Foundations: Proverbs - Day 20 - God Really Matters, So We Must Trust Him

READ: Proverbs 3:5-6, 16:20, 29:26

In the previous devotional, we considered how central God is in everything. As a result, our call is to fear Him. But what is a proper fear of the Lord? Certainly it has to do with making godly choices. However, it is much bigger than this, really. There is something that supports a fear of the Lord. What is it? Trust. To be able to fear God, we must trust Him. We must BELIEVE that He is worthy to be followed and submitted to.

Probably the most famous verse in Proverbs is, “trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (3:5). We’re invited here to stop leaning on our own thinking and “figuring out of things”. This is trusting in self! We are to bring ALL of our hearts to God (this means every topic of concern, all our dreams, etc.) and say, “I trust you.” If we develop a simple, childlike faith, we’ll find immediate growth in our fear of the Lord.  

While we’re always tempted to trust self, over God (which is so foolish, really!), we can also be aggressively wooed by the temptation to trust or seek to please others. Be warned – this gives God competition! Or as Proverbs so powerfully notes, “the fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe” (29:25). Our safety lies in trusting God, and fearing His Name. Trust in anything else will leave us feeling empty in the end, possibly frustrated, or even worse, spiritually bankrupt. This is one of the primary messages of Proverbs.

JOURNALING AND PRAYER

1. Read over Proverbs 3:5-6 again. Spend some time meditating and journaling on many of the words. In many ways, the Christian life could be summed up somewhat by these two verse.
2. Ask God where in your life right now is there an opportunity to trust Him at a deeper level than you ever have in the past. Ask Him to strengthen you for this journey. 

Foundations: Proverbs - Day 19 - God Really Matters

READ: Proverbs 3:11-12, 3:25-26, 14:26-27, 16:3, 18:10

As we continue to look at wisdom principles, we must not forget that God really matters in all this. He is the author of wisdom. He is Truth! Or as Proverbs declares, “the fear of the LORD is a foundation of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death” (14:27). A proper fear of the Lord requires a regular consideration of our ways and our choices. Sometimes we need to turn off the noise in our lives and really spend some time thinking about the path we’re on. While distractions can sometimes drown out guilt, it doesn’t change the fact that we’ll stand before Him one day and give account. 

Thankfully, He is our strength in carrying out His Word and Ways. He is a strong tower. He can be our confidence. God doesn’t just call us to the high standards of Proverbs. He’s also willing to empower us to live them, IF we walk humbly with Him. And when we stray? OUT OF LOVE, He will discipline us.

When we’re disciplined by God, we have a vital choice on how we’ll respond. As Proverbs suggests, “my son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights” (3:11-12). As we’re disciplined, we can thank Him for loving us enough to get us back on the wonderful path that He has for those who love Him. Praise God!

JOURNALING AND PRAYER

1.      Spend some time praising God. Lift up His Name! He deserves it. All that is good and true and right is from Him. As You praise Him, commit to spending time each day to praising Him. Don’t let hesitation stop you from cultivating a habit of praise.

2.      Do you have a fear of the Lord? Ask God to give you words, thoughts and pictures that would help you understand what this looks like. 

Foundations: Proverbs - Day 18 - Reaping Will Happen

READ: Proverbs 25:28

As we continue our journey in the book of Proverbs, we do well to pause for a moment and consider an underlying truth that supports much of what it says. What is this truth? It’s simply that we truly reap what we sow. Indeed, there are certain circumstances that we cannot control. However, to a large extent, in the consequences or “reaping” of life, we can.

At times, people’s lives descend into chaos. Why? For many, it is a simple reaping. Or as Proverbs says, “a man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls” (25:28). Of course, from our limited perspective, we may not always view things as being so neat and tidy. Sometimes lots of “sowing” happens, but seemingly no “reaping”. However, this is where we trust God. Our “business” is simply to continue to sow good things.

Sowing good things means making good choice after good choice, day-by-day, hour-by-hour. At times it may seem hard, but the FRUIT will be wonderful. This is the powerful message of much of what Proverbs says.

JOURNALING AND PRAYER

1.      Spend some time reflecting on your past. Where have you reaped what you’ve sown? Thank God for teaching you many lessons over the years, for the discipline AND for the mercy.

2.      Ask God to show you any “sowing” you’re doing that will result in a poor harvest. Commit to make any necessary changes. Also spend some time interceding for others who are “sowing” negative seeds. Cry out to God for them! 

Foundations: Proverbs - Day 17 - The Beauty Of Self-Control And Kindness

READ: Proverbs 11:16-17, 12:10, 14:29-30, 15:18, 16:32, 17:27, 25:28, 28:8

Our world often loves stories of kindness, but individuals rarely value it as a way to approach life. It’s kind of ironic – we can cry over a YouTube video showing unusual kindness, but disregard such an approach in relating to others – especially to those who we feel don’t deserve it. However, Proverbs causes us to consider the reality that kindness is our wisest choice.

Why is kindness wise? Because kindness has a way of returning to us. “A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself” (11:17). Proverbs goes even as far to command us to treat animals with kindness. Kindness, we can say, bounces back to us. Even someone who desires to harm us can experience strong conviction when we refuse to return insult with insult. Many times people doubt this reality because they haven’t tried it!   

Of course, kindness tends not to reign when we lose control over our emotions and thought life. In fact, the opposite happens. We start to destroy people. As Proverbs states, “a hot-tempered man sirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention” (15:18). Look at the choice we can make! Relational conflicts, even war, often hinge on the choice between kindness or losing control.

It is up to us to remain under control and to ask the Holy Spirit for help. We do have a measure of choice in this, as Proverbs speaks of the one, “who rules his spirit”. Let’s commit to lives that are beautiful and story-worth, rather than the way of the world.

JOURNALING AND PRAYER

1.      Spend some time asking God to give you words, thoughts, pictures and stories that demonstrate His kindness. Praise Him for His everlasting kindness!

2.      Examine the different areas of your life – marriage, parenting, work, extended family, ministry, friendships. What do you demonstrate – kindness or a lack of self-control? Ask God to reveal truth to you. And ask Him to fill you with His Spirit, as the fruit of His Work includes kindness and self-control. 

Foundations: Proverbs - Day 16 - The Call to Integrity

READ: Proverbs 10:9, 11:3, 19:1, 20:7, 28:18

The book of Proverbs calls us to a high standard and there are a few characteristics that stand tall. One such “stand-out” is summed up in the word, “integrity”. If we are people of integrity, we’ll be consistent, steady, unwavering.  To be a person of integrity means what we SAY, what we DESIRE and what WE do in private and public will be the same. To have this kind of life brings GREAT pleasure to God!

Proverbs says that, “whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out” (10:9). We see here that there is peace in being consistent! When our ways get crooked, when we start wavering in our integrity, we invite worry into our lives. What will happen if I get found out? What will happen if that wrong word or action brings me negative consequences? Those who do not walk in integrity can suddenly fall. Proverbs makes this clear. People who consistently walk in integrity have no such worries. What an abundant life that is! Let’s commit to integrity then!  

Another benefit of integrity is that, “the integrity of the upright guides them . . .” (11:3). Put simply, we will know what to do and when to do it! People who have integrity have incredible confidence. They often know without confusion, what to do. Those who struggle to be consistent will find that confusion reigns in their life. Who would want this? A further benefit of integrity is that future generations will be blessed by the integrity of their parents. It is incredibly rare to find a wayward teenager or young adult who has come from a home that is filled with integrity.  

JOURNALING AND PRAYER

1.      Praise God that He is consistent, that He never changes. Thank Him that He is a Rock to stand on. Maybe even picture a massive rock as you pray, with you standing on it. This is who He is and wants to be for us!

2.      “To be a person of integrity means what we SAY, what we DESIRE and what WE do in private and public will be the same.” Spend some time meditating on this definition of integrity and ask God to examine your life. Receive His affirmation for where you’re doing well, but also correction for anywhere you are “crooked” in your ways, words or desires. 

Foundations: Proverbs - Day 15 - The Power of Humility

READ: Proverbs 3:34, 11:2, 15:33, 16:18-19, 22:4

Humility has the power to bring God’s blessing in our lives. Who wouldn’t want this? When we think of words such as “blessing”, “favour”, “honour”, our hearts jump and we think – “sign me up!” Humility is the direct pathway to these things, according to Proverbs. For example, Proverbs 15:33 proclaims, “The fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.” However, our flesh, the world and the devil all promote the opposite – pride!

We must choose humility. Indeed, humility is far from automatic. It is an attitude, a heart posture. It’s reminding ourselves that we are human, but God is God. It’s also a choice to look for the good in others and to be aware of our own tendency towards evil. When we choose this thing called humility, we become wise. That’s what Proverbs emphasizes and human history would echo this loud and clear.

Proverbs also says, “Towards the scorners he his scornful, but to the humble he gives favor” (3:34). Scorning and humility are placed in opposition to each other. When we are prideful we lower the value of others – this is scorning. A big part of this is disengaging from others is not submitting. One of the biggest signs of pride is never being able to submit to anyone or anything. Humility, on the other hand, relates to support and engagement.

God is just waiting to bless the humble! He loves to shower favour upon those who demonstrate the same character and life as His Son, Jesus. Will we choose this path?

JOURNALING AND PRAYER

1.      Ask God to search your heart for pride and/or humility. We need His help in this, as such things often are hidden deep in us. Do any necessary confession or praising. Ask Him to cultivate a humble heart within you.

2.      Spend some time in journaling in reflection – do you treat anyone as having little or no value? Are there people that you are willingly submitting to? Humility will mean submission and treating people with great value. 

Foundations: Proverbs - Day 14 - Final Justice Comes From God

READ: Proverbs 20:22, 21:15, 24:12, 29:26

We’ve looked at God’s passion for justice and the need for us to care for the poor, and practice of  measuring things carefully. But what about when WE are treated poorly, or are oppressed? What should we do? Our human nature is to take matters into our own hands. We may want to fight back, directly or indirectly. Constant complaining, self-pity, even despair can become our friends. This is the easy path, BUT we are called to the narrow road.

Proverbs directs us clearly - “Do not say, ‘I will repay evil’; wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you” (20:22). One of the key words in this verse is, “wait”. How hard this is! We’re not a patient people, are we? To wait for God to work is difficult but we must realize that as One who is All-Wise and Good, He has reasons for waiting. This is worth repeating – He has reasons for waiting! Of course, this waiting does not mean we passively sit around and do nothing.

As we wait, we pray. As we wait, we pray for strategies on any steps we can take (including loving people who have hurt us, or setting boundaries). As we wait, we cry out to God for deliverance. As we wait, we pray for promises. There is much we can do while we wait. And above all, we praise Him in faith for the justice He will bring. It will bring us great joy when we see His justice, wisdom and love lifted up high! And we’ll be glad in the waiting.

God knows ALL! “If you say, ‘behold, we did not know this,’ does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?” (24:12). He knows even the motive our hearts and so we can entrust all things to Him, even as we follow any specific steps He provides.

JOURNALING AND PRAYER

1.      Spend some time writing down any injustices you’ve experienced or are currently experiencing. Imagine placing them before Jesus. Thank Him and praise Him for having a plan, and for His desire to bring justice.

2.      Ask God to help you to grow in being patient. If you’re facing a difficult situation right now, ask Him for: 1) any strategies He wants to give you 2) any promises He wants to provide.