The One Year Wisdom for Women Devotional: 365 Devotions through the Proverbs (46 page)

June 21

Calming Quarrels

     
Anyone who loves to quarrel loves sin.

Are you argumentative? Do you feel that you constantly have to have the last word, prove your point, show why others are wrong? Do you have to have an opinion on everything?

When there is a controversy on the news in politics, do you feel that you have to follow all the details, although there is nothing you can do about it? Do you get angry at people on talk shows but continue to watch them?

Whenever there is some sort of conflict at church, do you get involved or at least need to know about it? Do you take sides and then defend your position?

I hope I’m not stepping on anyone’s toes. Wrong. I hope I am. As a matter of fact, I really hope this is hitting home with someone out there. Arguing is not good. Our proverb is very matter of fact: “Anyone who loves a quarrel loves sin.” If you think that’s blunt, listen to Ecclesiastes 10:12: “Words from a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but a fool is consumed by his own lips” (
NIV
).

So calm down. Let it go. Second Timothy 2:24 says, “The Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, [she] must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful” (
NIV
).

James 1:20 says, “Man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires” (
NIV
).

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Are bickering and blaming part of your family culture? God’s Word has some good insight in James 4:1-3: “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. . . . You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” (
NIV
).

Let’s Pray

Lord, when someone is irritable or irritating, help me to keep a quiet heart and a silent tongue.

One Year Bible Reading

2 Kings 1:1–2:25; Acts 13:42–14:7; Psalm 139:1-24; Proverbs 17:19-21

June 22

Joy Is Good Medicine

     
A cheerful heart is good medicine,

          
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

I want to ask you some questions. Are you a child of God? Is the great God of the universe your heavenly Father? Does he love you with an unfailing love? Has he forgiven your sins and washed you white as snow? Is he faithful to his promises? Do you believe that he will never leave you or forsake you? Is God your fortress and strength? Do you believe that your name is written in the Book of Life? When you woke up this morning, did you remember that in your Father’s house are many mansions, and Jesus left to prepare a place for you? Did you remember that Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33,
NKJV
)?

No matter what circumstance we are facing today, we have every good reason in the world to be of good cheer!

George Müller was best known as the “Father of Orphans.” Meeting the needs of thousands of children taught him to look to God and God alone for all their needs. Despite all of this responsibility, it’s said he had the cheerful countenance of a child himself. This is what he said was his secret: “The Lord taught me that the first business I needed to attend to every day was to have my spirit happy in the Lord, to nourish my inner man.” This he did by starting his day in God’s Word: reading, stopping to pray, and then reading more until all of the weight rested on God’s broad shoulders, not his.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Is the weight of your world resting on your shoulders today? Do you feel crushed and dry? This is not good. I’ll venture to say you don’t have any joy. Did you forget that the joy of the Lord is your strength?

On May 26, I taught you how to do the “divine shift.” Put your palms out and picture your burdens in your hands. Now lift those burdens up and off your shoulders and onto the broad shoulders of the Lord. Breathe in deeply. Breathe out. Now let his joy flow into you like good medicine.

One Year Bible Reading

2 Kings 3:1–4:17; Acts 14:8-28; Psalm 140:1-13; Proverbs 17:22

June 23

Bribery or Bonus?

Our proverb today gives us insight into one of the reasons we see so much unfairness in the world.

     
A wicked man accepts a bribe in secret

          
to pervert the course of justice.

Secret bribes, hidden agendas. There is injustice in the courts, in politics, at the office, even in families and churches. Things aren’t always fair, are they?

But God gives us a picture of how it ought to be in Deuteronomy 16:19: “Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous” (
NIV
).

A bribe doesn’t have to be money. It can be anything that is given to “encourage” someone to do or allow something that is wrong. Judas was bribed by money to betray Jesus. Pilate was bribed by political pressure and popularity to condemn Jesus. Peter was bribed by his own instinct to protect himself to deny Jesus. Bribes can come from the outside, and they can come from the inside. Bottom line: whatever you get out of it, it is always wrong to cave in to wrong.

God gives us a simple and yet wonderful contrast to this with a formula to live rightly before him and others—Micah 6:8: “He has shown you, O man [or woman], what is good; and what does the L
ORD
require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (
NKJV
). Elisabeth Elliot used to boil it down into one little motto for life: “Do the next thing.”

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

They say bribery will get you everywhere. Some parents live by that motto. When their toddler throws a tantrum, they bribe him by giving him what he wants so he will stop crying. Teens often badger their moms to override their dads’ decisions. This rewards bad behavior. Bribery gets you somewhere, all right—but to the wrong place! If you have fallen into that trap, try a new technique, “positive reinforcement.” When your children do a chore well, share, work hard on an assignment, catch them being good. Reward them with words and occasionally with a “serendipity” bonus treat or benefit.

One Year Bible Reading

2 Kings 4:18–5:27; Acts 15:1-35; Psalm 141:1-10; Proverbs 17:23

June 24

Prodigals

Today’s topic is prodigals and those who love them.

     
Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom,

          
but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.

     
A foolish child brings grief to a father

          
and bitterness to a mother.

Notice that the first part of our proverb is the official diagnosis of why children are prodigals. They did not choose wisdom. Something foolish caught their eye, and step-by-step they made choices that took them further and further from what was right and good, and further and further not just from you, but from God.

In Luke 15:13-14 Jesus said, “The younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want” (
NKJV
).

For us as mothers this is hard. We hate to see our children suffer. We want to fix it for them, but as Vance Havner says, “If somebody would have given him a bed and a sandwich, the prodigal never would have gone home.”

So, moms, what can we do? Pray. I have a friend who has a prodigal daughter. No, she’s not doing drugs or living on the streets. She is a prodigal because of bitterness and hardness of heart. This mom asks the Lord often, “Is there anything I can do?” Repeatedly, the Lord draws near, comforts her heart, and tells her,
Pray
.

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous [mom] avails much” (James 5:16,
NKJV
).

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

“A foolish child brings . . . bitterness to a mother.” Moms, this is a clear warning for us. We have to be very careful to guard our hearts. Rebellion, stubbornness, thoughtlessness, broken promises, foolish choices—all these bring disappointments to a mother. If you know you have become angry and hard because of frustration and grief, will you come with me now to the throne of grace?

Let’s Pray

Lord, you know the deep sorrow I feel over this child, and you know it has hardened my heart. Please restore me and help me to draw close to you for the comfort and peace I need. Make me wise and yet tender, trusting in you.

One Year Bible Reading

2 Kings 6:1–7:20; Acts 15:36–16:15; Psalm 142:1-7; Proverbs 17:24-25