The One Year Wisdom for Women Devotional: 365 Devotions through the Proverbs (57 page)

August 2

Money Matters

     
Food gained by fraud or deceit tastes sweet to a man,

          
but he ends up with a mouth full of gravel.

Fraud or deceit is lying. It’s wrong. It’s untruthful. It’s a sham.

To someone who deceives, there is a pleasure in the sense of cleverness felt after getting away with a successful fraud. I recently looked over the paperwork of an older woman who had trustingly invested most of her life savings in an account that would tie her money up, with little gain, for many years. The broker had spent one hour, gotten her signature, and made thousands of dollars immediately. That must have seemed like a very sweet deal to him. Maybe he went out to dinner that night thinking how clever he was. But in reality, who is the biggest loser? This dear woman lost only money. The broker who took advantage of her gained a poverty of soul like a mouthful of gravel.

We can also turn this around, because the consumer can be just as deceitful. There has been an epidemic of people falsifying their credit applications to get loans to buy that sweet car, or house, or vacation, but now they can’t afford the payment. This, too, is like a mouthful of gravel.

This would be a good time to insert Proverbs 3:6: “In all your ways acknowledge [the Lord], and He shall direct your paths” (
NKJV
). So do you want to do something? Do you have a decision? Are you making a choice? Pause and pray, “Lord, is this right? Is it good? Does it please you?” This one little pause will help you avoid ending up with a mouthful of gravel.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

As wise, godly women, let’s be good stewards of our money. But more than that, let’s be generous. Recently a young mom with small children came into church. She had some immediate needs. My friend wanted to help but saw she only had a dollar in her purse. Then she remembered some cash tucked away. It was for a frivolous item she wanted to buy later. She dug it out and slipped it to the woman. The thankful tears in that young mom’s eyes went deep into my friend’s heart. She left that day not poorer but richer.

One Year Bible Reading

2 Chronicles 32:1–33:13; Romans 15:23–16:9; Psalm 25:16-22; Proverbs 20:16-18

August 3

Ban Gossip!

     
He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets;

     
Therefore, do not associate with one who flatters with their lips.

Ladies,
talebearer
is an old-fashioned word for a gossip—someone going around telling stories she knows or thinks she knows—and a talebearer’s favorite thing to tell is secrets and inside stories.

There are two sides to this, and both are warnings.

First, be careful. Don’t be flattered when someone comes to share an inside scoop on someone. Be aware it won’t be long before she’ll be gossiping to someone else about you. Don’t listen to stories, because it’s hard to forget them once you’ve heard them, even when you know they’re not true. Proverbs 26:22 says, “The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, and they go down into the inmost body” (
NKJV
). Friendships, families, and even churches have been torn apart by gossip.

And, secondly, don’t
be
a gossip. It’s been said that you have become a mature person when keeping a secret gives you more satisfaction than passing it along. William King once said, “A gossip is one who talks to you about other people. A bore is one who talks to you about himself. And a brilliant conversationalist is one who talks to you about you.”

So gossip is just plain bad business. If our heart’s desire is to truly please God and bless people, let’s be done with gossip. Let’s ban it. Let’s not listen to it, or enjoy it, or pass it along.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Do you wish the world were better? Let me tell you what to do.

     
Set a watch upon your actions, keep them always straight and true.

     
Rid your mind of selfish motives, let your thoughts be clean and high.

     
You can make a little Eden of the sphere you occupy.

     
Do you wish the world were wiser? Well, suppose you make a start,

     
By accumulating wisdom in the scrapbook of your heart;

     
Do not waste one page on folly; live to learn, and learn to live.

     
If you want to give men knowledge you must get it, ere you give.

One Year Bible Reading

2 Chronicles 33:14–34:33; Romans 16:10-27; Psalm 26:1-12; Proverbs 20:19

August 4

Mom and Dad

     
Whoever curses his father or his mother,

     
His lamp will be put out in deep darkness.

These are sobering words. There are some instructions in the Bible that can be hard to understand. But God’s command to honor your parents is not one of them. Why is it then that so many, even Christians, have allowed themselves to completely disregard this?

Some people wonder, Do we really need family relationships? It is sometimes a lot easier to love people from afar or short term. Can’t good friends fill the family gap? Chuck Swindoll said, “A family is a place where principles are hammered and honed on the anvil of everyday living.” Yes, there are challenging times and personalities. That’s when we must rely upon the Lord to help us love them through the good and bad.

Have you let your parents’ flaws get under your skin? Be aware: if you can’t let something go, if you can’t resist the urge to be rude or unkind, it really reflects back on you. You are the child who has never grown up. It’s your own inner glow and integrity that, like a lamp, is shut off and dark.

So, ladies, let me ask you, has it been a while since you called your mom to let her know you love her? If she’s getting old and kind of cranky, don’t take it personally. My mom told me, “Honey, getting old isn’t for sissies.” If one of your parents lives alone, it’s especially important for them to hear your voice and for you to check up on them. You have the divinely appointed opportunity to be a bright spot in their day and a comfort in their life.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Are you thinking as you read this,
I wish I could pick up the phone and call my mom or dad, but they are gone
? Whether they died last month or many years ago, there is still a hole in your heart, you still miss them. Let me tell you, there are many older women—men, too—who would love for you to adopt them. Invite them to birthday parties or take them to lunch after church. Pray and ask the Lord to put someone in your life and on your heart. Both of you will be richer; you’ll fill two holes for the price of one.

One Year Bible Reading

2 Chronicles 35:1–36:23; 1 Corinthians 1:1-17; Psalm 27:1-6; Proverbs 20:20-21

August 5

Relinquishing Revenge

     
Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!”

          
Wait for the L
ORD
, and he will deliver you.

Sometimes we are shocked when someone does something mean or unfair to us. How dare they? How could they? Wrong just hits us hard. But the greater blow is when we internalize it and brood over it and replay it, and—worst of all—let our thoughts fixate on how we’ll get even. This is when the spider, the devil himself, has us in his wicked web. We become consumed, and often it becomes not eye for eye, but revenge wanting to wound deeper and escalate the damage. Ladies, please don’t get tangled in that horrible trap. Take it directly to the Lord and surrender it to him.

Romans 12:17-19 says, “Repay no one evil for evil. . . . If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord” (
NKJV
).

First Peter 3:9 says, “Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it.”

Remember, Jesus did not promise that everything in this life would be fair, or good, or right. In fact, he said, “In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33,
NKJV
).

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

The last part of our proverb today makes an intriguing promise, “Wait for the L
ORD
, and he will deliver you.” What does that mean? How does it relate to our desire for retribution when we are wronged? Well, one thing for sure is that it means we must be patient. I wish it weren’t so, but sometimes it takes a long time for the scales to be balanced. That’s why we must quickly surrender our offenses into the safekeeping of the Lord. The longer we hold on to them, the more pain we endure. What about the deliverance part? Well, if you do indeed surrender every part of the situation to the Lord, you will see a miracle occur. You will wake up one day and realize you are completely delivered—free from its grip.

One Year Bible Reading

Ezra 1:1–2:70; 1 Corinthians 1:18–2:5; Psalm 27:7-14; Proverbs 20:22-23