Giggles-n-Gulps

I have been reading through Proverbs the last few days, trying to get caught up on my reading-through-the-Bible-in-a-year plan, and admittedly, it has not been easy.  It can be dry and repetitive, but there were a few that caught my eye for various reasons.  They either struck me as kind of humorous, they were vividly true, or they punched me in the gut.  What do you think of these?

• Proverbs 14:10 Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy.  How true is that, really? 
• Proverbs 18:16  A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great.  This one was thought-provoking for me.  I am still chewing on it.
• Proverbs 21:13  If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.  Ouch. 
• Proverbs  22:2  Rich and poor have this in common:  The LORD is the Maker of them all.  Amen.  Our earthly, financial blessings have no bearing on how faithful we are or how much God loves us.  Love that.
• Proverbs 24:17-18  Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice, or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him.  Double ouch.  This one is hard to do.  My flesh has a hard time not letting a smile when my enemy falls.  Definitely have to work on this one.  Humility, my friends, humility.
• Proverbs 25:17  Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house - too much of you, and he will hate you.  Yes, folks, lessons on boundaries are even in the Bible.  This makes me grin.
• Proverbs 25:25  Like cold water to a weary sould is good news from a distant land.  We have family and friends in distant lands right now.  This is a great reminder to constantly keep in touch with them.  Its long-distance hug.
• Proverbs 26:11  As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.  That’s just plain disgusting.  But it worked, point taken. 
• Proverbs 26:18-19 Like a madman shooting firebrands or deadly arrows is a man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”  Ok, so we have all met someone who says something, realizes their folly, then backtracks and says “Just kidding.”  Yea, sure.  This one made me laugh.  Yup, that’s in the Bible, too.
• Proverbs 27:14  If a man loudly blesses his neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse.  Ok, someone help me with this one?  I know Chris is grumpy in the morning, but taking it as a curse?  I am confused… 

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