May 31 - Proverbs 31

Here we are.  We have reached the final chapter in this book about wisdom.  And - here we are - we have reached that section of Proverbs that some have tagged "a description of the ideal wife"!  The NIV tags her as "the wife of noble character."  Do those descriptions mean that the rest of us are less than ideal?  Not so noble?  I don't think so ...

I must confess to a love/hate relationship with these verses.  I find myself wanting to explain them away with cynical comments such as, "Well ... what do you expect.  It's the fantasy a mother wants for her son!"  Or, "It's the ancient equivalent of the 'super woman' complex." 

But today I read them more slowly ... less defensively ... more thoughtfully.  And what I find today is this:

There are bookends around her.  The first bookend is verses 11 - 12:  "Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.  She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life."

The other bookend is verse 30:  "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." 

All of those verses between the bookends are describing one woman's life - not mine!  I can pull principles from them ... but there is no reason for me to become paranoid about the specifics.  It's just the details.  My details will look different ... they will read different ... they will be different.  The principles I see are things such as:

1. she takes care of her children and her household
2. she makes sure there is food, clothing and linens
3. she is not lazy
4. she responds to the needs of the poor around her, as she can
5. she is wise with what finances she is responsible for

OK.  For you and I ... today ... check your bookends first!  Do you bring good, not harm, to your spouse?  (This has to do with the way you talk about him - talk to him)  Do you honor him?  Can he trust you?  Then  move to the other end.  Do you place the fear of the Lord at the top of your priority list?   Actually, it is the beginning place for wisdom, remember?  (Prov 1:7)

Get your bookends in place ... and the middle is just detail ... the details of your particular life.  This woman in Proverbs 31 was truly remarkable ... but not because she was wealthy or smart or well organized.  Not because she knew what to do with flax or could stay up all night.  She is remarkable to me because her bookends were in place.  Are yours?  Are mine?

Lord, help me today to honor my husband.  To bring him good.  I lay down today my tendency to think about what I wish he would do or be.  Just me today ... just me with You today.  Because I fear You, I will honor him ... through Your Spirit ... I will offer that gift to my spouse this day.

There will be one final post in relationship to our May Project.  Beginning June 1 ... we would all love to hear from each other about what you gained from this project.  What stood out most in summary?  What are you walking away with?  How has God touched you through this book?  Any wisdom gained?  Be thinking ...

May 30 - Proverbs 30

Who is this man Agur? 

From:  The New Bible Commentary we read:  "We know nothing of Agur, Jakeh, Ithiel, or Ucal (1) ... But this mystery sets the right tone for the mystery Agur wishes to confess (2–4). We have noted that often Proverbs can seem to be teaching rather over-confident generalizations about how life works and how God works, whereas both are more mysterious than the generalizations suggest."


So while we do not know who this man is ... we can deduce that he is quite observant as he watches the ways of this world.  Do you agree with his observations?  What would you add to his lists? 

I am most intrigued by Agur's prayer in verses 7 - 8.  He asks for only 2 things ... keep him from falsehood ... and place him somewhere between wealth and poverty. 

We have read so much in this book about honesty ... speaking the truth ... no false testimony.  This is an appropriate prayer for us as well.  Lord, keep us from falsehood and lying lips.  Today ... may my speech be only truth.  

We have read much about wealth and its dangers ... about poverty and its destruction.  Lord, guard our hearts as well from the arrogance that comes with wealth.  And may we not know the desperate condition of poverty either.  Give us eyes to see those who are struggling there ... and be willing to help where we can.

May 29 - Proverbs 29

Can't believe we are already at chapter 29 ... we are closing in on the end of this book.  I am so glad you are still with us! 

There is another admonition about our speech that is helpful and meaningful to me in Chapter 29.  It is  verse 5.  "Whoever flatters his neighbor is spreading a net for his feet."  Interesting.  Flattering someone is like trying to trip them ... make them fall.  I was interested in understanding better what it means to "flatter" someone.  Here is what I found about that word in Hebrew ...

From the Dictionary of Biblical Languages:  1. creamy, slippery, i.e., pertaining to a state or condition of a moist, viscus food, so easy to swallow.  2. to give misleading opinions or thoughts about what is true, often encouraging wrong behavior.


Wow.  That's why flattery is so dangerous.  We want to believe it ... it's easy to swallow.  And it most generally puffs us up.  You know of many celebrities and sports figures who begin to believe their own press.  Such things are truly slippery.  The apostle Paul told us to not think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think.  He was not into poor self esteem or poor self evaluation.  Just be honest ... about self ... about others.  I don't want to trip someone up in their life walk.  Do you?  So flattery is out of place.
 
Another thing about flattery is found in Psalm 5.  Psalm 5 is one of David's Psalms and it is a plea for mercy from God.  In the Psalm, David writes about persons who cannot be with God ... they are called wicked, arrogant, wrong-doers, liars, bloodthirsty, deceitful men.  Now ... listen to the way David describes them (from the NASB translation) "There is nothing reliable in what they say; their inward part is destruction itself; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue." 
 
OK ... we must be sure that this thing is far from our lips.  So what is the difference between flattery and complimenting?  I think it must have to do with intent and degree.  Flattery is more often about the person doing the speaking.  It is self-serving.  It is offered as a way to gain advantage ... or to get in with someone considered important.  It does not concern itself with truth.  A compliment, on the other hand, is more often about the person receiving the words.  It is to encourage.

May we be women who look for ways to compliment and encourage those around us ... never resorting to flattery to get our way or to gain an advantage.

Wisdom Lord ... to know the difference!

May 28 - Proverbs 28

I am reminded today of two great truths ...

Verse 6 reminds us that it is far better to live with integrity, even if you do not have much in the way of earthly wealth, than to have much "stuff" and be crooked.  The NASB uses the word, "crooked", where the NIV uses "perverse".  When you hear someone described as being a "crook", what do you know about the person?  They can't be trusted.  They're devious, dishonest.  All the wealth in the world will not compensate for crooked living.  That fact you can take to the bank!

Verse 27 reminds us that God cares about the disenfranchised in His world.  He cares about the poor.  If God cares about that ... does it not make sense that we should as well?  It reminds me to not close my eyes to the needy around me.  No one of us can cure the poverty of the world.  Even Jesus reminded His followers that the poor would be with us always.  But the reality of their existence does not negate the necessity of our compassion and care.  It speaks volumes about our own hearts.  Generosity is a gift of the Spirit.  Let it be said of us ... "She did what she could." 

Lord, give us eyes to see the poor around us.  Give us hearts to care.  Give us your spirit of generosity toward others rather than a spirit of greed.  You tell us, Lord, to trust in You ... and You will make our paths straight.  Our desire is to walk with integrity ... not crooked.  And so Lord ... we tell You again today ... in You we trust.  Make our walk today ... straight.

May 27 - Proverbs 27

I am intrigued with verse 11 today:  "Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart; then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt."  Other translations use the word "reproach" in the last phrase.  Listen to the way The Message translates it:  Become wise, dear child, and make me happy; then nothing the world throws my way will upset me.

I hear this proverb saying that when our children make wise choices ... when they exercise good judgement ... we can handle anything.  I think the reverse is also true ... when we see them making foolish choices ... using no judgement at all ... our own struggles are tougher, pain is more intense, and criticism (another way to translate the word for contempt)  from others tends to crush us. 

I am resisting the temptation to send this information to my children!  So for application I must look to myself as a daughter.  My father has gone into eternity but my mom is here.  Do I bring joy to her heart by the wisdom I exhibit?  I wonder ... Do I make her life easier to handle because I am wise in decisions and attitudes?  I wonder ...

Make your parents hearts joyful ... make their lives easier ... pay attention to "getting wisdom".  We have read much about the discipline required, the determination required.  So what remains is for us to determine to do it.  You are on the right path ... you are showing your desire by your attention to this May project.  Keep on, my friends!

May 26 - Proverbs 26

This is a rich chapter.  The similes used by the writer to describe the fool are picturesque and communicate very clearly.  The descriptions of the sluggard, the one who is lazy, are comical as they describe the end of that road.  In the middle of those descriptions lie two statements that speak loudly to me.

The first is verse 17:  "Like one who seizes a dog by the ears is a passer-by who meddles in a quarrel not his own."  Have you ever jumped into a quarrel that was not yours?  Invested your energy, both emotional and physical, in an argument that had nothing to do with you?  It takes wisdom to know what is yours and what is another persons - especially when the other person is someone we know well and love!   

The second thing in this chapter that impresses me is in verses 18-19:  "Like a madman shooting firebrands or deadly arrows is a man who deceives his neighbor and says, 'I was only joking!'"  It makes me think of the way we sometimes say things that are cutting, or bordering on making fun of someone, and then follow the comment with "just kidding."  As if there is nothing wrong with saying unkind things as long as the person says they were kidding.  I also know that I have done that myself.  As this wisdom writer continues to emphasis the way we speak ... here is another habit that needs to be broken.  It is not a joke when we cut someone down.   Specifically this saying has to do with deception, maybe even manipulation, and when challenged about it ... oh, I was just kidding.  I can hear our Lord saying, "Let your yes - be yes.  And let your no - be no."  Plain speech.  Kind speech.  The kind of words that portray wisdom ... not folly.

Don't know about you ... but I have some work to do!  Awareness is the beginning place ...

Lord, give us ears to hear our own words.  Put a spotlight on any time that we fall into this trap.  Bring it to our mind.  Help us break that hurtful habit.  I pray that, through Your Spirit, we can develop the habit of speaking plain words, honest words, kind words.   

May 25 - Proverbs 25

I received one of those phone calls that no one wants to ever get.  Last night ... late.  I was given the "news" of one who had taken his life.  Tragedy.  Loss. 

After the shock began to subside, the cries of "Why" wracked both body and soul.  And I think about the ones in scripture who cried out to God with their own "whys".  There was Job ... there was David ... even our Jesus cried that very question as He hung on the cross. 

And then I read our Proverb for today ... chapter 25 ... and was touched by verse 2a:  "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; ..."  There are things that we will not, indeed, cannot know.  I believe that is true because it is beyond our capacity to understand.  And so we trust. 

Deuteronomy 29:29 says that "the secret things belong to the Lord our God."  Some questions cannot be answered.  And so we trust. 

Anne Graham Lotz wrote:  "I lay my 'whys' before your Cross in worship kneeling, my mind too numb for thought, my heart beyond all feeling.  And worshiping, realize that I ... in knowing You ... don't need a 'why'."

Do you have some "whys" still reverberating in your own soul?  Take them to your Father ... lay them there.  And realize, with me, that for some reason we cannot understand this side of eternity ... "it is the glory of God to conceal things."  And trust ...

May 24 - Proverbs 24

How is your house?  Is it in order?  Does it contain any treasures?  Is it secure?  As women, most of us are "nesters".  We like to fix our nest and arrange it as we like.  Our resources may be small or great ... doesn't matter ... point is we still like to arrange our houses.  So - did verses 3 & 4 speak to you today?  I see two applications of these words for  us ...

First, our homes themselves.  Notice the three necessities ... wisdom, understanding and knowledge.  Those are not the first things we generally think about when we look around our houses!  Those are not the first things we find on wedding registries for new brides!  The results of these three are that homes are built, established and furnished.  And the furnishings are "rare and beautiful treasures." 

Secondly, think about yourself as a "house".  The three necessities still remain ... wisdom, understanding and knowledge.  I want to be continually built. I want to be established, secure.  I want to be full of treasures! 

I did some word study on these 3 amazing necessities ...
1.  wisdom ... includes discernment of good and evil, includes prudence in secular matters.  James tells us that if we want it ... ask God for it.  I want it ... the ability to discern what is good and what is not.  I want it for my "house" and I want it for myself.

2.  understanding ... includes the ability to perceive, to comprehend, to consider.  I want to be able to perceive truth, righteousness for my household and for myself.

3.  knowledge ... means to learn about, to acquire information.  I want the mental ability to learn.  We need information, correct information, to make wise decisions.  So Bible study matters.  The discipline of it matters.  You may be getting tired of reading a chapter of Proverbs every day ... but stay with it.  We are acquiring knowledge and asking God to give us the ability to understand and to turn the understanding into wisdom for us. 

Acquiring knowledge ... evaluating and reflecting to gain understanding ... praying for wisdom from God.  I want all three ... not only for my "house" but for myself. 

Pray with me ... Lord, we pray for the determination to stay on course to gain knowledge from You.  We ask You to give us understanding of the things we learn.  Take it all the way to wisdom.  Your wisdom.  And we ask that You will establish our homes.  As women, furnish our "homes" with Your treasures.

May 23 - Proverbs 23

Verse 10 uses a phrase that we saw also in Proverbs 22.  It is a rather odd phrase for our ears ... perhaps that is one reason it stands out to me. 

          Verses 10-11:  "Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless, for their Defender is strong; He will take up their case against you."

The word used is very specific - fatherless - not orphans.  Orphans are those who are parent-less.  In scripture we often see the words "widow and fatherless" together.  At that time, without a father in the household, the little family was vulnerable indeed!  Vulnerable against the wiles and greed of the culture.  This proverb seems to be telling people in that time to be very careful before they took advantage of the weak ones in their culture.  Be careful because God Himself is watching on their behalf. 

Does this proverb have anything to say to us?  I think so.  Who are the vulnerable ones in our culture?  The ones we can easily take advantage of.  And it may still relate very closely to the "widow and the fatherless".  This wisdom writer is warning us to be careful ... because God Himself is watching over them ... and will be their defense. 

Lord ... help me see the vulnerable ones in my circles.  Help me not just blow past them in my hurry and/or naivete.  Forgive me when I have ignored or even taken advantage in the past.  Give me eyes to see ... and a heart that is willingly to defend. 

May 22 - Proverbs 22

The very first verse in chapter 22 is what I want to meditate upon today.  "A good name".  This wisdom writer calls it a great treasure.  I've done a little digging into these words and what they may reference in Hebrew.  The word translated name means "name, memory, reputation, renown."  It seems to me that it is a "what are you known for" kind of idea. 

In one of our group Bible studies last month, our teacher began to throw out names ... and we were to give a one-word response.  Names such as ... Michael Jordan, Meryl Streep, Abraham Lincoln ... you get the idea.  Is there a word that would describe you?  Is it good?  If not ... what do you WANT that word to be?  Perhaps knowing that will help us live toward it! 

Another picture that came to my mind is that of a funeral.  Such beautiful things are generally said about the one being honored.  What do you want said about you?  Perhaps we should live so that our friends and family will not have to lie!! 

The same word is used in Genesis 11 in the account of the building of the Tower of Babel.  These men wanted to "make a name for themselves".  Problem was ... it was not a 'good' name ... it was a 'no need for God' name. 

So my question for us today ... what kind of name are you making for yourself?  You add to the description of you every day. 

A good name ... a great treasure. 

Lord, may my behaviors, attitudes and words this day be worthy of my walk with You.  I wear Your Name ... and that is the BEST name ... may I not be an oxymoron today!

May 21 - Proverbs 21

We get another dose of the misery of living with a quarrelsome wife in this chapter.  Hmmmm ... I wonder if Solomon had not had 300 wives, perhaps they would have been less quarrelsome.  But - we have already established that we have no desire to be characterized by a belligerent, angry temperament. 

I want to focus on verse 4 today:  "Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin!"

Haughty eyes ... the Hebrew word means "to be lifted up; being on a higher plane"

The word is used in both positive and negative ways.  There are numerous references in scripture where God "lifts up" and it is this word used.  However, in this proverb, the negative aspect is definitely on stage.  It seems that the sin occurs when a man/woman lifts herself up ... sees herself as above others ... better than. 

Serious self-examination is called for.  I am convinced that "better than" thinking is what ultimately leads people to inhumane treatment of other human beings, to violence, to wars.  You can hear the twang of haughtiness in the way people talk about others ... racially ... economically ... culturally ... educationally ... religiously.  God hates haughty eyes. 

I've been guilty.  Have you?  I struggle.  Do you? 
Come on girls ... let's confess this ugliness, accept the forgiveness and cleansing of our perfect Father ... and commit to living this day haughty-free!  We will have to recommit tomorrow ... and the next day ... and the next.  It's worth it.

May 20 - Proverbs 20

So many of the Proverbs are about the tongue, have you noticed?  What we say ... how much we talk.  In today's chapter there are several references to our speech again. 

Verse 15:  ... lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel
Verse 19:  A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.  (The NRSV calls this person a "babbler")
Verse 25:  It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider his vows. 

So what do I learn about my speech from these proverbs?  First, my words need to be true - they need to have knowledge behind them.   It seems to be a rare thing ... a person who speaks only out of knowledge and truth.  I want to be one of them.

Secondly, be careful to whom you confide confidences.  The world is full of people who love to gossip .. they love to tell what they know, often exaggerating or twisting until the tale is unrecognizable.  Not only do we need to be sure we are not one of them, we need to be wise in whom we confide. 

Third, don't be a babbler ... don't talk all the time.  When I was teaching Middle School a few years ago, we had a marvelous English teacher in my school.  The 7th grade girls used to drive him crazy with their constant chatter.  One day he was pushed over the edge and said to one girl, "It is possible to have an unexpressed thought!"  I think of those words often ... don't talk all the time!

Fourth, be careful about promises and vows.  A vow is a serious thing ... never to be taken lightly.  So why not think carefully before you make them!  One writer (Robert Alden) says, "Be very careful when making a promise.  The enthusiasm of the moment may not reflect a realistic assessment of our ability to carry it out.  This is dangerous because it forces some people into breaking vows."  And breaking a vow is a serious matter. 

So my prayer for today ... Lord, place a guard on my tongue today.  Help me think before I speak.  Help me be honorable when someone confides in me.  Help me be thoughtful about promises.  And when I make one ... give me the strength to carry it to completion.  You are faithful and trustworthy ... may I be more like You today. 

May 19 - Proverbs 19

Two kinds of wives are represented in this chapter.  There is the "quarrelsome wife" of verse 13.  The Hebrew word translated "quarreling" is a word that is most often used in military settings ... it means "fighting".  I think of constant arguing ... I think of a belligerent attitude ... I think of continually fighting over things.  Ever been there?  Girls ... when we go there ... we are like water torture!  I don't think this proverb is saying that we should never disagree or defend a position.  I think it is saying that when that style characterizes us ... watch out.  Lord, help me recognize in myself when I am leaning toward being quarrelsome.  Give me wisdom to know the difference in discussing a disagreement and having a quarrelsome spirit.  I want to be shaped by you.  I want to carry the "gentle and quiet spirit" that the apostle Peter tells us is "precious" to You.  (1 Peter 3:4  KJV)

The other kind of wife in this chapter is in verse 14.  She is the "prudent wife".  This Hebrew word, sakal,  means:
to be prudent, act wisely, give attention to, ponder, prosper.” 

The basic meaning of sakal seems to be “to look at, to give attention to,” sakal never concerns abstract prudence, but acting prudently
(Vine, W. E. ; Unger, Merrill F. ; White, William: Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. Nashville : T. Nelson, 1996, S. 1:273)
 
I hear the wisdom writer saying that wives (women) who pay attention to things and act wisely in relation to  ... perhaps their families, their words, their activities, their choices ... these women are a gift from the Lord.  I want to be there.  I want to be one of "those"!  Lord, help me this day to think before I speak ... to reflect before I react.  I do want to be a gift from You to the people in my life. 

May 18 - Proverbs 18

Verse 9 caught my attention today.  "One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys." (NIV)
And from the NRSV:  "One who is slack in work is close kin to a vandal."  That comparison is a bit staggering.  Vandalism is a horrific thing.  We have all seen public surfaces defaced, incredible amounts of public monies having to be spent to restore what vandals have damaged.  Terrible!  Somebody needs to do something!  We shake our heads at the entire situation, so pleased with ourselves that we would never do such a thing. 

Then here comes this wisdom writer equating vandalism with being slack in our work!  What does that mean - slack in work?  Well ... dictionary definitions of the word include ...

1.  not using due diligence, care, or dispatch : negligent

2.  a.  characterized by slowness, sluggishness, or lack of energy, a slack pace

     b : moderate in some quality; especially : moderately warm, a slack oven

     c : blowing or flowing at low speed, the tide was slack

3   a : not tight or taut, a slack rope

     b : lacking in usual or normal firmness and steadiness : weak, slack muscles, slack supervision

4 : wanting in activity : dull, a slack market

5 : lacking in completeness, finish, or perfection, a very slack piece of work

So I get the picture.  Anytime my work is careless and/or lazy and/or sloppy, etc. I am likened to a vandal.  Don't like that comparison!  And yet I cannot write it off.  Paul says the same kind of thing in the New Testament.  Paul says it this way ... "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving." 

So my prayer for today ... Lord, I pledge my work to You today.  I will work as if You are my employer.  Actually, You are.  You are my life and my work.  You are my calling and my love.  No slackness from me today ... by Your grace and strength. 

May 17 - Proverbs 17

Two things have particularly touched me today in this chapter. 

The first is verse 3:  " The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart."  I have read about the purifying of silver and gold ... in a crucible ... through fire.  It requires intense heat.  But the impurities come out ... the end result is beautiful, valuable, a treasure.  Is that what has to be done to my self-consumed, prideful heart?  Does the Lord have to put it through intense heat for purification purposes, for beautification purposes?  Am I willing to embrace the heat because it can be used to purify me?  Are you?  Oh my ... that is a difficult question!  I don't want to just endure the hard places, the trials that come into my life ... I want to embrace them as the testing of my heart through fire ... testing by the Lord Himself.  Purifying by God. 

The second thing that spoke to my heart today is verse 9:  "He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends."  (NIV)  Listen to the way the New Revised Standard Version says it:  "One who forgives an affront fosters friendship, but one who dwells on disputes will alienate a friend."  Isn't that the truth!  We have all experienced this reality.  I know of no relationship that can continue without a healthy dose of forgiveness poured over the whole thing.  Why?  Because we sometimes offend each other.  We sometimes say things, often unintentionally, that are an affront to the other.  And we receive such things as well.  So, rather than dwelling on it, stewing in it, talking about it, thinking about it, this wisdom writer says, forgive it.  And life continues ...

Things to think about this day.  And pray about.  Are you in a place of testing right now?  Is there something in your spirit that you needs forgiveness?  May God give us the strength and His ability to handle those things in wisdom.  

P.S.  Don't miss verse 6a ... "Children's children are a crown to the aged ..."  And I shout AMEN!! I am crazy about my granddaughter!  She is indeed a crown ... Have you been crowned? 

May 16 - Proverbs 16

In reading yesterday's chapter and continuing into the reading today ... a phrase keeps being repeated that I want us to focus upon.  The phrase is "better than".  Did you notice it, too?  I like to think that I would always choose the "better" when I have the ability to choose.  I want the "better" for my life.  I am writing these statements together so that we can see them in one place ... listen ...

15:16  Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil.
15:17  Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred.
16:8    Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice.
16:16  Better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver.
16:19  Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.
16:32  Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.
and ... into tomorrow ...
17:1  Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.

Each statement contrasts 2 things ... and the wisdom writer identifies for us which has higher value.  I typed in red the valued things ... the rest is peripheral.  Do you believe him?  I think taking these statements to heart will help us in our attitudes toward our own lives ... perhaps help us not complain so much!  Maybe even help us toward developing that "cheerful heart" that we read about yesterday. 

The "better" ...

My prayer for today ... Lord, I choose the better today.  And I choose to not complain about the circumstances in which I find myself.  Help me know what I have power to change and what I do not.  Give me wisdom to change what I can.  I want Your "better" ... I want to focus upon the things You treasure. 

May 15 - Proverbs 15

Solomon's primary themes continue ... heed discipline ... pay attention to righteousness ... watch what comes out of your mouth. 

One thing that appears in this chapter that catches my attention is the statement in verse 15:  "the cheerful heart has a continual feast."  Doesn't that sound delightful - a continual feast!  That verse makes me think about having a cheerful heart ... do I have one?  Do you?  What constitutes a cheerful heart?  It certainly cannot be the absence of pain and/or hard times - no one would qualify.  The Hebrew word translated here is one that means "pleasant, agreeable, happy".  It seems to me this writer is saying with that kind of heart ... there is fullness ... always.

Verse 13 says that a happy heart makes the face cheerful ... and verse 30 says that a cheerful look brings joy to the heart.  Wait ... which comes first ... the happy heart or the cheerful countenance?  I think we have a chicken and the egg scenario here.  Perhaps they are so closely interwoven that one cannot give a clear description of which comes first.  The condition of your heart effects your face and the condition of your face effects your heart. 

Maybe wisdom would tell us to pay attention to both things.  The condition of my heart ... and the condition of my face. 

It's late tonight ... so I will have to plan to practice tomorrow ... a cheerful face ... a cheerful heart.
I think I shall pray about that as I go to sleep ...

May 14 - Proverbs 14

Chapter 14 begins with the words: A wise woman builds her house ...
Of course we are not talking about construction here.  This verse is speaking about the building of a home - the knitting together of family and the day-by-day routine of creating a happy and comfortable place for a family to live.  Women do that.  And wise women do it well.  Perhaps recognizing the emphasis that this wisdom writer places on it ... perhaps we will do it better today than we did yesterday! 

I also found myself pausing at verse 15.  "A prudent man gives thought to his steps."   I see in these few words the importance of intentional living.  I see the importance of thinking through where I will choose to walk, the paths I will choose to take.  I often think of the way pool balls, when struck, ricochet off the sides of a pool table.  I don't want to live my life that way - bouncing off every circumstance and event because I hit up against it.  My steps will follow in the footprints of my Lord - one step at a time.  That's intentional ... that's giving thought to your steps. 

So ... today ... Lord, a want to step behind You today with every step I take.  Through Your Spirit, may I respond to others, react to my circumstances, speak with friends and coworkers, family members as You would speak with them.  I choose it ... intentionally with all of my will.  And by Your power I will do it.

May 13 - Proverbs 13

In chapter 13, my heart was drawn to verse 20:  He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.

It seems that we become like what we spend our time with ... we grow to be like what we focus our attention upon.  We have all chuckled at the pictures of people who actually look a little like their dogs!  It seems to be an observable fact - we grow to resemble the objects of our attention and affection. 

Does that make us more careful about who we hang with, what we watch, what we read, where we focus our attention and affections?  Perhaps examination is in order.  Examine your friendships and take a hard look at the television programs you watch and books you read.  Do you really want to be like those people you watch and read about?  Are your friends the kind of people you want yourself to become? 

The apostle, Paul, said: "Do not be misled: 'Bad company corrupts good character.' " (1 Corinthians 15:33)

The voice of wisdom tells us to hang with wise people ... it will rub off! 

My prayer for this day:  Lord, give me eyes to see the wise ones in my path today.  May I have the wisdom to listen to them.  And primarily ... may I walk in step with You this day.  You are my friend, my wisdom and my strength.  May I grow wise in Your presence.

May 12 - Proverbs 12

Verse 18 is the one I want to claim from chapter 12 for today ...

"Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."

I suspect we all know that piercing.  We have all experienced unkind, sometimes cruel things said to us.  We have all experienced being the one to say careless, thoughtless things to another - usually someone in our own family.  It is like a sword.  And while we will cry out against physical violence, we participate in wounding others by our words.  You know the hardest part?  Often the wounds are inflicted on our own children. They are the primary recipients of our reckless and careless words - as we may have been a recipient as children ourselves.  The New Revised Standard Version translates this:  "rash words are like sword thrusts ..." 
Reckless, rash, careless words ... same as piercing someone with a sword. 

"But the tongue of the wise brings healing".

That's the good news.  There can be healing.  And it can be facilitated by wise, thoughtful, careful words.  Do you need to pass on a healing touch to someone today?  Do you need to hear the words of Jesus to bring healing to your own spirit?  Pray for wisdom ... speak well ... listen well!

Lord, give us wisdom as we are in conversations today.  Give us wisdom as we talk to little children and to spouses.  May the words of our mouths as well as the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to You this day. 

May 11 - Proverbs 11

There are still some beautiful statements about the "righteous" in this chapter ... look for them.

I am intrigued with verse 12 today.  I think were we to put the first sentence of verse 12 into our current vernacular it would say something like ... "Someone who puts another person down or makes fun of them has no sense."  But don't miss the positive ... "the intelligent person remains silent" (NRSV) or "a man of understanding holds his tongue" (NIV).  Good judgement requires that I not choose to put other people down, not make fun of or ridicule others.  The Christians language is always to build up ... never to put down. 

So there is a time to speak and a time to be silent.  It requires wisdom to differentiate between the two.  Some of us talk too much ... all the time in fact.  Others of us talk too little ... never build up, confront, or participate.

Listen to a comment from the Renovare' Spiritual Formation Bible:  "Silence is a Spiritual Discipline to be practiced not just in meditation when we are alone and listening for God's guiding voice, but also when we are with others and need to hold back words that are harsh, hurtful, or boastful.  This week, try to be aware of ways in which you might need to practice silence in your relationships."

OK ... my prayer for today ... Lord, give me wisdom to know when to speak today and when to hold my tongue.  I want to be a woman of understanding.  I want to know when to hold my tongue.  Make me aware today as I interact with those around me.  I give you control of my tongue this day! 

May 10 - Proverbs 10

I saw the word "righteous" repeated over and over in this chapter.  In your Bible, underline that word and then look at the statements surrounding "the righteous".  Meditate on them:

• righteousness delivers from death
• the Lord does not let the righteous go hungry
• blessings crown the head of the righteous
• the memory of the righteous will be a blessing
• the mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life
• the wages of the righteous bring them life
• the tongue of the righteous is choice silver
• the lips of the righteous nourish many
• what the righteous desire will be granted
• the righteous stand firm forever
• the prospect of the righteous is joy
• the way of the Lord is a refuge for the righteous
• the righteous will never be uprooted
• the mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom
• the lips of the righteous know what is fitting

The righteous ... I long to be in that company!!  Who are those people?  God is righteous.  The company of the righteous is the company of believers who are being transformed into His image.  That transformation is done by the Holy Spirit as individual souls surrender themselves into His care and keeping.  James addresses this situation in James 1: 23 - 25:

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.

Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man  who

looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately

forgets what he looks like.  But the man who looks intently  into the perfect law that

gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it -

he will be blessed in what he does.

Not only will he/she be blessed ... she will participate in the transformation process orchestrated by God Himself. 

There is my prayer for today ... Lord, I long to be among Your righteous followers.  I surrender myself to You again today.  Do Your work in me.  Righteousness ... my highest aim.

May 9 - Proverbs 9

We again see the universality of wisdom's call in this chapter.  "She calls from the highest point of the city" to humankind.  Come to her ... sit and eat and drink with her ... get wisdom. 

Also as I read this chapter, I am impressed with verses 8 - 9.  Did you see the "teachable" spirit of a wise person?  It is a foolish person who cannot (or will not) hear any rebuke, any instruction, any criticism or any insight from another person.  I have known a few people, both men and women, who have grown old ... and remained teachable.  There was no arrogance or close-mindedness in them.  This Proverbs chapter tells me that they were indeed wise. 

So ... it is Sunday morning and I will be a part of an assembly of believers this mornings.  My prayer for this day ...

Lord, give me a teachable spirit.  Give me eyes to see when I am being close-minded on anything.  Continue to teach me ... to rebuke me.  And Lord, when You use others to do that very thing ... give me the "wisdom" to hear. 

May 8 - Proverbs 8

I was moved by the beautiful descriptions and the extravagant phrases used to describe wisdom in this chapter.  I particularly loved verse 4 when wisdom calls out to "all mankind".  No selective few ... no elite minority ... not intellectuals only ... not wealthy people only ... not beautiful people only ... "all".  That means that wisdom calls to me.  And to  you ...

My birth stone is a ruby and I have always loved the gem as one of the most exquisite of the precious stones.  So when I read in verse 11 "wisdom is more precious than rubies" ... that caught my attention ... because rubies are precious!  (The New American Standard Version uses "jewels" ... but I am sticking with the NIV and the word "rubies"!) 

Notice the things in this chapter that wisdom says belong to her ...

• knowledge
• discretion
• sound judgment
• understanding
• power
• justice
• righteousness

A precious treasure indeed ...  more precious than rubies.

May 7 - Proverbs 7

Again - the warnings against sexual practice outside of marriage.  Obviously this was a huge problem in the days of the writing of this collection of sayings.  Strange - hundreds of years later - and we still struggle with the same temptations, the same "folly".  This chapter reminds me of the power of sexuality.  As we observe the tragic and solemn warnings given here, we must not forget that God created mankind - male and female - and it was "very good"!  Sexuality is such a beautiful gift from God to humankind.  Satan will twist anything God gives and turn it into something completely foreign to the intended gift.  I believe Satan has done that with sexuality and we continually struggle with the perversion. 

As a woman reading this chapter ... I feel a level of pain for the woman portrayed here.  She is a predator and I wonder what had happened to her to lead her down that path.  I have seen her 21st century counterpart.  The only hope for her is the redeeming love of Jesus. 

How do we apply these warnings to ourselves?  If you are married ... be sure that your "seductive" behavior is for your husband ... ONLY ... not the husband of your friend that you find quite wonderful ... not the man you work with who seems to pay you special attention.  If you are a single woman ... take those longings to your Lord through prayer. 

Purity matters ... it is not out of style ... it is not prudish ... it is beautiful ... it is Godly ... it is holy. 

Help us, Lord, be women who reflect Your glory ... Help us, Lord, be wives that guard our hearts to desire our husbands only.

May 6 - Proverbs 6

I am reminded again in chapter 6 how much God despises lying.  Dishonesty.  It is mentioned twice in this list of 7 things the Lord hates (verses 16 - 19).  Wisdom from God says that lying is a terrible thing.  My culture says that lying is OK if you don't get caught.  My culture says little lies to save face are understandable.  My culture says sometimes you have to lie to get ahead - falsify resumes, taxes, reports, etc.  But I read in this chapter that God HATES a lying tongue.  Can't get around that.  Can't explain it away. 

So my prayer for this day ... Lord, I determine that every word from my mouth today will be true and dependable.  Every word.  I will not bend truth to fit my need.  I will not manipulate truth to get my way.  I will be a woman whose words are trustworthy ... because I belong to you.

Which of these 7 things spoke loudly to you?

May 5 - Proverbs 5

What a sobering chapter!  It paints such a vivid picture of the destruction that follows infidelity.  Even in our culture that seems to prize the independence to do whatever you want with whomever you want whenever you want ... we have all witnessed the destruction that follows affairs and adulteries.  What is it about us humans that thinks something may be bad for everyone else ... but it won't be bad for me!  And we foolishly plunge right in ... and the consequences, the results that Solomon predicts, always follow. 

The verse in chapter 5 that is the most meaningful to me right now is verse 15:  "Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well."  To me, this verse addresses our need for contentment.  It contradicts the human tendency to think that "the grass is always greener in some other field".  I think that will be my prayer today ... Lord, help me not only exhibit contentment but help me feel it deep in my spirit.  Contentment ... with my spouse, my family, my work, myself, my income, my house, my life.  I want to drink all I can from MY OWN life today.  No one elses ...

May 4 - Proverbs 4

Proverbs 4 contains one of my "life" verses.  It is verse 23:  Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."  When you guard something, you protect it.  When military forces are in enemy territory they post guards around their camps.  Why?  To be sure that no enemy slips in.  A guard house will be set up at the entrance to a mansion or to a particular section of homes.  Why?  To provide a check point so that no one, who is un-invited, may enter.  Do you see the picture?  Above everything else in your life ... GUARD YOUR HEART!  I don't want anything undesirable to enter there - attitudes, motives, thoughts, visuals.  It requires constant vigilance ... because our enemy is subtle and persistent.  He would love to slip past the guard and plant hatred ... or bitterness ... or rage ... or apathy ... or judgmentalism into my heart core.  How can we guard our hearts?  Post the guard of the words of Jesus all around your heart.   That is the filter through which all must pass. 

What about the junk that is already in my heart?  I have to trust the words of 1 John 1:9 - "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."  And then we pray with the Psalmist ... "Create in me a pure heart, O God ..." (Psalm 51:10) 

Which verse(s) in Proverbs 4 stood out to you?  Let us know ...

May 3 - Proverbs 3

The verses that I want to think on today are verses 3 - 4.  Love and faithfulness ... such exquisite words ... such exquisite traits.  As I get dressed for this day and put on a necklace, I will visualize putting around my neck more than a chain with a piece of jewelry on it.  I will visualize putting both love and faithfulness on that chain around my neck. 

Lord ... help me exhibit love to every person I am in contact with today.  I pray that, through Your Spirit, I am faithful to my family and to the people with whom I work today

Love and Faithfulness ... a mark of wisdom..

May 2 - Proverbs 2

Do you ever pray for protection - for yourself or for your family? I have. How we want our children to be safe. How we want our spouses to have safety when traveling, when away from us. The thing about chapter 2 of Proverbs that stands out to me is the descriptions of safety. It is in verses 7 - 8. This comes from God ... but notice what God provides ...

He provides victory for the upright
He is a shield to those whose walk is blameless
He guards the way of the just
He protects the way of His faithful ones.

That's it! That's what I want ... so I see insight in where to gain these things. Pursue uprightness ... the word pertains to that which is not crooked. Pursue being an upright person. Then walk blamelessly. This word means integrity. Are you a person of integrity? Am I? It matters! Third ... be a just person. This is a court term. It means being fair. Do you treat people fairly? Do you try? Do I? And lastly, be faithful. Aahh ... the beautiful characteristic of faithfulness. This provides me with my prayer for this day ...

Lord ... I long to be upright in your eyes. Help me. I long to be a woman of integrity. Help me. I want to treat people fairly. Give me eyes to see when I am not ... and help me. I long to be faithful ... to You first, to my family members, to my friends. Help me. Jesus is upright, full of integrity, just and faithful. May I be more like Him this day than I have ever been before.

May 1 - Proverbs 1

I am excited to begin our May project ... the reading of the book of Proverbs ... one chapter per day. As we begin let's define the word, proverb. The Hebrew word translated "proverb" is masal. It includes brief sayings as found in the book of Proverbs, and also the extended parables and vivid illustrations found so often in the Old Testament.

Many of us may find verse 7 the most meaningful in this chapter. It gives us the very starting place for any quest for wisdom. Anything that you want ... you must know where to begin. And Solomon tells us. The beginning place is the "fear" of the Lord. The Hebrew word translated "fear" is the word yira. The Dictionary of Biblical Languages begins its description of this word with: "reverence, a state of piety and respect toward a superior." Well, when we speak about God ... that is most appropriate!

So as we begin our quest ... I want to get myself in a right relationship with God. Reverence ... respect ... awe ... fear of Jehovah God, the author of all wisdom. That not only is the beginning of wisdom ... it is the heart of worship.

A good place to start ...