “stinkin’ thinkin’” filled with discouragement and anxiety often comes when we don’t purposefully engage our brain.  As long as we are mentally, emotionally and spiritually active, we can do a good job of staying upbeat and righteous; but when we give into idleness, we can digress quickly.

Let’s not only stay busy with our hands, let’s also make it a point to keep our minds occupied.  When we are moving forward, the power of positivity can help us stay productive.

Think About It!