The poor and the rich. The wise man and the fool. The proud and the humble.
Chapter 18 really doesn't have a discernible theme. If you don't connect with one truth, go to the next one for a whole different topic. So many profound statements on so many subjects. There's something here for everyone.
Which ones made you stop and think?
12 Before his downfall a man's heart is proud,
ReplyDeletebut humility comes before honor.
16 A gift opens the way for the giver
and ushers him into the presence of the great.
I want to be more humble and giving in all that I do...
I felt like each statement was blow after blow, exposing what has been in my heart!
ReplyDeleteI kept hearing over and over how horrible the repercussions are for the hurtful words that can come from your mouth and the actions you take against a neighbor. I know this seems obvious, but looking at the list of how treating your neighbor can be so destructive makes me wish I never had done those things. How I'd love to go back and live my life more graciously! What a fool I have been to think that what I've said behind the backs of people I never regarded as neighbors couldn't hurt them. I think about how any of the things I have said could easily put two people against each other, or even a crowd against another, and honestly, that was my purpose sometimes. How wicked has my heart been!
Thank God for change, thank God for Wisdom,thank God for Jesus, thank God for people who help you along the way!! God, who lives in my heart, is GOOD!!
Vs. 2 - "A fool finds no pleasure in understanding
ReplyDeletebut delights in airing his own opinions."
Vs. 6 - "A fool's lips bring him strife,
and his mouth invites a beating."
Verse 2 tells me that sometimes I don't want to be right; I just want to be heard. When I'm a fool, getting to the root of the issue is not what is important to me. WINNING is important to me. Verse 6 is one of stronger visuals in Proverbs for me. My mouth INVITES A BEATING. That is hilarious imagery and a scary thought all at once. It reminds me of 17:14 from yesterday's reading, that "Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam." There is SO much that, due to my mouth and actions, I deserve to hear from people. But because they have the wisdom to keep rein on their tongues, I don't; they have dammed it up. But if I press them, trying to be right by "airing my own opinions," I am just hammering away at that dam, inviting them the explode all over me...inviting a beating.
God, bless me wisdom. May my words and heart be yours. Only then will they be right.
Wow! This is amazing stuff. Where do I start? Thank God each day that I don't partcipate in it verbally; however, if you watch any of these entertainment news shows and Internet blogs, I do let it get to me. I'm leaving that part alone. Pray that God will get that poison away from me. I want to live verse 10 daily. I want to run to the STrong Tower, the LORD. Thank you LORD for keeping me safe even when I get to the precipice. Help me LORD to stay humble at all times(verse 12 parallels with 15:33). Verse 15--I want to become a better discerner of God's Word and a disciple of Jesus Christ. Verse 24--I need a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Jesus, stay with me and don't leave!
ReplyDelete