Your word is a lamp for my feet.
Sell my late mother’s house? That decision burdened my heart after my beloved, widowed mother passed away. Sentiment drove my feelings. Still, my sister and I spent two years cleaning and repairing her empty home, resigned to sell it. This was in 2008, and a global recession left us with no buyers. We kept dropping the price but got no offers. Then, while reading my Bible one morning, this passage grabbed my eye: “Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox” (Proverbs 14:4 esv).
The proverb spoke of farming, but I was intrigued by its message. An unoccupied stall stays neat, but only with the “mess” of inhabitants would it yield a harvest of crops. Or, for us, a crop of value and family legacy. Calling my sister, I asked, “What if we keep Mama’s house? We could rent it.”
The choice surprised us. We had no plans to turn Mom’s home into an investment. But the Bible, as a spiritual guide, also offers practical wisdom. As David prayed, “Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow” (Psalm 25:4 nlt).
With our choice, my sister and I have been blessed to rent Mama’s home to many lovely families. We also learned this life-changing truth: Scripture helps guide our decisions. “Your word is a lamp for my feet,” wrote the psalmist, “a light on my path” (Psalm 119:105). May we walk in God’s light.
By Patricia Raybon
