Proverbs: Encapsulated Wisdom

Source: Jan Knappert, The A –Z of African Proverbs (London, Karnak House, 1989)

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One “here-it-is” is better than ten “you’ll get it later”. From Bambara.

It is easier to find trouble than to avoid it. From Congo.

One finger cannot wash your face. From Congo.

If the fingers of one hand quarrel, they cannot pick up the food. From East Africa.

People with shoes forget those without. From Kenya

Do you hear the rumbling in your neighbour’s stomach? From Somali

God gave us the seed of every plant, but we must sow it. From Zande.

God lent us his property here so that we too should lend what we have to our neighbour. From Sawhili.

God does not sleep. From Congo.

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Proverbs are encapsulated wisdom.

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Logic of the Heart to Recognize Miracles

READ: Jn 6: 35-44: “I am the bread of life”. This verse is a powerful expression of Jesus’ self-identity. It contains the revelation that Jesus is God. The Jews see Jesus, but they do not really see or recognize Him as they refuse to believe in Him. They ask for a sign, a miracle. The logic of the Jews is the logic of reason: You work a miracle and we will believe in your claim. Jesus’ logic is the logic of the heart/ faith. You first believe in me, then you shall see and recognize miracles in your life… ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GITANJALI: No. 69 If we have faith we would believe that: “The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day runs through you and through the world and dances in rhythmic measures. It is the same life that shoots in joy through the dust of the earth in numberless blades of grass and breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers. It is the same life that is rocked in the ocean-cradle of birth and of death, in ebb and in flow. I feel my limbs are made glorious by the touch of this world of life. And my pride is from the life-throb of ages dancing in my blood this moment. We have two options before us: To believe in Jesus as the fullness of our life and all the manifestations of life or to refuse to believe in his saving power and throw our life into the hands of the powers of darkness and death. Which one shall we choose? That indeed is the real challenge. (Tagore)

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