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On the Up and Up

On the Up and Up

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On the Up and Up--hot air balloons in front of cloudsOn the up and up sometimes refers to people becoming successful.

With high goals and hard work, they strive for a good:

  • Income
  • Reputation
  • Position

They rise in the business world.

On the up and up also refers to anything improving.

  • Health
  • Work
  • Relationships

Today’s focus relates to behavior.

People on the up and up are:

  • Honest
  • Dependable
  • Respectable
  • Fair

Anything they say can be taken to the bank. As good as their word, they have no need to hide anything they do.

  • When they make a deal, they honor their agreement.
  • If they share information, no one doubts its truth.
  • When they promise to do something, they do it.

People whose behavior is on the up and up live clean, moral, legally upright lives.

They want to do what is right. They may not become rich or famous. However, they find far greater success than money or fame. Their choices give them a clear conscience – a gift money can never buy.

“May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in you” (Psalm 25:21 NIV).

Thanks to Brad Leverett for the suggestion. Image by Gerhard G. from Pixabay

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Big Head

Big Head

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Big Head--Closeup of lion's headLions have a big head, a loud roar, and a reputation as king of the jungle. Although big, strong, and fast, lions can be caught and controlled by smaller, weaker, and slower lion tamers.

People with a big head think they are better or more important than everyone else.

They:

Their actions say:

  • I am better than you.
  • Look at me.
  • I am number one.

Pride controls people with a big head.

Self rules. Everything and everyone else take second place.

However, like lions, pride often leads to a fall.

Humility offers a better way.

Humble people recognize the worth in everyone. They treat others with:

  • Respect
  • Love
  • Wisdom
  • Compassion

When people treat one another as they wish to be treated, everyone wins. Our world becomes a better place.

“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom” (Proverbs 11:2 NIV).

Thanks to Betty C. Johnson for the suggestion. Image by Kevinsphotos from Pixabay

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Cut Off Your Nose to Spite Your Face

Cut Off Your Nose to Spite Your Face

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Cut Off Your Nose to Spite Your Face--closeup of a white dog's noseWhen you try to harm others, you often end up harming yourself more. You cut off your nose to spite your face. This happens at any age.

  • Children run away from good homes because they don’t like the rules.
  • Athletes play less than their best when they get mad at their coaches.
  • Bosses fire their best workers because they are jealous of the workers’ skills.

To cut off your nose to spite your face means to hurt yourself when you try to hurt others.

Anger rather than wisdom rules your actions. You often bite the hand that feeds you.

Never let self-defeating behavior rule.

It may destroy others but will eventually destroy you. Nip it in the bud. If you get angry and must blow off steam, do it in a safe way where no one gets hurt.

“There is a time when a man lords it over others to his own hurt” (Ecclesiastes 8:9 NIV).

Thanks to Emily Akin for the suggestion. Image by Foto-Rabe from Pixabay.

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Bite the Hand That Feeds You

Bite the Hand That Feeds You

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Bite the Hand That Feeds You-horse eating out of a handIt makes no sense to bite the hand that feeds you. Some animals who eat out of a person’s hand do. So do many people.

To bite the hand that feeds you means to hurt someone who helps you.

Rather than thank a kind person, you act cruel or rude.

Examples include:

  • Children who mistreat parents who provide for them.
  • Students who make fun of the person who helps them with homework.
  • Employees who gossip about their boss.
  • People who borrow money but never repay it or act ungrateful for it.

Eventually people pay for how they act.

Many receive a taste of their own medicine. Ungrateful children often have children who treat them the same way. They learn from what they see.

Results of biting the hand that feeds you may not be immediate. Usually, however, what goes around comes around.

Why not lend a helping hand?

Instead of hurting others, help them, no strings attached.  Help those who help you, but don’t stop there.

  • Aid others in need.
  • Show kindness to everyone.
  • Learn  to love the unlovable. (Remember, we are all unlovable at times.)

“You make me glad by your deeds, Lord; I sing for joy at what your hands have done” (Psalm 92:4 NIV).

Thanks to Brad Leverett for the suggestion and to Jeri Stone for the photo.

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Dillydally

Dillydally

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Dillydally-stop sign with a "wasting time" sign below itWhen we were children, adults occasionally warned us not to dillydally. This often happened when we failed to:

  • Do our chores
  • Finish our homework
  • Go to bed on time
  • Get up on time
  • Take a bath
  • Prepare for a special event

Dad often told us to rise and shine when we wanted to stay and sleep.

If we don’t want to do something, we dillydally.

We waste time. Similar words or expressions include:

  • Lollygag
  • Drag our feet
  • Goof off
  • Dawdle

Similar spellings include:

  • Dilly dally
  • Dilly-dally

All mean we do nothing or move slowly. We delay what we should do with less important activity.

We dillydally with actions that have no real purpose.

Rather than meaningful activity, we do something useless.

If we cannot decide, we may dillydally.

We put off doing anything, because we don’t know what to do. However, we can’t ride the fence forever. Eventually we must choose.

Perhaps we have several expressions for wasting time because we do it so often.

What do you think? Please comment.

“Don’t waste time along the way” (Luke 10:4 TLB).

Thanks to Kristy Robinson Horine for the suggestion. Photo courtesy of Pixabay.

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Idle Hands Are the Devil’s Tools

Idle Hands Are the Devil’s Tools

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Idle Hands Are the Devil's Tools-hands shaping potteryWe can use our hands for great good or great evil. Too much free time often leads us the wrong direction. Idle hands are the devil’s tools.

Idle hands are the devil’s tools has several similar proverbs.

They include:

  • Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.
  • An idle brain (or mind) is the devil’s workshop.
  • Idle hands do the devil’s work.

All mean we are more likely to get into trouble when we have nothing to do.

Busy minds and hands leave little time for mischief.

We need free time and rest, but not too much.

Children (and adults) need time to use their imaginations. They also need to learn the value of work and helping others. Good habits learned early in life help us the rest of our lives.

Hands that create beautiful pieces of art can also destroy that beauty.

However, if we pick up the pieces of the messes we make, we can create something lovely again.

Give God your hands, the broken pieces of your life — all of you — and watch Him work.

“Let your hands not be idle” (Ecclesiastes 11:6 NIV)

Thanks to Judy Corbin for the suggestion. Thanks also to Judy Clark for finding the photo of Tommy Clark and to Richard Robards for permission to use it.

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Highfalutin

Highfalutin

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Highfalutin--four young girls in fancy dresses on steps

Children love to pretend. Many enjoy acting highfalutin. They want to look like someone else – a parent, hero, older sibling, or friend.

They often dress in the other person’s clothes or shoes. Many times, they try to walk or talk like the person. What they see is what they want to be and do.

We smile or laugh at their behavior. However, many never outgrow that desire to be someone they are not.

Highfalutin people pretend to be more important than they are.

They want to appear:

They act proud, trying to impress everyone. However, they usually fall flat.

Acting highfalutin usually makes people look silly.

Years ago, I served as juvenile counselor for a young man on probation. He made several improvements. Then he ran away to a large city. When he returned about two weeks later, everything about him changed. He:

  • Spoke with an artificial accent
  • Walked with a defiant swagger
  • Wore fancy clothes with his hat cocked on the side of his head.

He tried so hard to rid himself of his country background. Instead, he made everyone laugh.

All people have worth without having to pretend.

God created each one:

  • Not better than anyone else
  • Not worse than anyone else
  • Not to be anyone else
  • To be the best unique person possible

A simple down-to-earth life far outweighs a highfalutin one.

“The eyes of the arrogant will be humbled  and human pride brought low; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day” (Isaiah 2:11 NIV).

Thanks to Harriet Michael for the suggestion and to Jennifer Van Mersbergen for the photo.

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Over the Top

Over the Top

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Over the Top--winding stairway at Biltmore EstatesTo get to the top floor of a house, we usually climb stairs. To go over the top of the house requires more work – extreme efforts. Most of us would be foolish to try.

Over the top often means to go beyond acceptable behavior.

 We describe such actions as:

  • Extreme
  • Reckless
  • Strange
  • Shameful
  • Foolish

Over the top occasionally means brave behavior.

Some soldiers in battle go over the top of their trenches. They leave safety to attack their enemy. That action puts them at greater risk for losing their lives.

Yet, those soldiers:

  • Value the battle’s purpose more than personal safety
  • Go beyond the call of duty
  • Take the risk for a greater cause

They are willing to die for what they believe. Because of such bravery, we celebrate our country’s independence on the Fourth of July.

Let’s choose our behavior carefully.

When we need to be careful, stay wise as an owl. However, when we need to be brave, go over the top.

“The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him” (Psalm 37:23 NIV).

Thanks to Karen Atwood for the suggestion.

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You Made Your Bed, You Must Lie in It

You Made Your Bed, You Must Lie in It

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You Made Your Bed--bed in The Elms (R. I.)You made your bed, you must lie in it has nothing to do with making a bed. The expression focuses on behavior.

You have to live with the results of what you do.

  • Good choices bring good results.
  • Bad choices bring bad results.

If you cause problems, expect problems in your life. If you share joy, expect joy in return.

 Of course, exceptions to the rule occur. However, you usually experience the natural or logical effects of your actions. You did it, so you must live with it.

Several expressions have the same meaning.

Whether you talk about beds, gardens, music, or chickens, the message remains the same. For the best life, make the best choices.

“When you see trouble coming, don’t be stupid and walk right into it— be smart and hide” (Proverbs 22:3 CEV).

Thanks to Bonnie Alley for the suggestion.

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Chickens Come Home to Roost

Chickens Come Home to Roost

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Chickens Come Home to Roost--chickens on a fenceChickens come home to roost.

  • Birds usually return to their nests at night.
  • The results of our past actions return to us.

Bad behavior in the past may causes problems in the present or future.

We may get away with bad choices for a while. However, we often suffer for them later. We land in hot water. That is true for what we do and what we say.

We live with the consequences of the choices we make.

 Mistakes or wrong choices hurt us and others. We reap what we sow.

  • Fail to study: fail a test.
  • Hurt other people; expect to get hurt.
  • Ignore physical needs; suffer physical pains.

Therefore, we do well to always make right choices.

Be careful what we say and do. What goes around comes around. We don’t want our words and actions coming back to haunt us.

If we follow the straight and narrow, we have no need to worry.

“Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14 NIV).

Thanks to Steve and LuAnne Russell for the suggestion. Photo courtesy of Pixabay.

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

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