Proverbs 4:29 “ Befriend an outlaw and become an enemy to yourself. When the victims cry out, you’ll be included in their curses. If you are a coward for their cause in court.” Proverbs Daily is a reader-supported publication. All posts are free, but all donations help spread the message. When you see the word “upgrade,” you’re simply invited to help me make the sacred positively contagious...thank you in advance for becoming a free or paid subscriber. Stop Hitting Yourself! Who wants to become an enemy to themselves? Nobody wakes up and says, today I’m gonna hurt me, and yet it happens. I grew up with an older brother and big shout outs to all the big brothers out there who grow into a protector. That’s his story now. But back in the day, man, we used to wrestle. And when we’d wrestle, my brother would pin me down and he’d grab my arms and he’d make me slap myself. And it wasn’t hard. It was just a little bit of tap, you know, just enough. It was just. Slap. Stop hitting yourself. Slap. And he would say, stop hitting yourself. Slap. Stop hitting yourself. And we both laughed because it was ridiculous-- who hits themselves? But here’s the twist... I wasn’t really hitting myself, but then I was. But the point was that he had control of my hands. But my hands were still doing the damage. Funny then. But it’s still a little sad now because once again, who wants to hurt themselves? Well, Proverbs 29:24 tells us that when we befriend and outlaw, we become the enemy of our own souls. Now, that word outlaw, that matters because it’s not just a person. It is anything that’s out of alignment with what is right. When you align with what’s misaligned, you turn on your self. It’s like handing your arms over to something else that’ll take you over... and letting it use you against you. You may say, I’m not doing anything, but silence can still move your hands. Compromise can still move your arm. Association can still move your fist. To slap yourself to hurt yourself, and the result you end up hurting yourself while at the same time your hearing stop hitting yourself. But here’s the good news. You don’t have to live like that. You don’t have to stay aligned with what’s breaking you, even if it feels easier to stay quiet, even if it feels safer not to speak up. Do yourself a favor, Come back into alignment. Stand in your truth. Somebody wise told me that once, stand in your own truth. Because the moment that you take your arms back.. the damage stops. Remember, alignment protects you from becoming your own enemy. Let’s pray God realign my heart, so I stop working against myself. Today’s challenge observe your life today. Where have you been aligning, agreeing, or staying silent with something that you know ain’t right? Break up with that misalignment today and take your arms back. Be Wise and Be Well...peace. Get full access to Hey Fred Lynch! at heyfredlynch.substack.com/subscribe
