Job 13:12

Your arguments are maxims of ashes,

   Your responses are unsubstantial.

 

I have a goal to be better than I am. It’s not a good goal because I am who I am, but I do want to be a better version of me. One of the problems with this goal is I keep setting expectations a little higher than I can readily achieve in every aspect of life. I am trying to understand those areas that I can improve in, and which ones are worth the effort. Tying my shoes better does not seem sufficient.

‘Arguments’ was also ‘maxims’, ‘platitudes’, ‘remembrances’, ‘briefs’, ‘memories’, and ‘pronouncements’. Only Maxims was repeated. ‘Maxims’ was also ‘proverbs’ and ‘platitudes’.

‘Responses’ was also ‘defenses’, ‘word-piles’, ‘rejoinders’, and ‘bodies’. Bodies was a little different.

One source ignored ashes to use ‘empty platitudes’ and ignored ‘responses of clay’ to use ‘unsubstantial’. Every other source repeated the first word with ‘of clay’. I chose the second part over ‘responses of clay’, but I cannot figure out why. It seems clay was the obvious word usage.

At a recent party, I could be quoted as saying ‘I do not like to meet new people.’ Not the best characteristic to share with others, but none of them were surprised I was that way, only that I would say it out loud when we all knew I had to meet someone new that night since he was our friend’s new boyfriend. They were all probably laughing their heads off when I spoke to him non-stop until they came over to rescue him so we could all go home. We had a lot in common. Might even be friends someday. Hard to make those when you won’t talk to someone new.

My daily reading was about how we make connections to others by spending time, paying attention, and using our resources. I bought my big kid’s boyfriend a hat on our last trip and gave it to him yesterday. I realized this morning I had spent time, paid attention, and used my resources as I developed a relationship with him. So, I know I can do it.

And now the hard part, I need to understand that part of my improvement needs to be how I connect to others. I need to improve both how I deal with people I do not know and improve how I deal with them once I get to know them. The best use of my time is to glorify God and it is in making and building these new relationships that I can best do so. Of course, this also shows me that I can improve upon the relationships I have already made by being intentional in the use of my time, my attention, and my resources. Sounds like a better lot that ashes and clay.

Written 4/24/24, Posted 7/29/24, Job 297