Is It The Thought That Really Counts??

If it is truly the thought that counts, then who does it make feel good?
Obviously not the recipient, as they never knew you were thinking of them.
Therefore it must be the person thinking the thought - it satisfies them that they spent a little time thinking about another person, which in fact makes the thought counts for nothing except a self-focused good feeling..

Have I lost you yet?

Proverbs 31:27 "She watches over the affairs of her household, she doesn't eat the bread of idleness".

The Bread of Idleness is mostly interpreted as she is not lazy.
When we took a closer look at this as a group, we found another challenging thought.

Bread is a substance that when eaten it satisfies us, fills us up and makes us tired from the carb intake.

Idleness as an action is like a car being perpetually warmed up but never actually going anywhere. And in turn wearing out the engine and using up all the energy.

Put the two together and we have a person who is satisfied with the thought of doing something, but never actually getting around to doing it, because the thought of it has already worn her out.
When applying practical examples, we looked at:
 - making a meal for someone, starts with a thought and a good feeling but often stops there.
 - Saying we will pray for someone, walk away and the thought is gone.
 - Hearing that someone is struggling and thinking we will go and spend time with them - we just never get around to it.
 - Fulfilling a need for someone, but never actually getting the 'thing' to them when they need it.

The list goes on of course.. It is the simple act of putting other people before yourself.
I know a lady who thinks of other people all the time, she would just turn up on the doorstep with something she just saw and thought of me, so she bought it for me. Mary did this for every woman in the Church, never a day went by when you didn't hear of someone else being blessed by her.

She never ate the bread of idleness. That is the sort of woman I want to be - an excellent woman. I do not want to be self-absorbed like so many women... it is all about them. My focus is on what I can give, or do for others... Like the Mary I know, I want to be constantly mindful of how I can build another up and spur them on to love and good works, setting myself at naught.

This study was very challenging and i hope you enjoyed me sharing it with you.. now what your ears have heard and your eyes have seen... put this to practice and go love another.

May your cup be full to overflowing..