The Inheritance of Honor

Do not envy the violent or choose any of their ways … The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous … The wise inherit honor, out fools get only shame. Proverbs 3:31, 33, 35

In the neighborhood where they grew up, Bruno was the “violent man” everyone envied. Not in the sense of physical violence, but in the aggressiveness with which he took what he wanted from life. He was the king of “schemes,” of shady deals, of intimidation. He despised the humble and mocked those who, like his childhood friend, Lucas, still believed in “working hard and being honest.”

“Lucas, you’re a joke,” Bruno would say, showing off his new car, acquired with money of dubious origin. “While you sweat to earn peanuts, I make the same in one night. That God of yours isn’t helping you much, is he?”

Lucas, who worked as a carpenter in a small workshop, felt the sting of envy. It was hard not to covet Bruno’s life. The designer clothes, the parties, the apparent ease with which everything came to him. But Lucas clung to the “secret” that his father, a simple and just man, had taught him: the peace of a clear conscience and the quiet trust that God honors the sincere.

The “blessing” in Lucas’s house was subtle, almost invisible to the world. It was the smell of homemade bread that his wife, Ana, baked. It was the way the sunlight streamed through the living room window, illuminating the wooden furniture he had made himself. It was the laughter of his children, who were growing up in a home where honesty was not an option, but the very air they breathed.

The “curse” in Bruno’s house was equally subtle, but corrosive. Despite the luxurious facade, the place was cold, silent. The arguments with his girlfriend were constant. His “partners” were dangerous men whom he feared and despised in equal measure. He did not sleep well, startled by every siren he heard on the street. The house of the wicked was a palace haunted by mistrust.

Time, the great revealer of all things, began to show the truth.

Lucas, with his reputation as an honest and detail-oriented craftsman, began to receive commissions from important clients. His small workshop grew. He became known not for his wealth, but for his honor. People did not just buy his furniture; they sought his counsel. He became a pillar in his community, a man whose word carried weight.

Bruno’s fall was as swift as his rise. One of his “schemes” went wrong. Betrayed by one of his own partners, he lost everything. The car was taken; the house was emptied. The man who mocked everyone became the target of mockery. Shame was his only companion.

One morning, Lucas was opening his workshop, now much larger and better equipped, when he saw a shrunken figure across the street. It was Bruno. Thin, haggard, wearing worn-out clothes.

Lucas crossed the street. There was no triumph in his eyes, only an old compassion. “Bruno?” he called.

Bruno looked up, expecting the scorn he himself had dished out for so long.

“Come to laugh at me, Lucas? The ‘righteous’ man won.”

“I didn’t win anything,” Lucas said, sitting beside him on the curb. “I just… built my house on different ground than you did.” He paused. “I’m looking for a helper in the workshop. The work is hard, and the pay is honest.”

Bruno stared at him, incredulous. Grace, which he had always considered a weakness, was being offered to him in his moment of greatest humiliation.

That day, as he learned to sand down a piece of rough wood under Lucas’s patient guidance, Bruno began to understand. The wise do not inherit money or power. They inherit honor. And the shame he felt was not the end of his story, but perhaps, just perhaps, the beginning of his journey toward a new path, where the blessing was not in the facade of the house, but in the foundation of the heart.

(Made with AI)

This story is part of my book Everyday Wisdom

https://books2read.com/u/3knogL

Lost Truth

Where are the believers like the Bereans?

Where are those who test what they are preaching?

Where are those who read the Word of the Lord?

Where are those who only accept the commandments of God?

Theological Christians are disappearing,

And the true church is dying.

The church that cared about the Lord,

Is being replaced by human beings’ thoughts.

The Bible is no longer taken into consideration,

The word of the brother “full of anointing” is the new direction.

The words of the prophets have been “adjusted”,

Prophecies and teachings are being despised. 

The discrediting of the Word is the fault of blind followers,

People who do not read and only believe their pastors.

They are false “wise men” blinded by their own doctrine,

None of them have the true Word of life.

The true Word is the cross of Christ, grace, and salvation,

The wonderful grace of God leads us to reconciliation.

The true Word is true and sincere repentance,

Walking in the fear of God and always being decent.

The true Word is to listen and analyze everything,

Investigating whether we can trust in some teaching.

Only then will we be acting correctly,

Testing if every sermon teaches rightly.

This poem is part of the book Christian Poetry Volume VII.

See the book:

https://books2read.com/u/38l5Oa

Living the Future and the Present

We follow our lives very sure about what will happen,

Believing that we can do everything, we make many plans.

We live dreaming about our future will bring us many good things,

We stay thinking about the realization of our dreams.

 

Sometimes, to live in the future is the unique thing we desire,

We are sure that will be better than our present lives.

We stay so concentrated on that, and we stop living the now,

We leave everything for later; we stay repressed and never is the hour.

 

But it comes a moment when we wake up to life,

Something happens, and we notice we must live fine.

We understand there is no assurance about what will come,

We are subjected to many things, and we can control none.

 

We cannot wait for a future that we do not know if it is coming,

We must live today and do the best we can to enjoy everything.

Today and now are the only moments we are sure to live,

Tomorrow can be late; the next second can be our last breath.

This poem is part of the book Life Through the Words.

See the book:

https://books2read.com/u/bQpQ7d

The Neighbor in 302

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”— when you already have it with you. Do not plot harm against your neighbor, who lives trustfully near you. Do not accuse anyone for no reason— when they have done you no harm. Proverbs 3:27-30

In the “House of Flowers” condominium, Ricardo, the resident of 401, was a man of fences. His door was always locked, his expression always closed off, and his philosophy was simple: “Every man for himself.” He was the personification of the principle: ask me for nothing.

His downstairs neighbor, Davi, in 302, was the opposite. His door was often open, from which the smell of coffee and the sound of his children’s laughter would escape. Davi lived with a sense of community that Ricardo found naive and dangerous.

The difference between them was visible in the little things.

One afternoon, Mrs. Elvira, an elderly widow from the second floor, knocked on Ricardo’s door.

“My son,” she said, her voice trembling, “my gas canister ran out in the middle of making lunch. Could you lend me your spare? The gas delivery man is going to take a while.”

Ricardo, who had an extra canister in his service area, felt the inconvenience.

“Oh, Mrs. Elvira… isn’t the delivery man already on his way? Just have a little patience,” he said, closing the door gently but firmly. He had the solution, but he withheld it.

Dejected, Mrs. Elvira went down one floor and knocked on Davi’s door. Upon hearing the story, Davi did not hesitate.

“Of course, Mrs. Elvira! Wait just a minute.” He grabbed his spare canister, went up with her, and installed it, refusing any payment. He had the ability to do good, and he did it. Immediately.

Weeks later, Ricardo began planning a renovation in his apartment. His neighbor in 402, a young musician named Léo, lived in the adjacent apartment. Ricardo knew the work would make a terrible noise, but instead of talking to Léo to arrange the best times, he devised mischief.

“I’ll start the demolition on Saturday at eight in the morning. It is my right,” he thought, anticipating the confrontation. He did not seek peace, but veiled conflict.

Meanwhile, Davi was facing a similar problem. The tree on his balcony had grown, and its branches were encroaching on the window of his neighbor in 301. Instead of waiting for a complaint, he went to his neighbor’s door.

“Friend, I saw that my branches are getting in your way. I’m going to call someone to prune them this weekend. Is there a time that works best for you?”

The neighbor, surprised by the kindness, smiled.

“Not at all, Davi. Don’t worry about it. But since you brought it up, Saturday afternoon would be great.”

There was no fight, no needless strife, only respect.

The silent climax of the two neighbors’ lives came during a crisis. A severe hailstorm hit the city, breaking windows and damaging roofs. Ricardo’s car, parked on the street, had its windshield shattered. Desperate, he called his insurance, only to hear that the demand was enormous and that a tow truck would take hours, perhaps days.

As he looked forlornly at his car, he saw Davi approaching with a thick plastic tarp in his hands.

“Ricardo, I saw what happened,” Davi said, without any tone of accusation. “This won’t solve it, but at least it will protect the car’s interior from the rain until help arrives.”

Ricardo was speechless. He, who never offered anything, who planned harm against his neighbors, who withheld solutions, was now receiving help from the man he considered a fool.

“I… I don’t know how to thank you, Davi,” he stammered.

Davi smiled, a genuine smile. “There’s no need. We’re neighbors. We help each other.”

And with that simple sentence, he did not just cover Ricardo’s car; he covered his shame and taught him, without a single word of preaching, about the power of generosity, faithfulness, and peace. That day, Ricardo began to understand that true security was not in locking doors, but in knowing that, in a storm, there would be someone willing to open theirs for you.

(Made with AI)

This story is part of my book Everyday Wisdom

https://books2read.com/u/3knogL

Nature and Life in Danger

Nature always shows itself beautifully and exuberantly,

There are plants, animals, environments, everything is amazing.

We see all and notice how God manifested Himself in the creation,

We see all is ordered and good; all show its perfection.

 

Unfortunately, people cannot see nature and respect her,

They do everything possible to explore her.

They use their intelligence and all possible things, they extract,

They move things from their places, they act with disrespect.

 

Every day, animals are dead and arrested, forests are decreasing,

There is no compassion for them and where they are living.

The most important is to extract, sell, and at any cost get profit,

No one is concerned about where that is impacting.

 

Destruction’s impacts have already been felt by the population,

Heat, dry, disease, and deaths because of the great devastation.

Nature shows that human actions are impacting,

Impacting every place, the entire world is suffering.

 

The sadder is to know those who must help and save,

They do nothing or use their power to allow more destruction to be made.

Their eyes are well closed with the money coming from exploration,

And they cannot see they are condemning humanity to extinction.

This poem is part of the book Life Through the Words.

See the book:

https://books2read.com/u/bQpQ7d

Returning to God

You say that you have no time for God.

You say that you are too busy,

Little by little, you do not talk anymore with Him.

Out of your life, the Father, you are taking.

 

You do not pray anymore,

You do not kneel to the Lord.

You think only about enjoying.

To the Lord, your heart is hardening.

 

One day, you will seek the help of God.

On the day when a problem comes to you.

And the desperation reaches you,

An appeal to the Lord’s throne, you will do.

 

The Lord is a God of mercy and love.

He is always attentive to your cry.

With Him, you will reconcile,

Confess your faith in Jesus Christ,

And as a son, He will accept you.

 

Come back to the arms of the Father.

And do not return to the world again.

For in God, you have happiness.

You need to give Him your faithfulness.

This poem is part of the book Christian Poetry Volume II.

See the book:

https://books2read.com/u/mg5w0z

The Steady Step

My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion; Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the Lord will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared. Proverbs 3:21, 23-26

The news landed like a bomb at the morning meeting: “TecnoSolutions” was making a massive cut. Thirty percent of the staff would be laid off by the end of the week. Immediately, a wave of dread swept through the office. Whispered conversations filled the hallways, and the sound of keyboards was replaced by the anxious silence of people secretly updating their résumés.

Amidst the widespread panic, Daniel’s calmness was almost disconcerting. While his colleagues despaired, he continued his work with the same diligence as always. He was not naive; he knew his name could be on the list. He had a wife, a young son, and a mortgage. The possibility of losing his job was, objectively, terrifying.

“How can you be so calm?” his colleague, Flávio, asked him at lunch. “I haven’t slept in two nights. My mind won’t stop thinking about the worst.”

Daniel took a sip of his juice.

“I’m not calm, Flávio. I’m confident. There’s a difference.”

For Daniel, “sound judgment and discernment” were not just religious concepts, but the foundation of his life. They were the principles he never lost sight of, no matter the circumstance. He did not live extravagantly, but had built a small emergency fund over the years. He did not base his worth on his job title, but on his character. He did not place his ultimate security in his company ID, but in his faith in God.

Years earlier, he had gone through an anxiety crisis so severe it had landed him in the hospital. It was then that his pastor told him something that changed his life: “Daniel, you can’t control the storms that come from the outside. But you can strengthen the anchor that is within. The wisdom of God is that anchor.”

From that day on, he began to “keep” these principles. He learned to live one step below his means, to be generous, to not go into debt for status, to find joy in simple things. He was, without knowing it, preparing himself for “sudden disaster.”

On Friday, the layoff list came out. Daniel’s name was on it.

Flávio, who remained, approached him, devastated.

“Man, I’m so sorry. It’s so unfair.”

Daniel took a deep breath. The news hurt, of course. But it did not break him. “It’s okay, Flávio. It’s going to be okay.”

As he emptied his desk, placing his things in a cardboard box, he felt the pitying stares of his colleagues. But he did not feel like a victim.

That night, when he got home, he hugged his wife, Carla. He told her the news. She held him tight.

“We will get through this together,” she said. “The Lord is with us.”

He lay in bed, the ghost of bills hovering in his mind. Fear tried to settle in. But then, he remembered what he had built. A financial reserve that would give them a few months of breathing room. A professional network based on respect, not on politics. And, most importantly, a faith that was not a charm to avoid problems, but a fortress to face them.

His confidence was not in the absence of trouble, but in the certainty that he would not fall into a trap and be snared. He was not helpless.

He fell asleep quickly, a deep and dreamless sleep. The promise of the proverb was fulfilled not in the prevention of the crisis, but in the peace, he felt amidst it. While many of his former colleagues, even those who stayed, would spend the night awake, fearing the future, Daniel slept. His path had become uncertain, but his inner step remained steady, for his trust was anchored in a wisdom that no corporate crisis could shake.

(Made with AI)

This story is part of my book Everyday Wisdom

https://books2read.com/u/3knogL