The best place to nag

Several years ago, when I felt my mum was getting on my nerves, I felt "led" (of course in my youthful exuberance) to share Proverbs 27:15 with her. My Good News Bible put it similar to the Message, which says: "A nagging spouse is like the drip, drip, drip of a leaky faucet;"*

Needless to say, she didn't take it very nicely nor did she stop making me do things I really didn't want but now, with the benefit of 20-20 hindsight, I'm sure glad she did.

Back to the topic...

Now I'm married, the Lord has brought this, and related verses, to life for me - and it's fascinating the order in which they are in the Bible.

Proverbs 19:13b - A nagging spouse is a leaky faucet.*




Proverbs 21:9 - It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop [on the flat oriental roof, exposed to all kinds of weather] than in a house shared with a nagging, quarrelsome, and faultfinding woman.**

Proverbs 21:19 - It is better to dwell in a desert land than with a contentious woman and with vexation.**

Proverbs 25:24 - It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop than to share a house with a disagreeing, quarrelsome, and scolding woman.**

Proverbs 27: 15-16 - A nagging spouse is like the drip, drip, drip of a leaky faucet; you can't turn it off,  and you can't get away from it.*

To summarize, the verses recommend that the individuals (not just her husband) who have to share a home with a nagging woman learn to live with her - no one moves out of their home because of a leaky faucet - would you? Then they should give her space (per next 3 verses) and then learn to live with her. Tough huh? I agree but possible if you put your mind to it.

Well as I was saying, now I'm married I've caught myself nagging. In fact, it's almost as if I nag that I nag...circular nagging is not fun I can assure you. Let's look up the meaning of the word...so we use it with knowledge. Nag means: ask somebody repeatedly: to ask or urge somebody persistently and annoyingly to do something or keep criticizing somebody: to find fault with somebody regularly and repeatedly.***

It's interesting that repetition is what makes nagging annoying...yes, like a leaking faucet can be annoying. Well, I want to share my latest found secret with you. The Holy Spirit recently taught me to focus on Him when I want to nag...after all, 1 Thess 4:17 says "Be unceasing in prayer [praying perseveringly]"**

God wants us to pray repeatedly infact He also said: "I have set watchmen upon your walls, O Jerusalem, who will never hold their peace day or night; you who [are His servants and by your prayers] put the Lord in remembrance [of His promises], keep not silence, And give Him no rest until He establishes Jerusalem and makes her a praise in the earth."** You may not agree but these verses seem to give me a "licence to nag" to God - of course not to criticize God but to go to Him repeatedly with things that bother me.

So now, God helping me, when I have something to say (or nag about)...I redirect it and say it in prayer. God has been faithful and He's been answering me. See your husband, children, family, ministry and all that concerns you as your Jerusalem and try my secret. "Nag" to God in prayer - you'll be glad you did - not to mention how pleased your family will be too.  May God give us the grace to "nag" in the place of prayer.

Sources
* The Message
** Amplified Bible
***http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/DictionaryResults.aspx?lextype=3&search=nag