Proverbs 25
When you were younger, your mom probably advised against snacking too much before dinner. But inevitably the hunger pangs would get the best of you, and as you picked at your dinner later, your mom would say the last words you wanted to hear, “I told you so.” In God’s loving and infinite wisdom, He speaks to us about how to navigate through life. Throughout Proverbs 25, we find solid wisdom that can help us avoid “I told you so” moments. Doing what is right requires us to get rid of everything not right in our hearts. The first step in applying God’s wisdom to our lives is to check our hearts. We see this in Proverbs 25:4-5, “Remove the impurities from silver, and the sterling will be ready for the silversmith. Remove the wicked from the king’s court, and his reign will be made secure by justice.” Doing what is right requires us to get rid of everything not right in our hearts. To get your heart in the right place, ask Jesus to soften your hearts and rid you from any unforgiveness, unbelief, or bitterness. With a healthy heart, we can apply the wisdom Proverbs describes. In Proverbs 25:1-10, we’re encouraged to act with humility, assume the best, and never betray a confidence. We’re told to pay attention to the words we speak and avoiding quarreling whenever possible. Ephesians 4:29 echoes this teaching saying, “Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.” Our words will always be an outpouring of what’s in our hearts. So if we want to do what’s right, we’ll need the right heart. Then, as we obey God’s wisdom, we start to see change spiritually and practically as we grow closer to God and each other. Reflect:
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Proverbs 24
Have you ever sat through a history, science, or even a math class and thought, When will I ever use this? It’s easy to let knowledge pass us by if we don’t believe it will be useful in our day-to-day lives. Studying for a math exam is much different than studying the Bible. When we read the Bible, we come across truths we can apply to our circumstances. We gain knowledge and wisdom when we read God’s Word, but it is what we do with that knowledge and wisdom that is most important. With wisdom comes great responsibility. The wisdom you receive is meant to serve a greater good. In Proverbs 24:11-12, King Solomon warns us to protect others in harm of danger or sin. We are held responsible for what we know. What a powerful role to have! When we find wisdom, we have a responsibility to do the right thing and to guide others to do what is right as well. When we use the wisdom we’ve received and share it with others, it blesses our life and the lives of those around us. Proverbs 24:14 says wisdom is “sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.” Growing in wisdom is truly sweet, and it doesn’t have to be scary. Though we may have a huge responsibility, we can know that the Lord has our back. When others want to mock us for doing what’s right instead of what’s easy, Proverbs 24:19-20 encourages us, “Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of the wicked, for the evil man has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.” As you read through Proverbs, hold onto the wisdom you gain. Allow wisdom from the Lord to be your foundation. Learn to wield it well by being honest and fair, prudent, and hardworking in every area of your life (Proverbs 24:23-34). Reflect
Prev Proverbs 23
As parents, we hope our kids can turn down drugs, alcohol, and pornography without hesitation. If only we could will them to make better choices, they could avoid much pain and experience more joy. But as we lead our kids toward good choices, it’s important to ask: Is our goal to raise our kids in righteousness? Or, are we simply keeping our kids busy striving for earthly success? Proverbs 23 is a call to steer clear from the things of this world because they yield a poor return on our investment. Riches and fame are fleeting, while wisdom and truth will bring ultimate joy and fulfillment. If we want our kids to be wise, we need to guide them in pursuing wisdom for themselves. While it’s important to model character and integrity, we must also be intentional in molding teachable spirits. If our children learn to obey us, they’ll be prepared to submit to other authority figures in their lives, including the Lord. We want our kids to make the right choices, but the only way they can succeed is by learning the difference between God’s truth and the messages they hear daily from media and culture. Sometimes, they’ll get it right. And sometimes, they’ll get it wrong. But even as our kids experience the consequences of bad choices, they gain the wisdom of choosing better next time. Wisdom is not a pill to swallow for instant clarity. It is blooming inside our kids through a lifetime of choices. May we discern the wisdom of the ages in these proverbs for ourselves and pour them into our kids, so they create a bottomless well our kids draw from for the rest of their lives. Reflect
Proverbs 22
Everyone is born with a boatload of foolishness (Proverbs 22:15). Our natural tendency is to choose poorly and experience bad consequences. What toddler doesn't think it's great fun to stick a wet finger in an electrical outlet? One thing a foolish person doesn't care about is his reputation. The screaming, crying 2-year-old being dragged out of the mall couldn't care less about how he looks. But God tells us that a good reputation is more valuable than riches (Proverbs 22:1). When all we want is wealth, we’ll waste anything to get it. When we guard a good name, we guard every area of our lives. For example, people who value their reputations make wise financial decisions. They understand the pitfalls of borrowing money and co-signing for loans, the blessings of generosity, and the stupidity of taking advantage of the poor. They know it's easy to find excuses not to work, but hard workers are extraordinary and find themselves in extraordinary places (Proverbs 22:13 and Proverbs 22:29). People who value their reputations guard their social lives. They won't cozy up to risky situations, immoral behavior, or hot-tempered people because they know entanglements there lead to disaster (Proverbs 22:3-8, Proverbs 22:14, Proverbs 22:24-25). People who value their reputations guard what goes into their heads and comes out of their mouths so they are prepared to apply knowledge to a problem and speak words of wisdom when questioned (Proverbs 22:11-12, Proverbs 22:17-20). People who value their reputations also value the reputations of their children and teach them to make wise choices (Proverbs 22:6, Proverbs 22:15). And most importantly, when God’s people value their reputations they do so to bring glory to His name, not their own (Proverbs 22:4). Since foolishness doesn't disappear with age, the remedy is to learn the wisdom of God and then discipline ourselves to obey His instructions. The book of Proverbs is a great place to start. Reflect:
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More than 40 million people visit Las Vegas, Nevada, every year, and each one gambles an average of $530 in an effort to hit the jackpot. The desire to get rich quick is widespread. Few people would prefer to work hard and save for many years. That’s what makes the lure of winning so big. But too often, trying to get wealth without working for it leads only to further poverty. God knows we want the quick and easy route to anything, but He also knows that receiving wealth without working for it is detrimental to our spiritual health. Wanting to have money or nice things isn’t necessarily a sin, but what we do to gain that treasure exposes the state of our heart and the seriousness of our commitment to God. In Proverbs 21, the Bible warns against seeking to obtain treasure by any number of shortcuts — lying, violence, selfishness, and laziness. Proverbs 21:25 says, “the craving of a sluggard will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work.” In contrast, “the plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty” (Proverbs 21:5). A person who works hard and honestly is called righteous. That person’s reward is life, prosperity, and honor (Proverbs 21:21). When we have a relationship with Jesus, we recognize that He is more valuable than any amount of money. As a result, we aim to do things that please Him, like being generous and honest in our dealings with people. When our motives are pure, our worship of God will be pleasing — and that is a bigger blessing than hitting the jackpot could ever be. Reflect:
Prev Proverbs 20
From movies to music, our culture seems to hold the party scene on a platform and shout, “This is where you’ll find fulfillment!” Where else will you meet someone special, solidify your social status, and make memories you’ll tell your kids about one day? In reality, the air smells like body odor and alcohol. The conversations rarely go deeper than surface level. And the decisions you make can affect the rest of life, but not for the better. The party scene might be interesting, but is it the kind of life we want to lead? Drunkenness often leads us to do things we never thought we’d do — pick fights, avoid responsibility, cheat others — all the while concealing and numbing the longing in our hearts for something more (Proverbs 20:1-6). Only a relationship with Jesus can fulfill us and sustain us. Proverbs 20:7 says, “The righteous lead blameless lives; blessed are their children after them.” The righteous are not those who never mess up, but those who carry no blame because Jesus has paid for their sins. When we ask Jesus into our lives, the Holy Spirit gives us the ability to see things as they really are (Proverbs 20:12). And as our priorities change, our lives begin to change. Instead of overindulging in wine or strong drink, the Bible tell us to fill ourselves with wisdom from God and His people. When the volume of truth gets turned up, the voice of the world gets tuned out. Our greatest moments didn’t happen inside the walls of a rager. We were created for more. The Lord is working in us even when we can’t see Him (Proverbs 20:24). And as we seek our fulfillment in Him, wisdom can become our legacy. Reflect:
Prev Proverbs 19
If a group of teachers was asked to create a list of the most common excuses students make, “He/She made me do it” and “It’s not my fault” would be at the top. Children tend to act impulsively, are quick to pass the blame, and often have a difficult time controlling their temper. They haven’t had time to develop self-discipline and are not mature enough to see all of the consequences that could result from their behavior. Unfortunately, adults often struggle with the same issues. Age is not always an indicator of maturity. Being older does not necessarily stop us from making irrational, impulsive decisions or saying things we don’t really mean. The Bible teaches us that when we fall short, we are to take responsibility for our actions. God has given us the ability to control our tempers, to show generosity and understanding, to make wise choices, and to avoid the consequences of foolish living (Proverbs 19:11-29). Choosing wisdom takes practice and self-discipline, and it requires us to heed the Bible’s instruction. Through the Bible, God has given us a guide to avoid foolish choices and live more like Him every day. Proverbs 19:27 says, “Cease listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.” Our best defense to sinful behavior is to never cease listening to our Father’s instruction. Reflect:
Prev Proverbs 18
One night as a mother and daughter were doing their nightly routine before bed, the mom saw an opportunity for a quick, but important, lesson. She took a brand new tube of toothpaste, handed it to her daughter, and asked her daughter to squeeze the entire tube out into the sink. Confused, but interested, the daughter did as she was asked. Once the tube was empty, the mother asked her to put all of it back in the tube. “Our words are like that toothpaste,” the mother said. “Once released, our words cannot be put back in our mouths and forgotten.” Proverbs 18 warns us of the consequences of using words carelessly. We can’t uncrush or un-offend someone, so we are to be wise about how we speak to others and value our relationships over the need to be right (Proverbs 18:14, Proverbs 18:19, and Proverbs 18:20-24). Maya Angelou once said, “People will forget what you did and who you are, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” How we make people feel is a result of the words we say and how we say them. Our words are powerful. They carry weight. So know what you believe and why you believe it, then articulate your faith in a way that is careful and intentional (Proverbs 18:1-7, Proverbs 18:13-17). Reflect:
Prev Proverbs 17
We are all guilty of running our mouths and hurting other people. Without even stopping to think, we open our mouths and out come our opinions on someone’s lifestyle, the way they dress, or how they raise their kids. It’s not like we aren’t all painfully aware how it feels to be the subject of others’ harmful words. If we know how much it hurts to have such words directed at us, why do we allow foul talk in our lives? We can keep our hearts from tumbling into trouble by avoiding those who tear others down in order to make themselves feel better. When we make fun of other people, we insult God and our actions will be punished (Proverbs 17:5). God wants more for His children. He calls us to reflect His character through our words and actions (Colossians 3:12-15). And, Jesus Himself said we should love one another the same way that He loved us. One way we show Jesus’ love is by carefully choosing our words to love and encourage each other. We are to fill our friends with love, support, and encouragement (Proverbs 17:9, Proverbs 17:17-18). And when we hurt a friend, we are to reconcile the situation, admitting we were wrong and working to make things right (Proverbs 17:19-20, Matthew 5:24). It can take time to tame our tongues. But a good first step is understanding the power of our words, and learning to see what we say as a representation of what Jesus would say. Reflect:
Prev Proverbs 16
Think back to when you were little. How many times did you answer the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” More than you could count, right? Your answers may have ranged from astronaut to zookeeper, but one thing’s for sure — your thoughts were on the future from a very young age. As a concept, the future is fascinating. From blank canvases to an unwritten page, analogies tend to focus on its limitless potential. The thought of doing whatever we want is exhilarating. But as we get older and begin planning what’s next, fear of the unknown often overwhelms our enthusiasm. For many of us, the future is a maddening mix of excitement and uncertainty. In Proverbs 16, Solomon addresses the challenge of planning for the future. While we have the freedom to chart a course forward as we see fit, submitting our plans to God’s leading is the only sure way to ensure lasting significance (Proverbs 16:1-9). Following God may require us to set aside personal agendas and aspirations, but it allows us to experience His faithfulness in a way that reshapes what we value and how we define success. Doing what’s right begins to take precedence over doing what’s easy, and the legacy we leave is one that values virtue over material reward (Proverbs 16:10-17). Even as we plan our future according to God’s direction, we still have a responsibility to work hard and demonstrate discipline and self-control. It takes faith and humility to put our heart into plans we can’t control, but when we walk the path God reveals, the end result is always better than what we could have accomplished alone (Proverbs 16:18-33). Reflect:
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