The One Year Wisdom for Women Devotional: 365 Devotions through the Proverbs (70 page)

September 22

A Prostitute

     
A prostitute is a dangerous trap;

          
a promiscuous woman is as dangerous as falling into a narrow well.

     
She hides and waits like a robber,

          
eager to make more men unfaithful.

The dictionary definition of
prostitute
is “one who sells herself (body, moral integrity) for low or unworthy purposes.” She is indeed a dangerous trap. But today let’s look at the heartbreaking trap and pit that she falls into herself. I want to speak to and for women who have fallen.

Recently a woman told me her story. She grew up in a broken home. Her father was absent. Her bitter and lonely mom allowed many men to come into their home, along with drugs and alcohol. This was a dangerous place for a little girl. One of the men abused her repeatedly, then threatened to kill her and her mom if she ever told. Shame, pain, fear, and secrecy are a tough combination of emotions for a young soul to juggle. Her longings for male love comingled with man hatred. This combination set her up to sell herself.

As a young teen she started to experiment with drugs to kill the pain and help her cope with her out-of-control world. To supply her habit, she traded sex for drugs. So the cycle continued. Her journey began as a victim. She then became aggressive and hurtful to others, taking out her pain on anyone who got close. At her very lowest, she cried out to a God she did not know. But the wonderful part of this story is, he knew her. He heard her cry for help and in his great mercy healed and set her free.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Does this story strike a chord? It describes a world of pain but also reveals how pain can drive a woman headlong into sin. Jesus came to bring the mercy of heaven to earth.

“In all their suffering he also suffered, and he personally rescued them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them” (Isaiah 63:9).

Let’s Pray

Lord, words cannot describe the feelings that surface when the closet of the past is opened. Please, pour your light and love and truth and grace into the deepest pits. Make me whole, able to live and love.

One Year Bible Reading

Isaiah 39:1–41:16; Ephesians 1:1-23; Psalm 66:1-20; Proverbs 23:25-28

September 23

A Lost Cause?

Today’s proverb is a long description of the crazy, out-of-control world of drinking and drugs. If someone you love is living this life, this scene is all too familiar.

     
Who has anguish? Who has sorrow?

          
Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining?

     
Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?

          
It is the one who spends long hours in the taverns,

          
trying out new drinks.

     
Don’t gaze at the wine . . .

          
how it sparkles in the cup, how smoothly it goes down.

     
For in the end it bites like a poisonous snake. . . .

          
You will see hallucinations,

          
and you will say crazy things.

     
You will stagger like a sailor tossed at sea. . . .

          
And you will say, “They hit me, but I didn’t feel it.

     
I didn’t even know it when they beat me up.

          
When will I wake up

          
so I can look for another drink?”

A lost-cause drunk is the picture of hopelessness. Except for the grace of God no one can return from this ruinous pit. But there is the grace of God! And his grace still works miracles. By the miracle of redemption some very unlikely people have been completely, radically, and supernaturally changed. Oswald Chambers said, “There is nothing miraculous or mysterious about the things we can explain.” Many alcoholics have tried to pull themselves up by their own self-will, their desperate desire to change, or in response to the pleading of their family or friends. It’s not enough. When we come to the end of ourselves, God responds, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

What can you do when you see someone’s life going down the drain? Fear, anger, and despair are natural but not helpful. Psalm 43:5 puts words to your feelings, and then lifts you to hope in the Savior, who is mighty to save.

“Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!”

One Year Bible Reading

Isaiah 41:17–43:13; Ephesians 2:1-22; Psalm 67:1-7; Proverbs 23:29-35

September 24

Stirring Up Trouble

     
Don’t envy evil people

          
or desire their company.

     
For their hearts plot violence,

          
and their words always stir up trouble.

Ladies, this is a piece of advice we need to make sure we apply. Wicked people are troublemakers and trouble-talkers. There can be no greater trouble than a woman who is on the warpath.

There are many examples in the Bible of people who stirred up trouble with their words. On the journey to the Promised Land the Israelites grumbled many times. In Numbers 11 the rabble began to crave other food besides the manna. They were unthankful, and yet they had never missed a meal. No, they just wanted fish and cucumbers. It’s been said, “Contentment is not getting what you want but wanting what you have.” Well, they complained, and pretty soon everyone was unhappy. Everyone was complaining. It spread like the plague. Then Moses got discouraged. He wanted to give up. Can you see how complaining can make your husband or your pastor or your friends or your kids want to give up? Don’t do that to them. But the difference between the rabble and Moses is that he took his frustration and burdens not to others but to the Lord, and the Lord sent solutions. God put his Spirit on leaders who could then help carry the burden of the people.

So the moral? Don’t make friendships with complainers, whiners, gripers, or faultfinders. If there’s a problem, take it to the Lord and pray for godly friends.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Griping and complaining is the shortest path to leaving you with more to gripe and complain about. Did you know that? For example, if you constantly criticize your kids about the way they put away the dishes or mow the lawn, or you put your husband down about the way he drives, or that he always forgets something when you send him to the store . . . guess what? They are not likely to want to try again. You will end up doing the dishes and going to the store all by yourself. Praise and thankfulness go a long way. Try them. For sure, others will like it—and so will you.

One Year Bible Reading

Isaiah 43:14–45:10; Ephesians 3:1-21; Psalm 68:1-18; Proverbs 24:1-2

September 25

House Beautiful

     
A house is built by wisdom

          
and becomes strong through good sense.

     
Through knowledge its rooms are filled

          
with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.

I just returned from visiting a third-world country. Sadly, it is marred with building projects that are poorly constructed, half finished, abandoned, and vandalized. The country is rich in natural resources and spectacular beauty. But many people live in unkept shacks, their situations never improving from generation to generation. It makes me wonder.

Today’s beautiful proverb pictures a stunning contrast. The key words are
built
,
wisdom
,
strong
,
good sense
,
knowledge
,
filled
,
precious riches
, and
valuables
.

I know many women who came from a life of shambles. But I have also seen those very same women completely turn toward God with desperate hope. I have seen God restore marriages, bring back prodigal children, reconnect mothers with children placed for adoption, and help women who were drug addicts become leaders and mentors to restore others.

Joshua stood at the dividing point in the Israelites’ history and shouted these words: “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the [people] in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the L
ORD
” (Joshua 24:15,
NKJV
). Joshua had seen the Promised Land. He knew that nothing compared with it. As we read these words, God is throwing open the door. Will you choose today to let the Lord be the unrivaled God and ruling King of your home? He will then fill your life with precious riches: peace, kindness, fruitfulness, his strength, and most of all his presence.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

“A house is built by wisdom.” The building process does not happen overnight. Brick by brick it is built from the ground up. Is there a portion of your life that needs reconstruction? All right—get started! Ask God to show you where the root of the problem is. Face it honestly. Face where you have been foolish or unsurrendered. Repentance removes the rubble. Forgiveness gives you a fresh start. His Holy Spirit then empowers you and provides all the materials you need to rebuild.

One Year Bible Reading

Isaiah 45:11–48:11; Ephesians 4:1-16; Psalm 68:19-35; Proverbs 24:3-4