The One Year Wisdom for Women Devotional: 365 Devotions through the Proverbs (47 page)

June 25

The Slippery Slope

     
It is wrong to fine the godly for being good

          
or to punish nobles for being honest!

Right now in our society there is a lot of pressure: pressure to punish those who take a stand for what’s right. It is not politically correct to speak up against abortion or to speak for morality.

Some would like to pass laws that would penalize doctors and nurses who refuse to perform abortions because of moral convictions.

Some would like to pass laws making it a hate crime to oppose gay marriage or to object that gay sexuality be taught to your first-grader in school. It’s interesting and sad that in our schools a teacher can dress up as a witch at Halloween but not sing Christmas carols. It is legal for a teacher to assign an R-rated novel but not to pray in the classroom. Bottom line, Christians: as the darkness of the world gets darker and darker, it will cost us more and more to stand up for truth, to share that Jesus is the only Way and Truth and Life.

Alan Redpath wrote, “We are prepared to serve the Lord only by sacrifice. We are fit for the work of God only when we have wept over it, prayed about it, and then we are enabled by Him to tackle the job that needs to be done. May God give to us hearts that bleed, eyes that are wide open to see, minds that are clear to interpret God’s purposes, wills that are obedient, and a determination that is utterly unflinching as we set about the tasks He would have us to do.”

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

They say that if you put a frog into a pot of boiling water, it will leap out. But if you put it in cool water, then gradually turn up the heat, the frog won’t become aware of the threat until it’s too late. When gradual changes in a society are a slippery slope downward, we cannot remain complacent. We aren’t all called to picket and march. But we are all called to pray: “If My people . . . will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14,
NKJV
).

One Year Bible Reading

2 Kings 8:1–9:13; Acts 16:16-40; Psalm 143:1-12; Proverbs 17:26

June 26

Silence Is Golden

     
A truly wise person uses few words;

          
a person with understanding is even-tempered.

     
Even fools are thought to be wise when they keep silent;

          
when they keep their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.

Don’t you just love how much we are learning in the book of Proverbs about words? Here we learn that sometimes silence is golden. Of course there are many times when it’s good to talk things out, when it’s good to speak encouraging words, to be friendly, to instruct, to share your faith.

But there are also times when actions speak louder than words. Many people say that when they’re grieving, they don’t need people to come and make conversation. They don’t need people to give them lots of advice to try to cheer them up. They just need the comfort of companionship, a listening ear, someone to cry with them or just to let them know they care.

Our proverb today says, “A truly wise person uses few words.” So let me give a final little list of times when less is more.

• Complaining. If you have the urge to complain, truthfully, save your breath. No one really wants to hear about it.
  
• Criticizing. That’s a ditto.
  
• Sarcasm. Somehow we think sarcasm is clever. Actually, it’s not. It often has a mean edge, and it’s a really bad habit.
  
• And last but not least, gossip. If you can’t stop, try duct tape. No, really. Whatever it takes, just knock it off.
  

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

I’m still smiling about the bluntness of our proverb today: “Even fools are thought to be wise when they keep silent; when they keep their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.”

Let’s make a list of things we can do that show “actions speak louder than words.” I have a strained relationship with a friend who is not ready to “talk it out.” I have expressed care and concern in words, but now I need to “walk the talk.” Do I really care? Then God is calling me to be faithful to pray for her. God is asking me to continuously refuse bitter, angry thoughts. And God is calling me to speak kindly of her when her name is mentioned. And when I can’t, silence is golden.

One Year Bible Reading

2 Kings 9:14–10:31; Acts 17:1-34; Psalm 144:1-15; Proverbs 17:27-28

June 27

Friendliness Is Fun!

     
An unfriendly man pursues selfish ends;

          
he defies all sound judgment.

Our topic today is unfriendliness. It’s interesting that here we’re told unfriendliness is selfish, and it’s not good judgment either. As it has been said, “A life wrapped up in itself makes a very small package.”

And God agrees. God created us to love and need people (not in an unhealthy way, not in a way that puts people above God). Jesus said, “All will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35,
NKJV
).

In 1964 Barbra Streisand sang a song called “People”: “People who need people are the luckiest people in the world. We’re children needing other children, and yet letting our grown-up pride hide all the need inside, acting more like children than children.”

Ladies, let’s be friendly. This can be a lonely world. Wouldn’t it be nice if just by being friendly today we could make someone’s day? Here are some random little friendly things to do.

• Look at the name tag on the waitresses or checkers at the store and say hi to them by name. Ask them if they know that God loves them.
  
• Tell somebody today that they’re right, or they’re smart, or they did a good job.
  
• Smile at someone who looks lonely—an elderly woman, a weary mom.
  
• And here’s a good one: let someone go ahead of you when you’re stopped in traffic.
  

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Now let me give you a few tips on going from friendliness to relationship. I love going to church. I love the worship and the teaching. And I love seeing God’s people. But most of us know we can stay very shallow and really not know anyone. Let’s be intentional. This Sunday, put a little notepad in the back of your Bible for the express purpose of learning a new name. While you’re at it, ask the person you meet for a prayer request too. Then through the week pray for the person by name. If you do that every week for three months, you will know twelve new names. More important, you will have invested in lives with prayer. Now that’s being friendly.

One Year Bible Reading

2 Kings 10:32–12:21; Acts 18:1-22; Psalm 145:1-21; Proverbs 18:1

June 28

Learning to Listen

     
Fools have no interest in understanding;

          
they only want to air their own opinions.

Well, this is quite a statement. Fools, it appears, only think there is one side to the story: their side. Forget about trying to help them understand your side. Their minds are made up. I think most of us know of someone like that. But the most important thing we can learn today about this is . . . not to be like that.

James 1:19 tells us, “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry” (
NIV
).

So then let’s learn to be better listeners. Here are some random tips.

• Everyone knows at least one thing that you don’t know. It’s amazing what you can learn when you listen.
  
• Ask more questions. When people make statements and you don’t agree, ask them why they believe that way. Maybe as they explain, you’ll understand them better, but maybe they will also see they don’t have a valid explanation.
  
• Listen with more than your ears. People give off emotional signals of how they’re feeling. Pay attention.
  
• Let others speak first. Hear them out. Don’t interrupt.
  
• Use affirming and confirming statements like “I hear what you’re saying.” Sometimes repeat a key word back to them.
  
• And one of the most important things you’ll ever do when you listen is give eye contact.
  

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Since we’re on the topic of learning to be a good listener, may I ask you a very important question? Do you know how to listen to the voice of God? Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27,
NKJV
). Are you born again; does his Spirit live within you? If so, the Lord himself can and will speak to you. Here’s a tool to help you. Turn to Psalm 146:1-10. As you read, underline the words or phrases that seem important. Circle two that stand out. Now write out two lessons from the two facts you circled—for example, verse 7: “The Lord gives freedom” (
NKJV
). Ask the Lord to speak to your heart regarding the lessons you discovered and to show you how to apply them. There—do you see? Just by pausing to listen, you hear.

One Year Bible Reading

2 Kings 13:1–14:29; Acts 18:23–19:12; Psalm 146:1-10; Proverbs 18:2-3