The One Year Wisdom for Women Devotional: 365 Devotions through the Proverbs (21 page)

March 16

Godly Counselors

     
Where there is no counsel, the people fall;

     
But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.

Often when I am in an airport I go to the magazine shop and look at the headlines of all the magazines offering all kinds of advice. I am interested to see what people are reading. I wonder if they really believe everything they read in those magazines.

Our proverb today says that when there is no counsel, meaning no godly counsel, the people fall. Women are falling deep in credit card debt with nothing to show for it. Women fall by foolishly deciding to move in with their boyfriends, not knowing that statistically live-in men are ten times more likely to be unfaithful—and besides, it’s just wrong. Women fall when they turn to medications to numb the pain of life, instead of turning to the Lord for comfort or grace or help in time of need.

I have a dear, wise friend named Dotty. Let me share her thoughts. She said, “In the days we live in, we need to analyze the people we turn to when seeking advice. We need to know who is steeped in the Word of God, who walks in maturity, who has and shows a deep reverence for the Lord. Those are the kinds of people we need to turn to when we are looking for those ‘many counselors’ to guide us. And we need to ask the Lord to make us that kind of women, able to give godly counsel to others who are in a quandary.”

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

“In the multitude of counselors there is safety.” As I have walked with the Lord over forty years, I’ve often thought of this advice. I am thankful to say that we have always been connected to a fellowship of believers. We have never been church hoppers or sideline sitters. I can pick up the phone and call many dear sisters and ask them for prayer and words of wise counsel. Do you have that?

Let’s Pray

Lord, please help me to stop living on the edges of the family of God. Help me to become part of a church community where both life and burdens are shared.

One Year Bible Reading

Numbers 24:1–25:18; Luke 2:1-35; Psalm 59:1-17; Proverbs 11:14

March 17

Don’t Cosign!

     
Guaranteeing a loan for a stranger is dangerous;

          
it is better to refuse than to suffer later.

In the late sixties, the hippy movement sang about peace and love. It was seen as a great virtue to give and to share. That was definitely the good side. Unfortunately, there was not necessarily much respect for the virtues of stewardship and responsibility. Because of this, new terms came into the hippie vocabulary: terms like “being burned” or being “ripped off.”

Our proverb today tells you that you do need to be cautious when you lend to someone you don’t know much about. You might find later that the very reason they needed the loan is because they were careless and foolish with money when they did have it.

Okay. I really can’t help saying it, but it seems kind of crazy for our government to be bailing out companies who we already know overspent. We already know they made bad decisions with the massive amount of money that they did have. In Missouri they say, “This is throwing money down a rat hole.” Lending money with no accountability is throwing good money after bad, wouldn’t you say?

Okay. I can’t help saying one more thing about this. Our country was founded on principles, wise principles as found in the Word of God, principles of morality, principles of financial soundness, principles of right and wrong. When we disregard these, someone is going to eventually have to pick up the tab.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

It’s easy to decline cosigning for your cousin’s brother-in-law or the bum down the street, but when it comes to close family it is a lot tougher. I know it seems unsympathetic, but when you cosign for anyone, you enable them to take a risk they might not be ready for and might suffer for later. Moms, when your kids ask you to help them start a business or loan them money, be wise. It’s risky. Even though it’s inconvenient, I have seen wise parents allow grown children to move back home while they save for their dreams. Then when they launch out, they can stand on their own feet.

One Year Bible Reading

Numbers 26:1-51; Luke 2:36-52; Psalm 60:1-12; Proverbs 11:15

March 18

Kindness in Action

     
A kindhearted woman gains respect,

          
but ruthless men gain only wealth.

     
A kind man benefits himself,

          
but a cruel man brings trouble on himself.

This beautiful proverb lifts up to us the blessing of being a blessing. Even if we just looked at this selfishly, we would want to live right, knowing that it is right for us. “Remember this: . . . whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (2 Corinthians 9:6,
NIV
).

One of my favorite books in the New Testament is Philippians. And I love the odd little story in the book of Acts of how the Philippian church started. Paul had gone there because of a dream of a man saying, “Come over to help us.” But when he arrived, he just came across a group of women—whom he shared the gospel with. Listen to the story in Acts 16:14-15: “One of those listening was a woman named Lydia. . . . The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. ‘If you consider me a believer in the Lord,’ she said, ‘come and stay at my house.’ And she persuaded us” (
NIV
).

She was both an openhearted and kindhearted woman. She considered it an honor to offer true hospitality. Ladies, can you imagine some of the conversations that happened at her house over the next few weeks? Did she see others get saved in her own living room? Later, when the letter to the Philippians arrived, maybe it was at her house that it was first read. Lydia was a kindhearted woman who gained respect.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

To be kind is to possess sympathetic or generous qualities. A kindhearted woman does kindhearted things. William Wordsworth referred to the “best portion of a good man’s life” as “his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love.” When your husband is late, be kind. When a child breaks a dish, be kind. When your mom needs a ride to the doctor, be kind.

Let’s Pray

Lord, help me to not miss those little moments when someone needs a kind word or touch.

One Year Bible Reading

Numbers 26:52–28:15; Luke 3:1-22; Psalm 61:1-8; Proverbs 11:16-17

March 19

Treasure in Heaven

     
Evil people get rich for the moment,

          
but the reward of the godly will last.

So much has happened in our economy over the last few years. The fortunes of some have been lost. This seems like a really good time to rethink the definition of
rich
. What is rich? You’ve probably heard the famous statement of John D. Rockefeller. When asked, “How much money is enough?” he said, “Just a little bit more.”

Frank Herbert once said, “Wealth is a tool of freedom, but the pursuit of wealth is the way to slavery.” So how do we balance this? Princess Diana had her own version. She said, “They say it is better to be poor and happy than rich and miserable, but how about a compromise like moderately rich and just a little moody?” Nice try, Princess Di, but no cigar.

I think Henry Ward Beecher said it much better. He said, “No man can tell whether he is rich or poor by turning to his ledger. It is the heart that makes a man [or woman] rich. He is rich or poor according to what he is, not according to what he has.” Now this is the real deal. It is not what you have inside the bank, it’s what is inside of you.

But of course, Jesus said it best of all. He said, “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven . . . for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:20-21,
NKJV
). Confirming our proverb, “the reward of the godly will last.”

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

How do you store treasure in heaven? Is it the money you give to the church or charity? It can be. But it is also more personal and dynamic than that. In Matthew 25:35-40, Jesus explained that he values little things, like visiting someone who is sick. Let me connect this topic to the concept of “walking in the Spirit.” When we are in tune with the Spirit of God, he will direct in specific ways to bless someone and to be “rich toward God.”

Let’s Pray

Lord, please give me eyes to see and then the will to do the things that really matter to you and for eternity.

One Year Bible Reading

Numbers 28:16–29:40; Luke 3:23-38; Psalm 62:1-12; Proverbs 11:18-19