Quotes from Little Women

Y'all, I've had these four quotes from Little Women sitting in drafts for weeks now. I wanted to write a post about each one similar to how I wrote some pretty great posts from quotes out of Vanity Fair (not to toot my own horn or anything, but seriously).

Honestly though? I'm just not feeling the inspiration. So rather than trash them all, I figured I'd combine them together here for your enjoyment. Maybe this will be the last little nudge you need to go read this wonderful book. All of the following quotes are from Part II of the novel.

Quote #1:

"Wealth is certainly a most desirable thing, but poverty has its sunny side, and one of the sweet uses of adversity, is the genuine satisfaction which comes from hearty work of head or hand; and to the inspiration of necessity, we owe half the wise, beautiful, and useful blessings of the world."

Proverbs 14:23 says that all hard work brings a profit, and in Colossians 3:23-24, Paul encourages us to work heartily knowing that our reward is from God. That "genuine satisfaction", those "wise, beautiful, useful blessings", come from working mightily as unto the Lord rather than bemoaning what we lack. Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side.

Quote #2:

"'I almost wish I hadn't any conscience, it's so inconvenient. If I didn't care about doing right, and didn't feel uncomfortable when doing wrong, I should get on capitally. I can't help wishing, sometimes, that father and mother hadn't been so dreadfully particular about such things.' Ah, Jo, instead of wishing that, thank God that 'father and mother were particular,' and pity from your heart those who have no such guardians to hedge them round with principles which may seem like prison walls to impatient youth, but which will prove sure foundations to build character upon in womanhood."

I couldn't help but think of Proverbs 22:6. "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." I'm so thankful that my mom and dad were particular, and I truly do pity those who don't have parents loving enough to instill Godly principles in them. 

Quote #3:

"...a woman's happiest kingdom is home, her highest honor the art of ruling it--not as a queen, but a wise wife and mother."

I mean, isn't it just the truth? In this age of female empowerment, isn't it just nice to rest in our God-given roles? For men, to protect and provide for their families. For women, to respect their husbands and raise their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. It's not easy, but it's simple, and I'll take God's way no matter what the world thinks of me and my "backward" notions. See Ephesians 5, Colossians 3, Titus 2:3-5, and 1 Peter 3, for starters.

Quote #4:
"Rich people have no right to sit down and enjoy themselves, or let their money accumulate for others to waste. It's not half so sensible to leave a lot of legacies when one dies, as it is to use the money wisely while alive, and enjoy making one's fellow-creatures happy with it. We'll have a good time ourselves, and add an extra relish to our own pleasure, by giving other people a generous taste."

I can't even start picking out all the verses that exhort us to give to the poor, but I will quote that "it is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35) and remind you of the parable in Luke 12 of the foolish rich man who tried to store up all his wealth for himself, only to have his soul required of him and realizing his labor had been in vain. "Do not lay up for yourselves treasure on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21)

Happy Wednesday to you! I hope you enjoyed a few more wise quotes from Little Women today. Which one was your favorite and why?