“The proverbs of Solomon: A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.”
Don Cornell wrote and recorded a song titled No Man Is an Island. No Man Is an Island is also the title of a 1955 book by the Trappist monk Thomas Merton. Joan Baez is better known for recording John Donne’s meditation No Man Is an Island as a spoken piece. The lyrics to the Don Cornell song begin, “No man is an island. No man stands alone. Each man’s joy is joy to me. Each man’s grief is my own.” All of these reflect what Solomon is touching on in this verse. Solomon brings it closer to home, reminding us that our foolish or wise behavior impacts our families first. We know that in business it may start at home, but those decisions may also impact our employees, our teams, our clients, and our communities. Paul makes a similar point when he tells us that we are all, as believers, different parts of the same body. He tells us that when one part hurts, we all hurt. That is powerful to consider. As my ministry expands, I am continually impacted by both the suffering and the celebrations of those with whom I have relationships. I even experience those feelings for some people I do not know personally but whose struggles I have become aware of. Today, bless others. #BeTheEdge
“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.” — 1 Corinthians 12:12 (NIV)
