Tuesday, March 11, 2014

A Continual Dropping

Reading:   Proverbs 19

I have come across so many gems of verse over the last few months and have been unable, for often not the best of reasons, to blog about their meanings.  It's been so long my desire to continue has been overshadowed by my feeling of regret for my extended absence; however, forget what is not and commence with what is, right? Of course right!

PROVERBS 19:13
13 A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping. 
This simple verse is not one that I can relate to because I am blessed with sons that are respectful, upright, and strong of spirit.  My wife is incredibly hard working, filled with a compassionate desire to help others and always driven to improve our family.  And, although the verse makes no mention of daughters, my girls are the brightness of my day and bring me joy unceasing.

So why did I choose this verse?  It's the end, "...a continual dropping."  What does that mean?  You may already know, but, like me, probably not.   I love a good metaphor and this turned out to be quite a spectacular one (my scholarly friend, Matthew Henry, helped me unravel the puzzle).   It's like this, "dropping" is used to note the fall of rain. We can all appreciate how frustrating "...a continual dropping," might be.  Comparing then "a continual dropping" to "the contentions of a wife" is very fitting because what manner of man, child, or otherwise, wants to live in a house of continual contention?  Henry explains...
A cross peevish wife is as great an affliction [as a foolish son]: Her contentions are continual; every day, and every hour in the day, she [always] finds some occasion to make herself and those about her uneasy...it is a continual dropping, that is, a continual vexation, as it is to have a house so much out of repair that it rains in and a man cannot lie dry in it. That man has an uncomfortable life, and has need of a great deal of wisdom and grace to enable him to bear his affliction and do his duty, who has a sot for his son and a scold for his wife.
I have neither a scold for a wife or sots for sons.  I count myself lucky and pray for those of lesser fortune - may the rains cease in your bedrenched, soggified, marshiferous, households!

~Kipling




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