“Nip it in the bud. Just nip it in the bud.” Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show said that over and over. We laughed at Barney’s many messes. However, he did get a few things right.

We often need to nip it in the bud.

 We want to:

• Stop something at an early stage
• Prevent a problem before it happens
• End a problem before it gets bigger

Taking action now may prevent regret later. Better safe than sorry.

If we don’t want a flower to bloom, we nip it in the bud.

We cut or break off the bud before it blooms. Sometimes, cold weather nips a flower in the bud.

Like flowers, some situations need nipping. To prevent problems or danger:

• Parents punish their children’s bad behaviors.
• Bosses fire lazy workers.
• We quit bad habits.

Whether we nip buds or let them bloom, we can trust the Creator of them all. 

Also, with God’s help, we can always bloom where we’re planted.

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior” (Habakkuk 3:17-18 NIV).

Do you have an expression you want explained or a thought about this one? If so, please comment below.

Subscribe to receive my weekly posts by email and receive a free copy of “Words of Hope for Days that Hurt.”

If you enjoyed this post, please share it with your friends.