The One Year Wisdom for Women Devotional: 365 Devotions through the Proverbs (80 page)

October 31

Phony Baloney

     
Like a coating of glaze over earthenware

          
are fervent lips with an evil heart.

Halloween is a day of masks and costumes. The more effective the costume, the less likely you are to recognize who is behind the mask. Disguises, false fronts, pretending—for many Halloween is just a game. But for some, pretending is a way of life.

Fervent lips may say shiny, zealous words but cover up a heart with wrong motives. What you see is not what you get. Think of that day that Mary of Bethany broke the alabaster box to anoint Jesus. It was a beautiful picture of extravagant love. But Judas spoke up. “Why was this fragrant oil not sold . . . and [the money] given to the poor?” (John 12:5,
NKJV
). Doesn’t that sound noble, even caring? “Oh, the poor. Nobody cares for the poor but me!”

John 12:6 gives us a glimpse behind the mask of Judas’s heart. “This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it” (
NKJV
). Now we see Judas didn’t care about Jesus or Mary or the poor. He only cared for himself. With his lips he drew near, but his heart was far, far away.

A lot of women believe what they want to believe about a man. Some men will fervently tell you anything you want hear so they can get what they want. “Like a coating of glaze over earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart.” So the moral is, be wise. In the light, lies aren’t as convincing.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

In Titus 2 older women are encouraged to teach the younger women. One area of instruction that is sadly lacking involves sexuality, romance, and true love. Hollywood has conditioned girls from age two to equate a handsome face with a beautiful heart. Lust puts on a mask and calls itself love. Do young women desire instruction? I think many definitely do. There are excellent Christian books written on this subject; will you pick one up and read it? Will you pray for some young women you know? If you are single, will you bond with others to pray and hold each other accountable?

One Year Bible Reading

Lamentations 4:1–5:22; Hebrews 2:1-18; Psalm 103:1-22; Proverbs 26:23

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November 1

Big Bad Wolf

     
A malicious man disguises himself with his lips,

          
but in his heart he harbors deceit.

     
Though his speech is charming, do not believe him,

          
for seven abominations fill his heart.

A malicious man may be charming, but he is up to no good. Ladies, whether you are fifteen or twenty-two or sixty-two, you need to be wise and careful. When women are lonely or dissatisfied, they become easy prey. They close their eyes to red flags and let their emotions drive them. Has that been you in the past? Is it you right now?

Please listen. We need to learn how to discern if a man who seems good is really a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Why do women sometimes marry men they hardly know and later hate? Many women, even Christian women, are having sex before marriage. Sexual intimacy releases an endorphin called oxytocin, which creates emotional and physical bonding. This bonding makes you blind to flaws. This is good once you’re married. But before, it can replace and short-circuit true relationship building. Sadly, many end up battered and abused, married to a stranger because they did not look before they leapt.

Wisdom is careful. Wisdom trusts God’s instructions and safeguards. Be careful to observe signs of character. How does he treat the waitresses when you go out, both the pretty ones and the unpretty ones? How does he spend his money? How does he treat his family? How quickly does he get angry?

The Big Bad Wolf said, “Little Red Riding Hood, you sure are looking good.” But the wolf was deceitful and disguised, and he was dangerous.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Fleetwood Mac sang these lyrics: “Close my eyes. . . . Tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies.” But lies are never sweet.

God created us with a deep desire to be treasured and loved. Our desires for intimacy are not wrong. But when we go outside of his commands, when we sin, it backfires. What is a woman to do? How can you find the love you have longed for your entire life? Lift your empty cup for God to fill you and satisfy you completely. This is not a simplistic answer, although it is very simple. “Take delight in the L
ORD
, and he will give you your heart’s desires” (Psalm 37:4).

One Year Bible Reading

Ezekiel 1:1–3:15; Hebrews 3:1-19; Psalm 104:1-23; Proverbs 26:24-26

November 2

Boomerang

     
If you set a trap for others,

          
you will get caught in it yourself.

     
If you roll a boulder down on others,

          
it will crush you instead.

Here God is warning us that making trouble for others will eventually boomerang back to us. Sir Walter Scott said, “Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.”

Some of you know I have a great passion to encourage women to read the Bible from cover to cover. One of the wonderful benefits is that the Bible doesn’t just teach life principles, but it also illustrates them through real examples in real people’s lives.

The book of Esther displays a picture of someone who dug a pit for someone else and then fell in it. His name was Haman. He hated a Jew named Mordecai, Esther’s cousin. His hatred wasn’t based on any real wrong done to him. His hatred stemmed from the fact that he didn’t get his way. That’s a story in itself. And as his bitterness grew, he sought to kill not only Mordecai, but all the Jews of the land. Bitterness does that. It always widens the circle of collateral damage.

An interesting detail of the story is that Haman’s wife, Zeresh, encouraged him to take revenge. She said, “Hang Mordecai. Then go and be happy.” That’s bad advice. But Esther took a bold step, asking her husband, the king, to intervene. End result, Haman was hung on the gallows he intended for others. Haman did not know “what goes around comes around.” Haman was the rat that got caught in his own trap.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Haman is the central villain in this story. But his wife, Zeresh, fueled the fire. Instead of being the voice of reason, she encouraged him to act out his rage. When we do that, even if we don’t participate in the evil actions, we are accomplices to the crime; there is “blood on our hands.” Whether it’s your husband or your sister or a leader you serve with that is angry, pray for them. And better yet, pray with them.

“The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results” (James 5:16).

One Year Bible Reading

Ezekiel 3:16–6:14; Hebrews 4:1-16; Psalm 104:24-35; Proverbs 26:27