The One Year Wisdom for Women Devotional: 365 Devotions through the Proverbs (45 page)

June 17

Beware of Bears!

     
Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs

          
than a fool in his folly.

Here’s a warning. Don’t mess with mamma bear’s cubs. She can be vicious. This kind of unleashed force is compared with the crazed and out-of-control behavior of a fool.

When does this happen, and what does it look like? Divorce court is a classic example. It can be a crazy, revenge-at-any-cost place. Jealousy is foolish, and those who are prone to it can destroy friendships and ministries. Family feuds over inheritance can be unleashed, acting out of old resentments from childhood. Have you ever heard the phrase
scorched earth
? When an enemy army came across the border into Russia, Peter the Great burned miles and miles of his own people’s farms and crops, just so the invading army would have no food. Scorched earth.

So child of God, if you are in the way of some foolish person’s warpath, here are some things to remember.

• Reason and right usually will not stop them.
  
• Don’t answer their crazy folly with your own crazy folly.
  
• Really, the only safe place is higher ground.
  

Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble” (
NKJV
).

Hebrews 4:16 reminds us, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may . . . find grace to help in time of need” (
NKJV
).

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

When someone recklessly vents her anger, it often falls on the innocent. This is a good warning to us as mothers. We as women can let frustrations and bitterness seethe against our husbands (or ex-husbands). Then all of a sudden, some little thing that a child does triggers that anger, and they get the full truckload dumped on them. It’s confusing and painful and entirely unfair. If this has happened, it’s not too late to make amends. Will you go to your child and ask for forgiveness? Read Ephesians 4:26 together. Then ask your child to kneel and pray with you at the throne of grace.

One Year Bible Reading

1 Kings 18:1-46; Acts 11:1-30; Psalm 135:1-21; Proverbs 17:12-13

June 18

Quit Quarrels!

     
Beginning a quarrel is like opening a floodgate,

          
so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.

Ephesians 4:26 says, “Be angry and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath” (
NKJV
). Truthfully, sometimes I’m so frustrated that I’m not quick on my feet. I can never think of that clever, sharp thing to shoot back in a moment of anger. But in reality I am thankful. It’s sometimes better to be tongue-tied.

So much trouble is caused when tempers flare and words are used as weapons. One harsh word leads to one hurtful word, which leads to hateful looks and actions, and the damage goes deeper and deeper the longer it goes on. Stop. Just stop. Someone said, “The one that forgives, ends that quarrel.” And George Herbert said, “He who cannot forgive others destroys the bridge over which he himself must pass.”

In Genesis 13:8-9 Abram’s herdsmen had a conflict with Lot’s herdsmen. There were territory issues; so Abram went to Lot and said, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, . . . for we are brethren. Is not the whole land before you? . . . If you take the left, then I will go to the right” (
NKJV
).

Good job, Abram—and good example. He could have fought for his rights and probably won, but he laid down his rights and gave first choice to Lot. In the end, Abram did win, because “blessed are the peacemakers.”

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

I have a conflict in a relationship right now. The situation that caused the conflict can’t be done over. It’s history. So now I have a decision to make. I can replay the details and events over and over in my mind. But that only keeps the frustration fresh. In twenty years, none of those details will matter at all. What matters is that I really do care about the other person. Before God, I have committed to let love rule. When angry thoughts pop up in my mind, he helps me turn them to prayer.

Do you have an unresolved disagreement or argument? As our proverb today says, let’s drop the matter. And then let love rule.

One Year Bible Reading

1 Kings 19:1-21; Acts 12:1-23; Psalm 136:1-26; Proverbs 17:14-15

June 19

Fools are Foolish

     
Why is there in the hand of a fool the purchase price of wisdom,

     
Since he has no heart for it?

This is an interesting question. Why does a fool get any of the good benefits that could make him wise and true and good if he wanted, and yet he wastes every opportunity? They are wasted on him.

Why do we sometimes see godly parents who do all that they can for their children while the children do all they can to ruin the parents’ lives? They choose wild friends, break all the family rules meant to guide and protect them, and break their parents’ hearts.

Why? Why do some people have a Christian in their life who never gives up on them, who year after year invites them to church, shares the gospel, and prays for their souls? And yet, year after year—nothing. They become more and more set on believing anything the liberal media says and rejecting everything that God says.

Why, why do some of the dearest Christian wives have husbands who choose to live a life and in a world apart? They have no idea why their wife has joy and peace even when there are hard times. There’s a Bible in their kitchen and Scriptures on their walls, but these husbands’ hearts seem like block walls.

Why? Why do all these foolish people get all these chances to know the truth? Because “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. . . . God did not send His Son to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16-17,
NKJV
).

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Let’s turn this question back on ourselves. Is there an area of your life that foolishness has repeatedly conquered? Are you still foolish with your money, with your words, with your temper? Why? Why do you yield when you know it only brings trouble?

Let’s pray and seek both the insight and power of God himself to break the grip of our weak natures.

Let’s Pray

Lord, I am asking you. Help me understand why I keep failing to grow past some of the weak habits in my life. Please give me fresh resolve for victory, confident that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13,
NKJV
).

One Year Bible Reading

1 Kings 20:1–21:29; Acts 12:24–13:15; Psalm 137:1-9; Proverbs 17:16

June 20

A Faithful Friend

     
A friend loves at all times,

     
And a brother is born for adversity.

This proverb shows us why we need friends. It also shows us not just what we need in a friend, but what we need to be as a friend. The question is, who are you?

Everyone loves a winner. Everyone loves to know and be with someone who has a lot going for them and is well respected by the well-respected people. It’s fun to be in the right circle. Even in churches and ministries there are “in” and there are “out” circles. That’s human nature, but deep bonds aren’t made in shallow pools.

In the Bible we see a picture of friendship between Jonathan and David. The true test of that friendship was when David was an outcast. It was not politically correct for Jonathan to stay close to David. He could have distanced himself and played it safe. But he made a choice. He would pay the price to walk alongside his friend as the underdog, because that’s when his friend needed him the most. “Tried and true” means there is a trial that shows who is true. Again, the question is, who are you?

But no discussion of a friend could ever be complete without speaking of the friend who is truest and sweetest of all. “What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear. Can we find a friend so faithful? Who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.”

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Now, honestly ask yourself,
Am I a friend who loves at all times?
After I wrote this sentence, I immediately thought of someone who has moved to a new city. It’s hard to start over. She has been on my heart. So I stopped and picked up the phone just to let her know I’m thinking of her. This week, let’s do more of that. As you drive to church on Sunday, will you ask the Lord to give you a “be a friend” moment? Reach out to someone who is new, a widow, the mother of a handicapped child, or a woman still reeling from a recent divorcee. As you fill the friendship cup of others, your own cup becomes full.

One Year Bible Reading

1 Kings 22:1-53; Acts 13:16-41; Psalm 138:1-8; Proverbs 17:17-18