The One Year Wisdom for Women Devotional: 365 Devotions through the Proverbs (53 page)

July 18

Kindness to the Poor

     
He who is kind to the poor lends to the L
ORD
,

          
and he will reward him for what he has done.

One thing I have learned in my life is you can’t outgive the Lord.

Sometimes I think about that little boy in John 6 who gave his entire lunch to Jesus so that the rest of the five thousand people there that day could eat. It’s ridiculous that he thought his little lunch could make any difference. And of course there is the fact that he must have considered that if he gave up his lunch, he would then have no lunch. But because the little boy had just heard Jesus teach the Sermon on the Mount, he had heard him say, “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor . . . what you will put on. . . . But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:25, 33,
NKJV
). And since he was still young and still able to believe that what God says is more valid than what circumstances seem to say, he did it. He gave it all. In that moment of letting go of his lunch, he put himself entirely, completely in the Lord’s hands, voluntarily.
Hmmmm.
Can I have a little word with you now? Have you ever really done that? Can you imagine what this little boy felt like as he saw what the Lord did with his lunch?

So if God puts a holy tug on your heart as you see a need, don’t be afraid. God has a wonderful economy. Trust him, because “he who is kind to the poor lends to the L
ORD
, and he will reward him for what he has done.”

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Let me give you an example. Do you believe in protecting the unborn? Are you pro-life? Put your money where your mouth is! Many women resort to abortion because they feel absolutely desperate. I have several friends whose life’s passion is to provide resources and support and counseling through crisis pregnancy centers. Behind each of them is a little army of loving people, each doing a small part. Some give money, some provide rides to doctor’s appointments, some crochet baby blankets, some are on call for personal and emotional care. Make a difference; get involved.

One Year Bible Reading

1 Chronicles 26:12–27:34; Romans 4:13–5:5; Psalm 14:1-7; Proverbs 19:17

July 19

A Word to Moms

     
Discipline your children while there is hope.

          
Otherwise you will ruin their lives.

     
Hot-tempered people must pay the penalty.

          
If you rescue them once, you will have to do it again.

Adam Clark said, “This is a hard precept for a parent. Nothing affects the heart of a parent so much as a child’s cries and tears. But it is better that the child may be caused to cry when the correction may be healthful to his soul, than that the parent should cry afterwards when the child is grown to man’s estate and his evil habits are sealed for life.”

The Duke of Windsor commented, “The thing that impresses me most about America is the way parents obey their children.” So sad.

Recently my friend Christy stayed with us for a few days with her three small children. It was a blessing to see what a loving and wise mother she is. What I loved was that they had freedom to just be children, and yet even the four-year-old boy understood there are boundaries. This was clear in the moment when her son crossed the boundary and was too rough with his little sister. Christy intervened. She not only stopped the bad behavior, but she took the time to explain why and to pray with him. Accidents like spilled milk or broken cups were dealt with like they should be, as accidents. But issues of character and kindness and truth and right were dealt with quickly, lovingly, and yet firmly. Good job, Christy!

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Our proverb today advises us to be quick to discipline but slow to anger. Moms, a hot temper is a very unhelpful parenting tool. It teaches the kids to be afraid of you. They will distrust you, or avoid you, or copy you. Oh, dread the day you see your bad behavior displayed in their bad behavior. Discipline, on the other hand, helps children to feel secure. If boundaries are explained, kids learn the whys along with the whats. Have you failed in the past? Who hasn’t? Today is a new day.

Let’s Pray

O Lord, it is such a responsibility to raise children rightly. I feel overwhelmed and underequipped. And so I turn to you, the perfect Father. Please guide me with your wisdom, and cover my mistakes.

One Year Bible Reading

1 Chronicles 28:1–29:30; Romans 5:6-21; Psalm 15:1-5; Proverbs 19:18-19

July 20

God’s Good Plans

     
Listen to advice and accept instruction,

          
and in the end you will be wise.

     
Many are the plans in a man’s heart,

          
but it is the L
ORD
’s purpose that prevails.

We live in a world with information overload. Advice comes at us from all directions. But above all, God wants to play the primary role of mentor and advisor in our lives. His Word is full of explanations and examples of both good and bad choices and the results of each.

This is one of the reasons I never get tired of encouraging people to read
The One Year Bible
. There are so many Christians who just aren’t personally familiar with the lessons from Abraham’s life, or Lot’s life, or Saul’s and David’s lives. They’re not reading the Proverbs every day or the Epistles. If that’s you, please pray about picking one up and starting to read today. God wants to meet you with fresh manna and timely advice from his Word.

A few years ago I was struggling with some big decisions. I had been praying, asking the Lord to direct. It just so happened that I was with some friends at the Grand Canyon. As I watched the sunset, I was overwhelmed with the power and majesty of a God who would create such a masterpiece. The next morning, I opened my
One Year Bible
to read the psalm for the day. As I read the words, I could sense the Lord’s voice saying in Psalm 32:8, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye” (
NKJV
).

And so that morning, surrounded by the Grand Canyon, I felt secure, surrounded by the God who made it.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

I want to ask you a question. Do you live the majority of your days making your own decisions and plans? Honestly, how often do you ask God’s opinion? He is interested in both the major and minor issues—because he is interested in you. He knows what lies ahead. Listen to his voice say to you, “For I know the plans I have for you. . . . They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).

One Year Bible Reading

2 Chronicles 1:1–3:17; Romans 6:1-23; Psalm 16:1-11; Proverbs 19:20-21

July 21

Audience of One

     
The fear of the L
ORD
leads to life:

          
then one rests content, untouched by trouble.

When you respect and honor the Lord, when you value his Word above all other opinions, when you trust and obey him even when it puts you out of favor with popular opinion, you are living before what has been called “the audience of one. Before all others you have nothing to gain, nothing to lose, and nothing to fear.” As Max Lucado states it, you are looking for only the “applause of heaven.” Trouble may come, you may suffer externally, but it is well with your soul. Paul said, “In all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37,
NKJV
).

Daniel met an incredible challenge when a law was invoked that made it illegal to pray (see Daniel 6). Daniel had a decision. He could either fear and honor God, or fear and honor man. He chose God. He prayed. He was caught and sentenced to death, then thrown into a pit of hungry lions. This just doesn’t seem right! He was delivered from the lions’ den. And his trust was a testimony of confidence in a God who is with you and sustains you in any dark and dangerous pit.

Charles Gordon wrote, “The more one sees of life, the more one feels, in order to keep from shipwreck, the necessity of steering by the Polar Star, i.e., in a word, leave to God alone, and never pay attention to the favors or smiles of man; if he smiles on you, neither the smile or frown of men can affect you.”

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

What does it look like to fear the Lord as you face daily, seeming ordinary issues of life? Daniel is famous because of his lions’ den event, but most of his life consisted of daily honesty and integrity in the workplace. “Daniel soon proved himself. . . . They couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy” (Daniel 6:3-4). He didn’t steal pencils or check personal e-mail on company time. He was a good example of a good example. Will you be faithful to honor God in the little things? Then when the big challenges come, “you will have nothing to gain, nothing to lose, and nothing to fear.”

One Year Bible Reading

2 Chronicles 4:1–6:11; Romans 7:1-13; Psalm 17:1-15; Proverbs 19:22-23