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!
I was intrigued to notice this morning that righteousness is contrasted with more than just wickedness; in verse 6, it is contrasted with the word unfaithful:
ReplyDelete"The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires."
And then I looked down at verse 27:
"He who seeks good finds goodwill, but evil comes to him who searches for it."
When I was still a teen, someone suggested that the reason some friends and I had never fallen in with the wrong crowd was the "lack of opportunity" at our private Christian school. Without discounting the positive influence of a Christian education (homeschool or institutional) let me point out that Satan found trouble in heaven, of all places. Solomon says we will find whatever we look for.
So I ask myself "What am I looking for?" (My habits of thought are an excellent litmus test!) Lord, give me the mental discipline to focus on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy... and look for them in my daily walk!