Today’s verse(s) for the #DailyWisdomChallenge use the imagery of eating, just like it did in the one from Proverbs 25. Maybe it is because I have been having to work to get back on my healthy eating patterns, or maybe it is just a holdover from my lifetime as an adult allowing eating to set my course and rule much of my life, but these passages resonate with me.
The “words of a whisperer” is referencing the giddy joy people get when they are talking about something they know they shouldn’t be. In some cases, it is the whispers of gossip, sharing some piece of news of something bad that happened or something bad that has befallen someone. That type of news makes people feel good at the expense of others and takes advantage of them looking bad to make oneself look better. In other cases, it could be inappropriate humor or speaking bad/making fun of someone else – things that are bad enough by themselves but made worse by sharing that wicked talk with others.
The very nature of this having to be whispered shows that we know it is bad but decide to do it anyway. Well, we may think we are keeping quiet except to the one with whom we are whispering, but God hears and knows. And here in Proverbs 18:8 and 26:22 we see what he thinks of it; he thinks it is pretty crappy.
That may seem crass (it is definitely pushing Bible study pun boundaries), but look at the end of the verse. When you dine on the whisperer’s words, they go “down into the inner parts of the body”. They get digested. The honey of Proverbs 25:16 gets regurgitated, but the whisperer’s words linger. In the end, they end up becoming waste; however, in the meantime they work their way into our minds and our hearts.
One thing that I remember hearing from teachers and parents growing up – one that I find myself saying to my kiddos at home and school, too – is that, if you have to whisper it, it must not be good. We see that as an example of godly wisdom – not that we should never whisper, but we should not participate in wicked speech, loud, quiet, or otherwise.
Next time you find yourself about to dine on some juicy gossip or listen to someone whisperingly run down someone to you, remember what you are dining on. If you find listening to that crap as appetizing, chew on this analogy and decide if it’s worth it!
For the month of October (and November for lollygaggers like me), we are answering the challenge John Goldwater, pastor of Christ Community Church in Grenada, MS, laid out — the #DailyWisdomChallenge. Each day, we are going to read through a chapter of Proverbs corresponding to the day of the month.
This fits with what we have studied in Colossians, specifically Colossians 3:1-2, namely that we should seek “the things that are above, where Christ is” and set our minds like a thermostat “on things that are above, not on things that are on earth”. Imagine what a month meditating on God’s Word daily can do for us.
Won’t you join us on this #DailyWisdomChallenge and set your minds on Christ?
When I was reading through Proverbs 25, these verses jumped out at me because they highlight something of the nature of appetite and desire – and moderation. Essentially, too much of a good thing can be bad or bad for you.
Honey, for example, is a good thing. Everyone doesn’t have a sweet tooth, but think about how much a little honey can enrich something. Back in the time in which this was written, honey would have been a rare commodity. One would have to find a bees’ nest and be willing to risk being stung to get it. But to add it to food or drink would have been lovely and special.
Too much honey or sugar and your body gets out of whack. Too much for too many days and years and your body will stay out of whack. Gorging yourself on food and eating until you are ready to pop may seem like a good thing, but when it comes to the point where you are vomiting it up, the sweet becomes bitter and terrible.
It is the same way with glory. Man, it feels good when glory get heaped upon you – when you have done something well and others know it. There is something about being noticed for something you have done really well at that is, well, sweet. The problem with our sin nature is that we can begin to crave that recognition and glory in the same way that one’s sweet tooth can cause them to crave desserts. Gorging on glory works different because you cannot make people recognize and heap praise on you, so you have to do more and more in order to be noticed. But when you call up glory for yourself it is not the same; as v. 27 says, it just is not glorious.
The only thing in the universe that we will never get our fill of is Jesus. The more we know Him, the sweeter the relationship is. You cannot gorge on Jesus because He is infinitely sweet and eternally good. Seek Him heaps glory upon Him and leaves none for us, but we won’t notice because the more we know Him, the more we want to make Him known. Making Him known is glorious and sweet.
For the month of October, we are answering the challenge John Goldwater, pastor of Christ Community Church in Grenada, MS, laid out — the #DailyWisdomChallenge. Each day, we are going to read through a chapter of Proverbs corresponding to the day of the month.
This fits with what we have studied in Colossians, specifically Colossians 3:1-2, namely that we should seek “the things that are above, where Christ is” and set our minds like a thermostat “on things that are above, not on things that are on earth”. Imagine what a month meditating on God’s Word daily can do for us.
Won’t you join us on this #DailyWisdomChallenge and set your minds on Christ?
This proverb has been working on me a lot — almost grating against some of the rough edges in my life. You see, I like to pride myself on my ability to be strong in the midst of adversity — in my ability to find another gear to get through whatever I need to get through. Well, you know what Proverbs 16:18 says: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
I guess I should have begun by saying that I used to pride myself on strength in the midst of and despite adversity. I really can’t say that any more. Over the last ten years, there has been plenty of adversity but a definite lack of strength on my part. If I once was able to find a gear to dig deep and get through trouble, my transmission has gone out leaving me with nothing more than low gear.
Several times over the last decade, I have found myself made low. My body has failed me. My mind has failed me. I have failed me. I look at Proverbs 24:10 and see a strength that is small because I have consistently fainted in the “day of adversity”.
I am so thankful that I did.
Yes, you read that right: I am thankful I failed and in the day of adversity and realized that my strength has always been small. The good news is my God has always been big, and His strength is more than enough.
In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul talks about his struggles with a “thorn” in his flesh “to keep [him] from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness” of visions God had given him (2 Corinthians 12:7). He pleaded with God to take away the thorn, but God did not remove the thorn (2 Corinthians 12:8). God’s answer to Paul is surprising, and it is so liberating to those who are trying to make it on their own steam and failing miserably:
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Jesus’s answer to Paul was not to remove the thorn and let Paul be strong. No, it was to keep the thorn and allow Paul the opportunity to lean on the strength of Christ and trust Him.
No one likes to be weak. No one likes to need trouble. But, truth be told, we are all weak at times and all need help more than we would like to admit. The apostle Paul seems at times to be some sort of superhero, but he is just a vessel of the Lord that was of use to the Lord. Any greatness seen in Paul is the Lord.
Any greatness seen in me is the Lord, too.
Any weakness is all mine. Any failure is mine, too.
When I found myself down and ready to tap out, Paul’s response to Jesus’s words in 2 Corinthians 12:9 inspired me to look at my failings and weakness differently. I needed to look at my weaknesses through the lens of the Lordship of Jesus and the reliance He has called me to — the same He had called Paul to. Look at Paul’s response:
“Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)
So, this proverb does not have to beat me down because my strength is not an issue here; my God’s strength is more than enough! Because of Christ, I can “faint in the day of adversity” and be caught in “the mighty hand of God” waiting and ready to lift me up (1 Peter 5:6)! I can faint because He is strong.
That’s good news!
If you are like I was (and still too often am) and wondering how you are going to make it because you just don’t have the strength to carry on, look to Jesus. He is strong when we are not. Our weakness is an opportunity for Him to lift us up. Look to Jesus and let Him carry you. For when we are weak, then we are strong in Him.
For the month of October, we are answering the challenge John Goldwater, pastor of Christ Community Church in Grenada, MS, laid out — the #DailyWisdomChallenge. Each day, we are going to read through a chapter of Proverbs corresponding to the day of the month.
This fits with what we have studied in Colossians, specifically Colossians 3:1-2, namely that we should seek “the things that are above, where Christ is” and set our minds like a thermostat “on things that are above, not on things that are on earth”. Imagine what a month meditating on God’s Word daily can do for us.
Won’t you join us on this #DailyWisdomChallenge and set your minds on Christ?
For the month of October, we are answering the challenge John Goldwater, pastor of Christ Community Church in Grenada, MS, laid out — the #DailyWisdomChallenge. Each day, we are going to read through a chapter of Proverbs corresponding to the day of the month.
This fits with what we have studied in Colossians, specifically Colossians 3:1-2, namely that we should seek “the things that are above, where Christ is” and set our minds like a thermostat “on things that are above, not on things that are on earth”. Imagine what a month meditating on God’s Word daily can do for us.
Won’t you join us on this #DailyWisdomChallenge and set your minds on Christ?
Proverbs 22:6 highlights how important it is to guide our children in the ways of the Lord. Parents have the unique role of helping children grow — and grow in their faith so they can learn to love and serve God.
Children are a gift from the Lord, as we see in Psalm 127:3-5, which says they are a heritage and a reward. But raising children can be hard, and sometimes we might forget how special they are. It’s important for us to recognize their value and understand how crucial it is to help them grow spiritually.
In Colossians 3:20, Paul tells children, “Obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.” This verse shows us that children should learn to respect and listen to their parents. But obedience doesn’t mean just following rules without thinking, especially if it goes against what God says. Instead, it means having a heart that wants to follow God’s truth, even when it’s tough.
At the same time, Paul reminds parents in Colossians 3:21 not to provoke their children to anger but to raise them with discipline and instruction. This means that when we discipline our kids, we should do it with love, not out of frustration. Parents should remember to show grace and mercy, just like God does, because we all make mistakes.
Teaching our children about the gospel is very important. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 encourages us to keep God’s Word close and to share it every day. We should help our children navigate life’s ups and downs, always pointing them back to the Bible. By showing loving discipline and guidance, we prepare our kids to face the world while staying strong in their faith.
Ultimately, our goal as parents is to reflect God’s love and truth. As we work to train our children in the Lord, let’s rely on His grace, trusting that He will help them grow in their hearts and lives, leading them to have a lasting relationship with Him.
For the month of October, we are answering the challenge John Goldwater, pastor of Christ Community Church in Grenada, MS, laid out — the #DailyWisdomChallenge. Each day, we are going to read through a chapter of Proverbs corresponding to the day of the month.
This fits with what we have studied in Colossians, specifically Colossians 3:1-2, namely that we should seek “the things that are above, where Christ is” and set our minds like a thermostat “on things that are above, not on things that are on earth”. Imagine what a month meditating on God’s Word daily can do for us.
Won’t you join us on this #DailyWisdomChallenge and set your minds on Christ?
This proverb his my right square in my heart.
I spent the bulk of my childhood being the butt of many jokes, and made fun of quite mercilessly. I was beat up and often bullied. The bruises faded and broken glasses were replaced, but the scars — physical and emotional — remain.
This is one of the reasons I wanted to become a teacher. Throughout those years of being bullied, there were a handful that took notice, but most, for whatever reason, were oblivious or chalked it up to that’s just the way kids are. If you have never been treated like this (or were on the giving side of these sorts of encounters rather than the receiving), you do not know what a relief it is when someone notices and helps you. Carrie Mack and Linda Bumpers at Willa Wilson Elementary were blessings from God that helped me see my value despite the efforts of bus riders and drivers who were glad to see it stomped out. These ladies still to this day look for and out for me and are encouragements in my life. Seeing either of them today fills my heart with joy and encouragement and reminds me of light in the midst of darkness.
In middle school, I know teachers saw me being bullied. The example that first comes to mind is Mike Miles. He knew what I was going through without being told. He went and had my schedule changed so that I would be out of the study hall where my misery was always the subject of study to his study hall. He taught me how to play chess. He encouraged me to read books if that’s what I liked to do. In fact, that was the gist of what he taught me (other than the math he was tasked with): he taught me to be who God had made me to be and not let others diminish that. When I see him even today, I never hesitate to tell him how thankful I am that God used him to save my life — that when others worked to convince me my life had no value, God used him to remind me who and Whose I was.
There was one particular memory that came to mind when I read this verse that convicts me still to this day. When I think of this particular memory, I am filled with nauseating guilt even though it has been over twenty years ago.
In sixth grade, Carolyn Swanson saw that I had been bullied and mistreated as well. She also noticed other students who endured the same. Sixth grade back then meant mandatory PE a few days a week (some days library or music). For me, that was like painting a giant bullseye because that meant either getting picked last for teams or not at all (this was the 1990s; participation was not mandatory, and exclusion/mockery were allowed). Even though I did not want to be picked because that would mean I could go up into the stands and read rather than embarrassing myself athletically in a very public way, I really wanted to be picked. Well, I really wanted to belong.
One particular day, a group of the more popular guys approached me and pointed out one of my classmates. Me and this other guy were basically tied for least popular in the sixth grade as well as in who could be made fun of more. Neither of us were athletic. Neither of us came from families with much money. Both of us were quiet and clothed differently than others. The guys convinced me that the surest way to be one of them — to get picked for teams and get to hang out with them — was to make fun of the other guy. He had just gotten some new boots that he was proud of and had worn them to school. It made me sick to my stomach to think of doing that to someone else, but this could have meant that I got bumped up a level and got a reprieve from being made fun of. So, right there in the middle school gym, I let the other guy have it. I was ugly. It was shameful. He cried. And then the other guys started in — on me.
Their plan all along was to embarrass me and show that I was fake. They knew I professed to be a Christian and saw this as an opportunity to cast aspersions on that profession of faith. They gave me every bit of what I gave the other guy and worse. I cried, too, but not so much for what I was receiving but that I had allowed myself to do to the other guy what I knew was terrible.
Mrs. Swanson somehow found out about this, and I can remember what she said to me about it like it was yesterday. She told me that it was worse for me to do that than the others because I truly knew what it felt like to be treated like that. This was not a means for her to belittle me but to invest in me. She fussed at me, and I deserved it. She told me that she expected more out of me and knew that I would learn from this and grow into the man she knew I could be — despite my failure and because I would learn from it.
I am ashamed to say that it took months for me to get the courage to apologize to the other guy, and before I could, he moved away. It took nearly twenty years to get in contact with him again. I won’t tell you a story of apology and reconciliation here because I do not want to paint myself as a good guy for any of this. I want to help you understand Proverbs 17:5.
Everyone you come into contact with is made in the image of God. He created them and formed them in their mother’s womb. Each of us is unique, with unique features and personalities. Some of us, like myself, are more different than societal norms than others. And it is all too easy to make fun rather than to show care and respect.
This is not wrong merely for the human life you did not respect. It is a slap in the face of their “Maker”.
If someone is going through a tough time — some “calamity” — whether it is their fault, someone else’s fault, or nobody’s fault, it is not a time for mockery. Even if you think someone is getting the “calamity” they deserve, it is not a time to mock and make fun; we sure don’t enjoy it when calamities of our own making find us.
I guess this is really a plea to be kind to others and recognize that the same God who made you made them. There is never a time to mock or insult. There is always time to show love and care.
For me, this drove me to become a teacher. The examples of those who took up for me influence how I interact with kids — all of them I have and all that I can — on a daily basis. The example of the one who saw me becoming like the others and intervened has a daily impact, too, on the man God made me to be as well as in ways that I can watch out for others as well. I pray that this little bit of testimony helps you along the way, whether you are the bully, the bullied, or the bystander. Let us look out for others and look to God for how He would have us to treat folks.
For the month of October, we are answering the challenge John Goldwater, pastor of Christ Community Church in Grenada, MS, laid out — the #DailyWisdomChallenge. Each day, we are going to read through a chapter of Proverbs corresponding to the day of the month.
This fits with what we have studied in Colossians, specifically Colossians 3:1-2, namely that we should seek “the things that are above, where Christ is” and set our minds like a thermostat “on things that are above, not on things that are on earth”. Imagine what a month meditating on God’s Word daily can do for us.
Won’t you join us on this #DailyWisdomChallenge and set your minds on Christ?
First, let me add a disclaimer that this is not a proverb or post advocating child abuse or the beating of children. God did not mean that in Proverbs 13:24. God is a loving Father who knows what appropriate discipline is for His children — and thereby ours.
Raising children is hard, but it is such a worthwhile thing. I thought I knew what love was until I met Candice; then, I found that my heart had the capacity for more love than I thought possible. Then, I heard Keri’s heartbeat for the first time in the doctor’s office and realized I knew nothing. Then, came Xander and I found yet more room and capacity for love. Add to them my nieces and nephew. I have discovered more love than I knew existed.
If you talk to me for very long or often, my wife and kiddos come up. I write a lot about Candice and our marriage as illustration for various Bible studies, but I try to lay off the kids because, well, the internet and to keep from them thinking their lives are nothing but sermon fodder. My children bring me more joy than I am capable of expressing in words, either spoken or written. Both of them are unique and special. I, of course, am biased. I am their biggest fan (by size only and second only to their mama). They are good kids. And they are bad kids, too.
My kids are not perfect, and I try to live with the understanding that I can never say what they will never do because, like their father, they have the capacity to sin and mess things up. That brings in my least favorite part of parenting: discipline. I hate having to do it. Read that again: HAVING to do it.
I have to discipline them because I want to protect them from dangers outside and inside of them.
I have to discipline them because they need to learn from their mistakes (and ones I have made in the past, too).
I have to discipline them because that is the way God set up parenting in this fallen world. It is the model He gives in the way that He parents us (Hebrews 12:5-8).
Our proverb today says that parents discipline out of love (Proverbs 13:24), and it mirrors the way that “the Lord disciplines the one He loves” (Hebrews 12:6).
I definitely don’t have all of the answers to how to discipline children, and I don’t claim to. What I do know is that the discipline that has to be done is supposed to be borne out of love. If it seems that I am repeating myself, it is because I am. I am repeating for emphasis, and not in a way pointed at others, but as a reminder for myself.
I can remember my daddy telling someone once that he was glad to be in the stage of life when my sister, brother, and I were grown. He said that once the parenting was over, he had gained friends in his children. The person he was talking to asked something, signifying that they thought his comment was odd. What he said after that is what is so poignant for our subject today. Daddy said that he loved spending time with us when we were growing up, but that he loved us too much to try and be our friends when we needed a daddy more than a friend.
When I look at Keri and Xander (and Sophie, Krislyn, Penelope, Caleb, Sunday, and Mae), my heart swells with love that I cannot describe. I love to spend time with them. I love to hear their jokes and their dreams and their complaints and whatever they want to tell me. I am so glad when they talk to me because I know it will not always be the case. As they grow, I will not always be a favorite person. When correction is needed, I am not what they want. But, Lord willing, I will have the Spirit-filled courage to be who they need. Then, when they are all grown up, I can rejoice in what the Lord has done in them and who He has made them to be.
In the meantime, the tough love of discipline is worth it because they are worth it.
For the month of October, we are answering the challenge John Goldwater, pastor of Christ Community Church in Grenada, MS, laid out — the #DailyWisdomChallenge. Each day, we are going to read through a chapter of Proverbs corresponding to the day of the month.
This fits with what we have studied in Colossians, specifically Colossians 3:1-2, namely that we should seek “the things that are above, where Christ is” and set our minds like a thermostat “on things that are above, not on things that are on earth”. Imagine what a month meditating on God’s Word daily can do for us.
Won’t you join us on this #DailyWisdomChallenge and set your minds on Christ?
Today’s verse immediately brings a quote by fictional character Dwight Shrute. In an episode of The Office, Dwight was responding to the the faux documentary crew asking what the best advice his boss, Michael Scott, had ever given him. Here’s his response:
“Whenever I’m about to do something, I think, ‘Would an idiot do that?’ And if they would, I do not do that thing.”
While that is quippy and meant to be funny, it fits well with Proverbs 12:1.
I had to read this verse twice, which led me to choose this for the 12th installation in the #DailyWisdomChallenge. After having the above quote come to mind, I asked myself who in their right mind “loves discipline”? Well, this is why we are seeking wisdom from God in this challenge – to get in the right mind and thereby set our minds on things that are above rather than on the things of this world and the false or anti-wisdom that comes with it (Colossians 3:2).
My views on discipline have changed drastically over the years. As a kid, I hated it. I genuinely hated everything about getting in trouble. The older I got, the more the discipline and correction changed. The things that did not embed in me through quick punishment required longer punishment. There were lengthy conversations and explanations of why right was right and the dangers of the wrong. When I thought I knew better (and was “stupid” by hating my parents’ “reproof”), the discipline hurt all the more as I got to see my parents disappointed in me, knowing that I was supposed to know better.
As I got older and began working with kids – whether it be at church or my time spent tutoring at the Reedy Acres campus of the Baptist Children’s Village, my views on discipline changed. There were times that “reproof” needed to happen, and I found myself on the side of doling out discipline. All my thoughts of wanting to try my parents’ side of discipline quickly evaporated as I learned that it was not at all enjoyable to work and repeat “reproof” often enough for it to have the opportunity to sink in.
Now, I have kids of my own and classrooms full of kiddos at work. Discipline is part of it. It is a responsibility. It is not to be taken lightly. But it is necessary as it is how we learn.
Who in their right mind “loves discipline”, then? Well, the man or woman who has received discipline and grown from it. This, of course, fits with the parental and teacherly discipline I spoke of above, but it fits even better when we look at the grace and love our heavenly Father shows us when He bears with us and disciplines us. Read that again: the discipline of the Father is a gift of grace borne out of His love for us.
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by Him. For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives.”
It is easier to love discipline when you know what it is to be loved by the Father. It is easier to love the tough-love He gives from time to time when we realize that in so doing He is “treating [us] as sons” (Hebrews 12:7).
If you are struggling with this, you are not alone. But, if you’ll forgive one more fictional character quote, Forrest Gump’s mother spoke true when she taught him, “Stupid is as stupid does.” In the case of Proverbs 12:1, stupid is hating reproof and learning nothing. God graciously offers the opportunity to repent and learn from Him.
May we learn to love His discipline more than we desire to do what we want to do!
May we learn that it comes from His love and lean into His discipline rather than kicking against it!
For the month of October, we are answering the challenge John Goldwater, pastor of Christ Community Church in Grenada, MS, laid out — the #DailyWisdomChallenge. Each day, we are going to read through a chapter of Proverbs corresponding to the day of the month.
This fits with what we have studied in Colossians, specifically Colossians 3:1-2, namely that we should seek “the things that are above, where Christ is” and set our minds like a thermostat “on things that are above, not on things that are on earth”. Imagine what a month meditating on God’s Word daily can do for us.
Won’t you join us on this #DailyWisdomChallenge and set your minds on Christ?
I had intended on helping you understand how we should not be a part of things that God hates. And at least as I means of giving clarity and “the sense” of the passage to help people understand the reading (Nehemiah 8:8), I will.
God hates “haughty eyes” (Proverbs 6:17) — eyes lifted up in arrogance. This is not so much the eyes but rather the way that thinking you are above or better than someone is an attitude of the heart, an attitude of self-righteousness.
God hates “a lying tongue” (Proverbs 6:17) — mouths telling lies and bearing false witness rather than speaking the truth. Again, this is representative of the heart rather than one’s tongue and shows a refusal to acknowledge right and wrong but instead rearrange the truth into what suits and/or benefits you the most.
God hates “hands that shed innocent blood” (Proverbs 6:17) — the extinguishing of a human life, especially one innocent of any guilt or crime, without cause. This is murder and is rooted in the hands of the guilty and the violence and hate in their hearts.
God hates “a heart that devises wicked plans” (Proverbs 6:18) — coming up with whatever evil their wicked hearts can desire or devise. This is the root of these things that God says He hates. It shows the fruit of what is in the heart being planned more than merely impulse.
God hates “feet that make haste to run to evil” (Proverbs 6:18) — doing wrong and sinning enthusiastically. There is a contrast here that shows a desire to do the wrong one wants to do quickly rather than rushing to do good.
God hates “a false witness who breathes out lies” (Proverbs 6:19) — the second mention of lying in this list with specific difference. The lying mentioned above is generic whereas this one is specifically tearing someone down with lies, injuring their character and reputation. This shows a regard for what one wants themselves and a willingness to treat others and their lives and/or reputations as expendable.
God hates “one who sows discord among brothers” (Proverbs 6:19) — one who purposefully divides brothers and creates animosity where there was unity.
The English teacher part of me wants to show you how most of those — the first five, specifically — are examples of metonymy, which means the parts represent the whole. The eyes, tongue, hands, heart, and feet represent the whole person, indicating that the sin is not merely the byproduct of bodily functions but the body carrying out our sin. But the last two are not metonymy. They are the whole. A “false witness” and “one who sows discord” are sins that define the person.
It was at this point that I intended to wrap the writing by saying that we need to make sure that we are not about or doing the things that God says He hates but rather to be about spreading His gospel and thereby His love. And that is definitely true. What I did not intend was to be caught up in desiring to do some of the things God hates myself on the very day of the reading.
I won’t go into detail, but I was reminded yesterday how easy it is to get caught up in anger or aggravation and decide on a course of action that feels right. In that flash of anger, I could hear the Holy Spirit reminding me of the six things that God hates, namely the seventh that is an abomination to Him. I could see clearly how I was willing to devise a wicked plan that would sow discord. God stopped me. His Word stopped me. His Spirit stopped me.
I am thankful God humbled me before I showed myself to be a fool. This wisdom does God’s work within us.
That’s good news.
Lord, help me to hide Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You. Help me to remember who You are growing me to be and to be about what You told me to do rather than what I want to do. Thank you for letting me see that I was about to do something You hate, and show my brothers and sisters that, too. Amen.
For the month of October, we are answering the challenge John Goldwater, pastor of Christ Community Church in Grenada, MS, laid out — the #DailyWisdomChallenge. Each day, we are going to read through a chapter of Proverbs corresponding to the day of the month.
This fits with what we have studied in Colossians, specifically Colossians 3:1-2, namely that we should seek “the things that are above, where Christ is” and set our minds like a thermostat “on things that are above, not on things that are on earth”. Imagine what a month meditating on God’s Word daily can do for us.
Won’t you join us on this #DailyWisdomChallenge and set your minds on Christ?
Proverbs 5 is tough — as it should be, because there is real danger and wickedness in the world that actively seeks to lead us astray.
Right there in Proverbs 5:1, we see the same call to attentiveness to “wisdom” in order to gain “insight” (Proverbs 4:1) and “understanding” as in our last post. The specific nature of the wisdom offered in Proverbs 5 is about the temptation of adultery, and it uses the illustration of the words (anti-wisdom, if you will) that come from the “lips of a forbidden woman” (Proverbs 5:3).
I chose Proverbs 5:18 as the focus verse because it very clearly illustrates a few things about the way that God’s plan and wisdom unfold.
First, God is not some cosmic killjoy trying to keep us from having fun and enjoyment. We need to be attentive to God’s wisdom because He knows best, and especially because He knows and sees beyond what we can. We might get caught up in listening to the anti-wisdom and think it’s “honey” because its rhetoric is “smoother than oil” (Proverbs 5:3), but in reality, that honey is laced with “wormwood” (poison) and seeks to cut us down as with a “two-edged sword” (Proverbs 5:4).
Second, God’s ways are not empty of enjoyment. Proverbs 5:18 gives contrast to the poison anti-wisdom and allure of adultery by reminding that there is rejoicing in one’s own wife, one’s own spouse. Furthermore (and not something I am going into here), the following verses show that all of the enjoyment promised by the forbidden woman (without the danger and death) can be more truly and completely found in one’s own marriage! In fact, that’s God’s design. Read on in Proverbs 5 and be attentive to see what I’m talking about.
Lastly, following God’s design and heeding His wise counsel leads to life. The forbidden woman “does not ponder the path of life” (Proverbs 5:6) and “her steps follow the path to Sheol” (Proverbs 5:5). Let me translate that for you: she doesn’t care that the wages of sin is death because she’s on the broad road that leads to destruction, to Hell (Romans 6:23, Matthew 7:13). You may not know it, but there is more going on than someone tempting spouses to cheat; as Paul said in Ephesians 6:12, “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places”. Be attentive to the wisdom of God and not tempted by the smooth honey poison of the devil and this world.
To sum all this up, and especially if you are married, God’s ways are best and the husband or wife He has given you is where you are to find your delight.
Lord, help us enjoy our marriage and be attentive to your wisdom and ways. Protect our marriages and strengthen them in you. Shield us from the evil attacks around us and keep our attention and ears tuned into what You have for us.
For the month of October, we are answering the challenge John Goldwater, pastor of Christ Community Church in Grenada, MS, laid out — the #DailyWisdomChallenge. Each day, we are going to read through a chapter of Proverbs corresponding to the day of the month.
This fits with what we have studied in Colossians, specifically Colossians 3:1-2, namely that we should seek “the things that are above, where Christ is” and set our minds like a thermostat “on things that are above, not on things that are on earth”. Imagine what a month meditating on God’s Word daily can do for us.
Won’t you join us on this #DailyWisdomChallenge and set your minds on Christ?
This section of proverbs is written father-to-son and gives a good picture of why the wisdom of God is good for us — and better than the wisdom of the world.
There is a phrase in English that is meant to convey this: father knows best. There was even a TV show with that name in the 1950s. Well, it ain’t the 1950s anymore. Fathers don’t always know best or give the best advice; they don’t always give the best example to follow and aren’t too consistent (even absent in too many cases).
The phrase “father knows best” doesn’t mean what it once did. And, truth be told, it didn’t mean it as often as folks would like to believe then. Here’s some good news, though: God the Father knows best. Always. His wise counsel is worth following. His example is worth following. He is the very definition of consistent. And because He is God, He is never absent!
The picture we get in Proverbs 4 is instruction for the son to “be attentive” in order to “gain insight”. So, for us in this #DailyWisdomChallenge (and for all the days that follow until we stand before the Father), we should be attentive to what God the Father has to tell us in His Word. That will give us insight into how He intended us to live, and since He is God — the inventor of humanity and the giver of life, He knows how He designed life to work best. God the Father knows best.
Here’s some more good news: we never have to wonder if God is leading or guiding us the right way. Earthly fathers are fickle and often fail (I am unfortunately an example of this), but God the Father always gives us “good precepts”. He never leads us wrongly. So, don’t forsake His teaching but follow it wholeheartedly.
Lord, help us to hear you and be attentive to Your Word. Instill in us a trust for You as Father that may not come easy to us, and give us the strength and opportunity to live out your “good precepts”. Amen.
Just Keith Harris 