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?
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