The One Year Wisdom for Women Devotional: 365 Devotions through the Proverbs (84 page)

November 15

Beauty

     
As a face is reflected in water,

          
so the heart reflects the real person.

Our reflection. We as women look in the mirror to see how we look. We worry about how we look, and we want to change the way we look. But we can look good on the outside and be a mess on the inside. This might be news to some, but a person can have an unattractive exterior and yet have a beautiful heart. Always remember it is the heart that is the true picture of who you really are. That’s why the Proverbs tell us, “Above all else, guard your heart, for from it flow the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23, paraphrased).

Max Lucado wrote a storybook called
If Only I Had a Green Nose
. In the story, Willy Withit arrived in town. He was promoting the latest and greatest look that would definitely make you “with it.” The first “with it” fashion was a green nose, but once everyone got the green nose, it was no longer “with it.” A red nose was the new “with it.” To keep up, you had to keep moving on from one color to another. Ridiculous? But how can this story sound ridiculous to us when we often are sold the same bill of goods, hoodwinked into going from one silly trend to another?

Inner beauty. Let’s read what 1 Peter 3:1-4 has to say: “Be good wives to your husbands, responsive to their needs. There are husbands who, indifferent as they are to any words about God, will be captivated by your life of holy beauty. What matters is not your outer appearance . . . but your inner disposition. Cultivate inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind that God delights in” (
THE MESSAGE
).

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Believe it or not, the Disney Channel originally aired only wholesome programs. Walt Disney would be horrified if he could see what is shown on his channel today. In the 1950s, as part of
The Mickey Mouse Club
, Jimmy asked Mousketeers if they had “words to grow by.” Doreen sang this sweet little song:

     
Beauty is as beauty does, that’s what wise men say.

     
Now if you would be beautiful, do this every day:

     
Help someone who’s feeling blue. Let kindness be your guide.

     
For beauty isn’t only looks; it’s what you’ve got inside.

One Year Bible Reading

Ezekiel 31:1–32:32; Hebrews 12:14-29; Psalm 113:1–114:8; Proverbs 27:18-20

November 16

Flattery and Praise

     
Fire tests the purity of silver and gold,

          
but a person is tested by being praised.

Isn’t this a different angle on the concept of refining and testing? We as Christians often think that our testing is just limited to trials and hardships, but here we see that the praise and popularity of people can provide another kind of proving ground.

It’s been said, “Flattery is like perfume. It’s okay to whiff it. Just don’t drink it.”

So what are the dangers of taking the praise of others too seriously and letting it go to our heads? I think the best way to hate it in ourselves is to see how ugly it is in others. It’s ugly to be around someone who makes you feel small because they think they are so big or smart or talented.

Here’s a test. Have you recently heard someone praise someone you know? How did it feel? Did you feel threatened? Did you feel that you needed to say something critical and tear them down? Maybe it’s because you only love praise when it’s directed toward you.

Jesus gave us the best way to shake off this addiction to attention. In his Sermon on the Mount, he said, “When you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you, meaning don’t look to be noticed and appreciated. Those who do that, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, it is to be in secret so that your Father who sees in secret will himself reward you openly” (Matthew 6:2-4, paraphrased).

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

We can learn a lot from the rich and famous. Hollywood puts a spotlight on the stars, but affection is fickle. One bad movie or a few wrinkles causes yesterday’s favorite to be today’s flop. I feel sorry for them. Lee Iacocca said, “Fame and fortune is for the birds.”

There is only one kind of praise that will someday be music to our ears. On that day we will stand at the judgment seat of Christ. May we hear our Savior say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!” (Matthew 25:21).

One Year Bible Reading

Ezekiel 33:1–34:31; Hebrews 13:1-25; Psalm 115:1-18; Proverbs 27:21-22

November 17

Be Diligent

     
Know the state of your flocks,

          
and put your heart into caring for your herds,

     
for riches don’t last forever. . . .

     
Your sheep will provide wool for clothing,

          
and your goats will provide the price of a field.

     
And you will have enough goats’ milk for yourself,

          
your family, and your servant girls.

Down on the farm they say, “Take care of your sheep, and your sheep will take care of you.” Although most of us no longer live on farms, there are some important principles we could learn from farm life. I spent many summers with my grandparents on the farm. I remember so clearly how diligent my grandfather was. No one had to force him to get up at 5 a.m. to milk the cows and feed them and mend the fences. He noticed if one his cows was injured. He knew if one was missing. Throughout his life he had few luxuries, but I remember homegrown, home-cooked food was the best in the world. Grandfather loved his garden, his animals, and his work. Life was simple, but life was good.

Ecclesiastes 10:15 says, “A fool’s work wearies him” (
NIV
). Ladies, it is foolish to be resentful of the work set before us, whether it’s tending the sheep, or going grocery shopping, or cooking dinner. Find joy in picking out the freshest tomatoes. Find joy in fixing a delicious sandwich for your husband tonight.

In the end, the writer of Ecclesiastes said, “It is good and proper for a man to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his . . . labor. . . . [To] be happy in his work—this is a gift of God” (Ecclesiastes 5:18-19,
NIV
).

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Diligence is a reward in itself. For a woman, her home can be a reflection of her inner world and attitudes. Whether you live in a one-room apartment or a spacious house in the suburbs, your home is your greatest realm of influence. Attend to it. I seldom go to bed until the kitchen is clean and decluttered. Since the living room is the first room you see as you come in the front door, make it warm and welcoming. Don’t complain about what you don’t have and can’t do. Be a good steward of what God has given you, and be thankful in the little things.

One Year Bible Reading

Ezekiel 35:1–36:38; James 1:1-18; Psalm 116:1-19; Proverbs 27:23-27

November 18

Bold as a Lion

     
The wicked man [or woman] flees though no one pursues,

          
but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

This proverb gives us insight into the inner condition of the soul of the wicked. There’s no rest, no safety, no security. This must be an awful way to live. I repeat: an awful way to live. We can see this throughout history. Evil, wicked rulers like Stalin lived in a constant state of paranoia. He was always fearing he would be killed by his own generals. In his house he had eight bedrooms, which could be locked up like safes in a bank. No one ever knew in which of these bedrooms he slept on any given night.

So how does this relate to us as women? It seems that when we harbor evil things like jealousy, bitterness, slander, or gossip in our lives, we often start fearing those very same attitudes, actions, or motives in others toward us. And if we harbor a secret sin, we live in a constant worry that someone will find out and we’ll be ashamed or punished. Yikes! Sin really does become a web that closes in on us and causes us to feel trapped and threatened. Sin keeps our hearts and minds in fear and turmoil.

In contrast, “the righteous are as bold as a lion.” Elisabeth Elliot advises, “Do the next thing.” Speak the next right, kind word, not only to people’s faces, but behind their backs.

Then just like a lion, we don’t ever have to look over our shoulders.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Right living is simple living. With all the stress and complicated issues flying around us in the world, we need an internal oasis and compass. An internal compass gives us direction in moments of decision and crisis. A deep and abiding sense of God’s love and goodness and presence gives you stability and joy and peace no matter what comes your way. The prophet Isaiah lived in times of difficult change and moral decline. He knew he needed to keep his focus and hope placed higher than the government and current king. And so he turned to God; will you? “[God] will keep in perfect peace all who trust in [him], all whose thoughts are fixed on [him]!” (Isaiah 26:3).

One Year Bible Reading

Ezekiel 37:1–38:23; James 1:19–2:17; Psalm 117:1-2; Proverbs 28:1