Daily Proverbs with Adam Qadmon

Kim & John

Adam Qadmon dives into the book of Proverbs. Our prayer is that you take a quick moment to read the Proverb and then listen to the podcast for that day. Together we explore how ancient wisdom is still very much alive. John & Kim

  1. 16 HR AGO

    Proverbs 4:19 - Blind Safe

    What if the safety you rely on is the very thing setting you up to fall? We open with a haunting 1930s bank heist that looked flawless at midnight and shattered at dawn, then widen the lens to show how secrecy narrows sight—from Watergate’s betrayed shadows to today’s digital deceptions and the “age of exposure.” The thread is simple and unsettling: hiding doesn’t lower risk; it erases the feedback that keeps you from the edge. We unpack how secrecy reshapes the mind. Research shows that decision-making degrades in hidden environments, people begin to believe their own cover stories, and the illusion of control quietly expands. That’s why exposure feels like a shock: eyes adjusted to darkness flinch at light. Along the way, we connect this psychology to real-world stakes—cryptocurrency blowups, fake online personas, and the paradox of modern concealment where more sophisticated hiding creates more data points for digital forensics to trace. The tools built to mask our tracks often become the breadcrumbs that reveal them. This conversation is part true-crime parable, part practical guide to living in clarity. We talk about shortening timelines from act to discovery, machine learning that anticipates deceptive behavior, and the simple design principle that outlasts trends: make choices that can survive daylight. If your plan only works when no one looks, it’s not a plan—it’s a cliff in the dark. Press play to rethink safety, swap cleverness for clarity, and choose the kind of security that doesn’t need shadows to hold. If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who loves smart stories, and leave a review telling us where you’ve seen darkness disguise itself as safety. Support the show Genesis 5:2

    7 min
  2. 1 DAY AGO

    Proverbs 4:18 - Lantern and a Hand

    A single lantern on a winter bridge can change how we think about guidance forever. We share a vivid story of a young factory worker crossing a treacherous railroad span at dusk—and the crossing guard who didn’t just lift a light, but took her hand and walked with her. That small, steady act reframes an ancient proverb about light from a private glow into a public practice, making guidance something you do with your feet, not just your words. We unpack why this matters, weaving history and psychology into the narrative. Accident rates soared on early 20th-century crossings during winter, which turns the guard’s routine into life-saving care. Behavioral research shows that consistent, small acts of kindness leave a deeper mark than one-off gestures, and that direct engagement—practical help paired with emotional presence—builds stronger bonds than distant encouragement. We also explore a powerful mindset shift: seeing ourselves as channels of light rather than its source, which reduces burnout and sustains help over time. That humility magnifies impact and creates a ripple effect of kindness that strengthens communities. From there, we bring the principle home. In a digital world that confuses posting with presence, we name today’s “bridges”: unsafe commutes, bureaucratic mazes, lonely evenings, and moments when someone hesitates at the edge. Real guidance looks like showing up in those places with both illumination and a steady hand—walking with, not just pointing at. You’ll leave with practical ways to be a reliable presence and a reminder that helping others often unlocks your own sense of purpose. If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who’s crossing something hard, and leave a review telling us where you plan to bring your lantern next. Support the show Genesis 5:2

    7 min
  3. 2 DAYS AGO

    Proverbs 4:16-17 - Bread and Wine of Wickedness

    What if the darkest acts aren’t chaotic eruptions but deliberate choices made with chilling calm? We open with a haunting metaphor—the bread of wickedness and the wine of violence—and follow it into a stark real-world case: an unflinching interview with a convicted murderer who shows no remorse and admits he’d do it again. That moment becomes our pivot into research on psychopathy, where the numbers widen our lens: roughly 1% of the general population shows psychopathic traits, compared with an estimated 15–25% behind bars, with patterns of shallow affect, instrumental aggression, and reward-driven decision-making shaping how harm is calculated. We don’t stop at pathology. We explore a spiritual frame that names a current pulling us toward destruction—the “lord of this world” language that helps explain how cruelty can become a daily meal, consumed without a second thought. From there, we draw a sharp contrast: the bread and wine of wickedness versus the bread and wine of life in the spirit. That second table isn’t abstract. It points to evidence-based prevention, trauma-informed care, community boundaries that protect the vulnerable, and disciplined habits that feed empathy and courage rather than cynicism and spectacle. By the end, the mood shifts from dread to durable assurance: evil’s apparent momentum doesn’t dictate the ending. Accountability and mercy can coexist. Systems can be designed to restrain harm while preserving human dignity. And ordinary practices—what we watch, celebrate, excuse, or refuse—quietly train us toward one table or the other. If you found this conversation bracing, share it with someone who cares about justice with wisdom, subscribe for more thought-provoking episodes, and leave a review to help others discover the show. Support the show Genesis 5:2

    3 min
  4. 3 DAYS AGO

    Proverbs 4:14-15 - Beautiful, Deadly, and Hard to Resist

    A mushroom that looks like a gem and kills without mercy. A plant that lures with scent and snaps shut. We start with nature’s most elegant traps and trace a straight line to the temptations engineered into our daily lives—doomscrolling, one‑click buys, autoplay nights that swallow sleep. Instead of polite tips about balance, we wrestle with an ancient text that reads like an emergency drill: avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, pass away. The message is blunt because the stakes are real: some attractions are designed to win. We explore why “everything in moderation” breaks down when a system targets your wiring. Drawing on psychology and addiction science, we unpack the awareness–action gap—how we keep doing what we know hurts—and make the case for bright‑line rules that free attention and reduce decision fatigue. You’ll hear practical examples of environmental design, from deleting the app to changing the commute, as well as the research showing why “I never” is often easier than “I’ll try less.” Along the way, we revisit the Venus flytrap and the deathcap as living parables for digital wellness, consumer restraint, and protecting your focus. This conversation isn’t about fear; it’s about clear eyes, courage, and humility. We talk through how to identify truly toxic influences, teach ourselves and our kids to recognize deceptive allure, and ask for help when vigilance fades. If you’ve felt trapped between desire and regret, consider this your map out: set absolute boundaries where they matter most, reclaim your time and attention, and choose what actually sustains you. If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs stronger lines, and leave a quick review to help more listeners find it. Support the show Genesis 5:2

    7 min
  5. 4 DAYS AGO

    Proverbs 4:13 - Live Wires, Quiet Warnings

    A veteran lineman halts a high‑voltage job with one glance—and that split second becomes a blueprint for how we handle the guidance that shapes our lives. We take that visceral moment on the pole and map it to the quieter risks most of us face daily: the medical directions we half‑remember, the financial steps we delay, the relationship advice we intend to follow “later.” The stakes may not spark in front of our eyes, but they add up to life‑changing outcomes just the same. We unpack why our brains are so quick to obey a visible threat and so slow to heed a distant one. From the amygdala’s alarm to the prefrontal cortex’s long view, we explore how biology biases us toward now—and how to counter it with practical tools. Educational psychology shows that memory and action stick when emotion and logic work in tandem, so we outline a simple way to bring heart and head together: tie meaning to mechanics, pair “why this matters to me” with “what I do next,” and install safeguards that make the right choice the easy choice. Along the way, we connect mindfulness research to everyday decisions, show how attention design beats willpower, and offer checklists you can use immediately—at the doctor’s office, during a financial review, or before a major career move. The lineman’s warning turns into a universal protocol: pause, focus, verify, proceed. No drama, no scare tactics—just a clear method for treating the instructions that matter with the seriousness they deserve. If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who’s facing a high‑stakes choice, and leave a review with one domain you’ll give “live‑wire” attention this week. Your example might be the nudge someone else needs. Support the show Genesis 5:2

    8 min
  6. 5 DAYS AGO

    Proverbs 4:10-11 - Gift, Not Rules

    Most of us know what would help and still don’t do it. That gap between insight and action is the heartbeat of today’s conversation, where we unpack why only a fraction of good advice turns into real change—and what actually makes wisdom stick. We start with a surprising data point: people follow about 30% of the helpful guidance they receive. From there, we trace the role of care and respect in how advice lands, drawing on developmental psychology and cross-cultural research that link consistent, compassionate guidance to better adult choices, stronger academics, and healthier emotional lives. The pattern is clear—quality matters as much as content. We then open a richer frame: guidance as a gift rather than control. When counsel is offered with genuine concern for our well-being, resistance softens and follow-through rises, a finding echoed by studies showing implementation rates triple when guidance is perceived as generous and dignifying. We connect this to a spiritual lens, highlighting the shared DNA between parental wisdom and divine wisdom: both aim at flourishing, not mere compliance. That lens reshapes responsibility, too. Autonomy is not the rival of guidance; it is the partner that turns advice into owned action. Decision-making research shows that clear frameworks expand independence by revealing the terrain, not restricting the traveler. We explore the mutual lift that happens when wisdom is lived—the guide gains credibility, the guided gains confidence—and how that feedback loop builds trust within families and communities. Finally, we offer practical steps to seek better counsel, assess its quality, protect agency, and translate insight into durable habits. If you’re ready to turn wise words into wise living, this one’s for you. Listen, share it with a friend who’s navigating big choices, and leave a review with the best piece of guidance you’ve ever implemented—and what made it stick. Support the show Genesis 5:2

    4 min
  7. 6 DAYS AGO

    Proverbs 4:7 - Seeing Anew

    What if the smartest move isn’t learning more, but learning to see? We dive into a striking ancient text that defines wisdom not as a pile of facts, but as the knowledge of God and all His works—understood through the eyes of love. Starting with a simple sunrise, we trace how perception can turn from routine to wonder, and why that shift might be the most practical change you can make. Across the conversation, we test this idea in ordinary life: mountain ranges and dewdrops, busy mornings and quiet moments. Instead of chasing endless input, we talk about prayer as a practice of perception—asking to see what’s already here with a gentler, truer gaze. That reframe doesn’t reject knowledge; it roots knowledge in relationship, meaning, and gratitude. It also changes what “practical” means. Decisions become less about efficiency and more about honoring what’s valuable. Joy shows up not as a reward for success, but as a companion to attention. We share ways to cultivate this vision in the everyday: slow down for one detail you usually miss, name it, and let gratitude follow; hold familiar spaces as gifts rather than hurdles; treat work as participation, not just performance. If wisdom is a way of seeing, then a fuller life isn’t somewhere else—it’s hidden in plain sight, waiting for eyes trained by love. Join us to reimagine wisdom, reinhabit the familiar, and rediscover depth in the day you already have. If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend who loves big ideas in small moments, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Support the show Genesis 5:2

    5 min
  8. 20 FEB

    Proverbs 4:6 - Soul’s Compass

    What if the quiet nudge you feel before a big decision isn’t just intuition, but a deeper wisdom designed to protect and preserve you? We dive into the still small voice—how it speaks, what it feels like in the body, and why honoring it can change the course of your day, your relationships, and your sense of self. Along the way, we compare ancient wisdom with modern neuroscience, from the enteric “second brain” to research on stress and decision-making, and we share a simple story of pausing before hitting send that reveals how guidance often arrives without fanfare but with unmistakable steadiness. We unpack the signatures of authentic inner guidance: quiet yet persistent, peace-giving even when the path is hard, and capable of stirring a grounded joy rather than a quick rush. We also name the cost of ignoring it—guilt, anxiety, and that lingering sense you moved against yourself. By weaving in echoes from multiple traditions and practical checks you can use in daily life, we offer a workable framework for discernment in a world that rewards speed, noise, and hot takes. Expect clear distinctions between impulses and insight, plus tools for creating the conditions where the whisper can be heard: intentional pauses, stress reduction, and reflective questions that bring your choices into focus. If you’ve felt overwhelmed by data, opinions, and endless options, this conversation points you back to a reliable compass within. Hit play, try the reflection prompts, and share what you notice. If this resonates, follow the show, leave a review, and send this to someone who needs a gentle reminder to trust their inner wisdom. Support the show Genesis 5:2

    7 min

About

Adam Qadmon dives into the book of Proverbs. Our prayer is that you take a quick moment to read the Proverb and then listen to the podcast for that day. Together we explore how ancient wisdom is still very much alive. John & Kim