Category: Proverbs Devotionals

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Proverbs Devotionals

Treasuring God’s wisdom

Often times, when we read this passage, we think about the depiction given concerning the ideal wife.

But it struck me today that in Proverbs 8-9, wisdom is personified as a woman. 

And many of the things that this passage says of the ideal wife, it says of wisdom.

Wisdom is considered more precious than jewels. (Proverbs 3:13-15, 31:10)

Wisdom is characterized by fear of the Lord. (Proverbs 9:10, 31:30)

It is characterized by hard work (Proverbs 6:6-11, 31:13-19), generosity (Proverbs 11:24-25; 31:20), and peace about the future. (Proverbs 24:14; 31:25)

And wisdom expresses itself in the words it speaks. (Proverbs 8:6-9, 14; 10:11-13, 20-21, 31:26)

So as we finish up Proverbs today, may we all, both men and women, strive to be people characterized by God’s wisdom, putting into practice all the things we’ve read in this book.  

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Proverbs Devotionals

Humility

It’s kind of ironic that as we near the end of the book of Proverbs, after hearing all this wisdom, we see someone still saying, 

I am more stupid than any other person,
and I lack a human’s ability to understand. 

I have not gained wisdom,
and I have no knowledge of the Holy One. (Proverbs 30:2-3)

But maybe that’s the kind of humility we need. Because no matter how wise we think we are, our wisdom cannot compare with God’s.

Yet when times get rough, we start to question God.

We wonder why he allows Corona. We wonder why he allows natural disasters. We wonder why he allows all the evil we see in the world. 

Like Job, we can try to demand answers from God. Like Job’s friends, we can pretend to know what all the answers are.  

But in the end, we realize, “I know nothing.” 

Only One truly knows and understand all things, and that isn’t us. (4)

So we have a choice. In our ignorance, we can rail against God. Or we can humble ourselves and say with Job,

I know that you can do anything
and no plan of yours can be thwarted. 

You asked, “Who is this who conceals my counsel with ignorance?”

Surely I spoke about things I did not understand,
things too wondrous for me to know. (Job 42:2-3)

At the beginning of the Proverbs, we saw these words, 

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. (Proverbs 1:7)

And again,

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)

We will never understand everything. But if we want to make a beginning, it starts with this: fear the Lord. And trust him. 

What will you choose?

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Proverbs Devotionals

Tending our sheep

Know well the condition of your flock,
and pay attention to your herd. (Proverbs 27:23)

Those words made me stop and think a bit about those God has given me to care for. My wife. My daughter. People in my small group.

Do I know well their condition? Do I pay attention to their needs? 

Why is that important? 

One reason is found in verses 24-27. Not only will they be blessed by us. But the day will come when we will be blessed by them. 

But more importantly, we have our own Shepherd’s command. 

He said to Peter. “Do you love me? Then feed my lambs. Take care of my sheep. Feed my sheep.” (John 21:15-17)

He says the same to us. We cannot separate love for Jesus from our love for others, especially those God has put in our care. 

Who has God put into your care? Do you know their condition? Do you pay attention to their needs?

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Proverbs Devotionals

Using proverbs wisely

A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is like lame legs that hang limp. (Proverbs 26:7)

A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is like a stick with thorns,
brandished by the hand of a drunkard. (9)

One mistake people make in reading the Bible is how they use proverbs. But as it says in the above proverbs, if you use them wrongly, they are worthless at best, and can be hurtful at worst. 

Take Job’s friends for example. Their mouths were full of proverbs. Paul even quotes one in the New Testament.

So their words in themselves weren’t wrong. (Job 5:13, 1 Corinthians 3:19)

But they were fools who did not know how to use them and caused great hurt to Job. 

Two important things to remember about Proverbs.

1. They are neither promises or guarantees. They are general truths of how the world God created works. And as with all general truths, there are always exceptions. 

So for example, the general truth that Job’s friends pointed out is that God blesses the righteous and punishes the wicked.

But this does not mean that every person who is blessed on earth has God’s favor.

Nor does it mean that every person struggling in life is under God’s curse.

In this broken world, we see righteous people suffer and wicked people prosper. But the general truth holds, and in the end, God will bring justice to this world. 

Or take this general truth: 

Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)

Is this a promise? I think we all know it is not.

But how many good parents have beaten themselves up over this verse because despite their best efforts, their child went down a wrong path? 

So be careful about accusing others or accusing yourself when reading these proverbs. 

2. Each proverb has a proper time to be used. 

Take a look at these two proverbs from today’s reading. 

Don’t answer a fool according to his foolishness
or you’ll be like him yourself. 

Answer a fool according to his foolishness
or he’ll become wise in his own eyes. (4-5)

So which is it? Answer the fool or don’t answer him?

The answer: it depends. There are times when it’s best not to let yourself get dragged into an argument because all it will do is bring about a lot of heat and very little light. 

On the other hand, there are times when you need to say something because otherwise the other person will continue thinking that they are right, when in reality he is bringing harm to himself and others.  

So seek God’s wisdom on your best course of action. Both proverbs are wise…at the proper time. 

Let us always use the proverbs we find in the Bible with wisdom. 

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Proverbs Devotionals

To be purified silver

Remove impurities from silver,
and material will be produced for a silversmith. (Proverbs 25:4)

Lord, remove from me all impurities that I may be material that you can use for your purposes. 

Search my heart. Root out any sinful thoughts and habits. Root out any wrong motives and attitudes.

Thank you for using me despite my imperfections. By your grace, you can use someone as flawed as I am. That’s amazing to me.  

Still, I want to be more like you.

May my life be completely pleasing in your sight. May I be your special instrument, set apart for your use, useful to you, and prepared for every good work. (2 Timothy 2:21)

In Jesus’ name, amen.  

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Proverbs Devotionals

When our strength is small

If you faint in the day of adversity,
your strength is small. (Proverbs 24:10, ESV)

It would be easy to look at these words and condemn ourselves if we find ourselves faltering in the face of adversity.

To look at ourselves and say, “How weak I am! I should be stronger than this!”

But the truth is, our strength is small. And if we rest in our own strength, we will falter. No matter how strong we may be, we will always find situations that are too big for us. 

So what do we do? 

Paul tells us.

Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength. (Ephesians 6:10)

Or as the psalmist put it,

Seek the Lord and his strength;
seek his face always. (Psalm 105:4)

And let us remember our Lord’s own words. 

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

So in these times of adversity, let us take on Paul’s attitude.

Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. 

So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ.

For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

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Proverbs Devotionals

Our Father’s heart

In this passage, Solomon is writing to his son. But in his words, I think we see our heavenly Father’s heart toward us. 

My son, if your heart is wise,
my heart will indeed rejoice.

My innermost being will celebrate
when your lips say what is right. (Proverbs 23:15-16)

I think most parents can understand those words. When we see our children acting wisely and doing what is right, it gives us joy.

In the same way, our heavenly Father’s heart rejoices when he sees us acting wisely and doing what is right. 

And so he tells us, 

Listen, my son, and be wise;
keep your mind on the right course. (19)

But more importantly, he tells us, 

My son, give me your heart,
and let your eyes observe my ways. (26)

More than anything else, God wants our hearts. Because if he has our hearts, we will delight in following him and his ways. 

Father, I give you my heart. Help me keep my mind on the right course. And let me live in a way that brings joy to your heart. I love you. In Jesus’ name amen. 

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Proverbs Devotionals

Our awesome Designer

The hearing ear and the seeing eye—
the Lord made them both. (Proverbs 20:12)

This is probably one of those verses you read and think, “And…?

“Sure, the Lord made my eyes and ears. So what?”

But have you ever thought about how complicated a mechanism the eyes and ears are?

Think about the eye. It has the ability to focus on things close and far away. It has the ability to adjust to light and dark. And all this connects to our brain so that we can process what our eye is looking at.

With all our modern technology, scientists still haven’t figured out how to perfectly replicate what God has made.

The same kinds of things could be said about the ear.

Can we say what this world says? That this all came together by chance?

I can’t. I have to conclude there was an intelligent Designer.

I don’t know about you, but I think we worship a pretty awesome God.

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Proverbs Devotionals

Mad at God?

A person’s own foolishness leads him astray,
yet his heart rages against the Lord. (Proverbs 19:3)

How often do we make bad decisions, and then get mad at God when we get in trouble.

We act hastily without thinking, or worse, without praying. (2, 21)

We ignore God’s commands. (16, 27)

We easily lose our temper. (11)

Or we waste too much of our time. (15)

Solomon tells us,

The fear of the Lord leads to life,
and whoever has it rests satisfied. (23)

Let us always have hearts that are humble before God, not raging at him for our bad decisions, but quickly repenting and submitting to him and his Word.

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Proverbs Devotionals

The road to reconciliation

Sometimes, relationships get broken and there seems to be no road to reconciliation.

Solomon recognized this, saying,

An offended brother is harder to reach
than a fortified city,
and quarrels are like the bars of a fortress. (Proverbs 18:19)

If there is ever to be reconciliation, there’s one thing we need to learn: to listen to the other person.

Solomon said,

The one who gives an answer before he listens—
this is foolishness and disgrace for him. (13)

How often, when the other person is talking, do we use that time, not to listen, but to simply think about what we are going to say next?

I know I’ve been guilty of that.

This is not to say that we have to agree with everything the other person says. They may be the one in the wrong. But if we’re not even willing to listen to the other person, their walls will only get higher.

And the truth is, there are times when we are the one in the wrong.

That’s why Solomon said,

The first to state his case seems right
until another comes and cross-examines him. (17)

We may be fully convinced we are in the right. But if we take the time to actually listen to the other person, we just might find out we are the one in the wrong.

Obviously, reconciliation needs to be a two-way thing. But we can’t control how the other person responds.

What we can control is our own actions. And if we are willing to humbly listen to the other person, it just may cause them to do the same, opening the door to reconciliation.

Lord, give me a humble heart. Even when I think I’m right, give me the humility to truly listen. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Proverbs Devotionals

In times of trials

As I looked at today’s passage, two verses struck me.

A crucible for silver, and a smelter for gold,
and the Lord is the tester of hearts. (Proverbs 17:3)

Throughout scripture, it’s clear that God allows his people to go through trials. And one reason is to test their hearts.

But why would he need to do that? Doesn’t he know our hearts already?

Of course he does. But often times we don’t. And through our trials, all our faults and weaknesses rise to the surface.

On the other hand, sometimes through our trials, we come to realize that we are stronger than we had thought.

Either way, God’s purpose isn’t to destroy us, it is to make us more like Jesus.

But there is another important thing to remember: we don’t have to go through our trials alone.

Solomon wrote,

A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for a difficult time. (17)

God’s desire is that as we go through our trials, we support one another.

So when you’re struggling, don’t feel ashamed to reach out to others for help. And when you see others struggling, be quick to reach out to help them.

More importantly though, remember that Jesus is a friend that loves us at all times. And he will be there for us in our most difficult times.

I think of the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3. When they were literally going through the fire, they were there to support each other. And Jesus himself walked through the fire with them.

The result? They all came forth as gold.

And so will we.

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Proverbs Devotionals

God’s loyalty and faithfulness

Iniquity is atoned for by loyalty and faithfulness,
and one turns from evil by the fear of the Lord. (Proverbs 16:6)

That first line made me think, “By whose loyalty and faithfulness is our sin atoned for?”

Is it by ours?

We’re in bad shape if it is.

After all, how loyal is our love for God? And how faithful are we to him?

But it is because of God’s loyalty and faithfulness to us when we were disloyal and unfaithful to him that our sin is atoned for.

When we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

We were facing the Father’s wrath because of our sin and deserving of death. (14)

But by dying on the cross, Jesus appeased the Father’s wrath. And now, when the Father sees us, his face lights up. And his favor toward us is like a cloud with spring rain. (15)

Through Jesus, we see God’s loyalty and faithfulness, or as John translates those words, we see God’s grace and truth. (John 1:17)

So let’s meditate on these things today. Meditate on God’s grace and truth.

Meditate on his loyalty and faithfulness to us. Meditate on the favor we have received because of what Jesus did for us.

And let us stand in awe of God and rejoice in his goodness to us.

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Proverbs Devotionals

How God sees us

As I was reading today’s passage, I was thinking about the kind of relationship we have with God.

Solomon wrote,

The eyes of the Lord are everywhere,
observing the wicked and the good. (Proverbs 15:3)

And again,

Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord—
how much more, human hearts. (11)

I think for a lot of people, those are kind of scary words. Our hearts, our lives are open books to God. We can hide nothing from him. He knows all the ugliness that is there and which we try so desperately to hide.

But because of Jesus, we don’t need to be afraid of God’s searching eyes. We welcome them. We rejoice in them.

Why? Because we are God’s beloved children. Jesus has already paid the penalty for our sin on the cross.

We are not “the righteous” because we are perfect people.

We are not “the righteous” because we are better than others.

We are “the righteous” because the Father clothes us with Jesus’ righteousness.

And because of Jesus’ righteousness, the Father accepts us and delights in us. (8)

So with hearts filled with joy, let us pray with David,

Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my concerns.

See if there is any offensive way in me;
lead me in the everlasting way. (Psalm 139:23-24)

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Proverbs Devotionals

Fearing the Lord

The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
turning people away from the snares of death. (Proverbs 14:27)

As I read that this morning I couldn’t help but think of something similar Solomon said a chapter earlier.

A wise person’s instruction is a fountain of life,
turning people away from the snares of death. (13:14)

What does it mean to fear God? Part of what it means is to listen to his word and obey it.

How often, though, do we act as if we know better than God? We look at his word, and say, “I don’t agree with this. This way of thinking is outdated.”

But as Solomon said,

There is a way that seems right to a person,
but its end is the way to death. (14:12)

Satan is a dishonest witness. He is the father of lies. The world around us is buying his lies and is trying to get us to buy them too.

But we can’t afford to listen to them when they speak contrary to God’s word.

Jesus, on the other hand, is a true and faithful witness. He never lies. More, his words of wisdom turn us away from the snares of death and give us life. (Proverbs 14:5, 25, Revelation 3:14)

In fact, it is because of his guilt offering offered on the cross for our sins, that we now are accepted by our Heavenly Father. (Leviticus 5:6; Proverbs 14:9)

So let us fear God, trusting and obeying him. And let us teach our children to do the same so that they may find strong confidence in him too. (14:26)

God is a fountain of life. Let us fear him and drink in his words of life every day.

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Proverbs Devotionals

When vexed

I like how the ESV puts verse 16 in today’s reading.

The vexation of a fool is known at once… (Proverbs 12:16)

To be honest, I was feeling a bit “vexed” at work today because of a lack of communication which has always been an issue, but which particularly surfaced in the last couple of days.

And that “vexation” snuck out into my words and actions.

I’m not saying I completely lost my temper or anything, but I think my frustration was pretty clear to my coworker.

Not ten minutes later, I was reading this verse and having a short conversation with God.

I had good reason to be vexed. But that didn’t make the way I expressed it right.

I wonder how often I act the “fool” when I’m frustrated. How quickly do I let it show on my face, or in a sigh, or in my words?

Lord, grant me patience, especially when I’m feeling frustrated. Let me not act the fool.

Rather, let me be filled with grace, mercy, and patience…the very same grace, mercy, and patience you show me every day.

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Proverbs Devotionals

Being refreshed

…whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. (Proverbs 11:25)

It’s very easy in these difficult times to become self-centered because of our own problems. We say, “I’m the one that needs to be refreshed.”

But often times that refreshment comes when we look outside of ourselves and bless others. By refreshing others, we ourselves feel refreshed.

And often times, what we give comes back to us. When we refresh others, they in turn refresh us.

But we must never forget that our main source of refreshment is found in God. If we are not refreshed by him, we will have little to give others.

It is one major reason why it’s important to spend time with him every day.

Jesus did so. (Mark 1:35, 6:45-46)

How much more do we need to do so?

So two questions to think about today:

  1. Am I spending the time I need to be refreshed by God?
  2. Who does God want me to refresh today?
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Proverbs Devotionals

How will they remember

Lord, how will people remember me when I’m gone? (Proverbs 10:7)

Will they remember me as one who lived with integrity? (9)

Will they remember me as one whose lips were a fountain of life? As someone whose words were pure silver and fed many? (11, 20-21)

Will they remember me as a person of grace and mercy? (12)

Will they remember me as a person who followed your instruction and accepted your correction? (17)

Will they remember me as a person who feared you? (27)

Will they remember me as a person filled with hope and joy? (28)

That’s the type of person I want to be. To my wife. To my daughter. To my friends. To my coworkers. To all those around me.

How will they remember? I hope when they remember, they see you.

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Proverbs Devotionals

Willing to be corrected

The one who corrects a mocker
will bring abuse on himself;
the one who rebukes the wicked will get hurt.

Don’t rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you;
rebuke the wise, and he will love you.

Instruct the wise, and he will be wiser still;
teach the righteous, and he will learn more. (Proverbs 9:7-9)

It’s easy, I suppose, to look at these verses and merely think about other people’s stubbornness. But what about us?

Are we mockers who hate those who rebuke us?

Or are we people who are wise, loving those who rebuke us? Are we people who, when instructed, become wiser still, always learning more?

To be honest, I can be a very stubborn person. I can think of many times when someone said something to admonish me, and I ignored it, or thought, “That word doesn’t apply to me.”

It usually takes God speaking to me, saying, “Pay attention! That word was for you,” to break through my stubbornness.

Which brings up another point.

As important it is to be open to the correction of others, it’s even more important to be open to correction from God.

And so Solomon says,

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (10)

Lord, let me always be open to your correction. Whether it comes through others you send to me, or through your Word, or through your Holy Spirit living in me, give me a heart that is soft and willing to change. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Proverbs Devotionals

More precious than silver

Lord, your words are more precious than silver, gold, or any other jewel. (Proverbs 8:10-11)

Yours are the words of life. (35)

Yet it is so easy to live life by my own understanding. And so often when I do that, I miss what you say, and harm myself. (36)

Lord, I want to listen at your door every day. Help me to hear your voice. And teach me to think as you do. (9, 34)

In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Proverbs Devotionals

Teaching our children

As I read today’s passage, I couldn’t help thinking that Solomon was recalling what God had told the Israelites in Deuteronomy 11:18-19.

Not only did Solomon treasure God’s word in his heart, he taught his son to do the same.

The question is, do we?

God has given us the responsibility to teach his Word to our children. This isn’t the responsibility of their Sunday school teachers. And it isn’t the responsibility of their teachers at school.

The sad truth is, the morals our children are being taught at school may not always be in line with God’s teaching.

When what their teachers and their friends teach them differs from what God teaches in his Word, do our children know the difference? That’s our responsibility.

Let us not only treasure God’s word in our own hearts. Let us also teach our children to do so as well.

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Proverbs Devotionals

Looking for Jesus in the Old Testament

One thing I always tend to do when I read the Old Testament is look for Jesus.

Why?

Because Jesus himself said he was there. (John 5:39, Luke 24:25-27)

And so whenever I see the combination of the words “steadfast love” and “faithfulness” (ESV), I always, always think of Jesus.

Why? Because these words, which are used to describe God time and again in the Old Testament, are used to describe Jesus in the New Testament.

Specifically, John takes those Hebrew words from the Old Testament and translates them “grace and truth” when he says,

for the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17)

What is God like? He is the God who is full of grace and truth. And he expressed that grace and truth in Jesus.

In today’s passage, Solomon says this,

Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;
bind them around your neck;
write them on the tablet of your heart.

So you will find favor and good success
in the sight of God and man. (Proverbs 3:3-4, ESV)

Steadfast love and faithfulness, grace and truth characterized Jesus’ life. And as a result, Luke tells us that he found favor with God and man. (Luke 2:52)

So this is my prayer for the day,

Father, as grace and truth characterized Jesus, let it characterize me.

Let your grace and truth shine through me and touch my family, my friends, my coworkers, and everyone I come into contact with today.

Lord Jesus, I want to be like you. In your name I pray, amen.

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Proverbs Devotionals

Our attitude to God’s Word

What is our attitude when we read the Bible?

Do we receive God’s word? Or do we reject those words we don’t like.

Do we treasure up God’s commandments in our hearts? Or do we throw them away as outdated?

Do we listen closely to God’s wisdom? Or do we shut our ears to it?

Do we incline our hearts to understanding? Or do we turn our hearts away from it?

Do we humbly call out to God for his insight? Or are we indifferent to what he has to say?

Do we lift our voice to God, asking for help when we don’t understand his word? Or are we silent in our ignorance?

Do we seek for it like silver? Or do we glance over it like a copper penny?

Do we search for it like hidden treasure? Or do we abandon it like yesterday’s trash.

God wants to give us his wisdom and understanding so that we can live a life of blessing.

The question is: “How much do we desire his wisdom and understanding?”

Lord, as I look at your word every day, open the eyes and ears of my heart. Help me to see, hear, and understand everything you want me to know.

Remove from me a stubborn heart of stone. Give me instead a soft heart that is receptive to you and your word. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Proverbs Devotionals

Speak to me

O Lord, speak to me.

To fear you is the foundation of all knowledge. So let me never despise your wisdom and your discipline. (Proverbs 1:7)

Instead, when you discipline me, give me a humble spirit to receive that discipline. Give me a heart that responds to your warnings.

And as I turn my face to you, pour your spirit on me and teach me your words. (23)

Give me understanding of the things I read in your Word so that I can understand what you’re saying to me.

There’s so much I still don’t know. I desperately need your wisdom and guidance to live this life. (2-6)

So speak to me, Lord. Speak to me.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Proverbs Devotionals

A simple prayer

A king’s heart is like channeled water in the LORD’s hand:
He directs it wherever he chooses.

All a person’s ways seem right to him,
but the LORD weighs hearts. (Proverbs 21:1-2)

Oh Lord, may my heart be like channeled water in your hand. Direct it where you choose.

For Lord, all my ways seem right to me. But you weigh my heart.

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Proverbs Devotionals

A fountain of life

This chapter in Proverbs has a lot to say about the words that come from our mouth.

Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning. (Proverbs 10:13)

The tongue of the righteous is pure silver. (20)

The lips of the righteous feed many. (21)

The mouth of the righteous produces wisdom. (30)

The lips of the righteous know what is appropriate. (31)

But I suppose the words that sum all of this up is found in verse 11.

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life.

Or as the NLT puts it,

The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain.

That is what our words should be: a life-giving fountain.

To our wives. To our husbands. To our children. To our friends. To our coworkers. To our neighbors. To those around us who don’t know Christ.

Do our words in speech overflow with life to those who hear? Do our words in social media?

And if they don’t, what does that say about our hearts? (Matthew 12:34; James 3:11-12)

O Lord, purify the spring in my heart that my mouth may become a life-giving fountain.