The One Year Wisdom for Women Devotional: 365 Devotions through the Proverbs (90 page)

December 8

Discipline

     
To discipline a child produces wisdom,

          
but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child.

The 1990 movie
Home Alone
with Macaulay Culkin is a classic illustration of today’s proverb. Truly, a child left to himself is a disaster waiting to happen. Children need boundaries—wise, loving boundaries.

A few years ago there were flash floods in the Midwest. Two young boys hopped on their bikes and rode down to see the raging river. But they had no idea how powerful floodwater can be. They got too close and the river swept them away. Were those kids in the habit of going where they wanted, when they wanted, without permission or supervision? Had they gone places before—dangerous places—and not been disciplined?

Right now, it is hard to imagine a more morally dangerous time for children to grow up. Parents, don’t kid yourselves. Dark music, violent video games, computer access to pornography, drugs, experimenting with sex, strangers in chat rooms lure them in and can sweep them away. Children have no way of discerning the dangers or understanding the consequences. Some of these are so wicked and serious that just one experience can change their life forever.

So moms, don’t be ashamed to discipline your children today. If necessary, give them tough love, because if you don’t, you might be brokenhearted tomorrow.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Corrective discipline is something we never grow out of the need for. For discipline to be effective, the boundaries need to be understood. Unfortunately we often have to learn from our mistakes. My sister constructed an electric fence to keep her dogs out of the flower beds. Her verbal commands went unheeded. A sharp, harmless shock got the message across. Is God cruel when he allows pain as part of our consequence for sin? Pain will not kill you. Sin will.

“For the L
ORD
disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child. As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. . . . No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way” (Hebrews 12:6-7, 11).

One Year Bible Reading

Hosea 10:1–14:9; Jude 1:1-25; Psalm 127:1-5; Proverbs 29:15-17

December 9

Divine Guidance

     
When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild.

          
But whoever obeys the law is joyful.

Many people view God as the divine killjoy. They bristle at the
don’t
s. They resent God telling them what they can and can’t do. “Do not have false idols, do not steal, do not lie, do not commit adultery, do not murder.” Jesus said, “Enter by the narrow gate that leads to life, for wide is the way that leads to destruction” (Matthew 7:13, paraphrased). Is God really confining us by giving us such guidelines? Is our nation better off now that we have taken the Ten Commandments off the courthouse walls and prayer out of schools?

Recently I was walking with my friend Lenya in an older part of town. A man who was obviously homeless came alongside her requesting assistance. Instead of giving him money she offered to buy him—Donny—a hamburger. It grieved our hearts to see how alcohol had reduced him to such brokenness. I said, “Donny, are you tired of living this life? Do you want to change?” Tears came quickly. “I cry every day,” he said. “Drink has caused me to lose my kids and my family.” When he was young he probably thought the wild life was the free life. Like so many, he thought could ignore God’s warnings and guidelines. He thought he could beat the odds. Now he’s in bondage. But, the glorious truth I could tell Donny that day is “It’s not too late. You may have turned your back on God, but God has not turned his back on you. It’s not too late, Donny. His power to restore is mighty.” Amazing grace, how sweet the sound.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Donny’s life portrays the dark side of disobedience. Sin strips us from the dignity and true freedom God created us to have. Obedience often requires some tough moments of surrender. But joy awaits us. “Whoever obeys the law is joyful.” That is why studying the Proverbs is vital to us. God gives us solid practical instruction. We are then given clear pictures that describe the end result of our choices. Oh, what a kind and wise and patient Father in heaven we have. Take his instruction deep into your heart. Indeed, it’s true: Father knows best.

One Year Bible Reading

Joel 1:1–3:21; Revelation 1:1-20; Psalm 128:1-6; Proverbs 29:18

December 10

Restrain

     
Do you see a man hasty in his words?

     
There is more hope for a fool than for him.

The theme in this proverb is wisdom with words. It deals with not just what we say but when we say it. Ladies, we will always be foolish women until we get a grip on this.

Hasty words—let’s look at three principles.

1. When we speak without thinking, we say too much. Proverbs 10:19 warns us, “In the multitude of words sin is not lacking” (
   NKJV
   ). I once heard someone say, “Small minds talk about people, average minds talk about things, but great minds talk about ideas.” There is way too much small-minded talk, even among Christians. A good rule of thumb is, would you say exactly the same thing about someone behind their back as you would if they were present? If not, don’t say it.
   
2. Timing. Ecclesiastics 3:7 tells us, “[There is] a time to be silent and a time to speak” (
   NIV
   ). Bad times to speak are when we’re emotional, when we’re angry, hurt, tired, or frustrated. At such times we are in great danger of causing damage and regretting it later. Orson Card said, “Among my most prized possessions are the words that I have never spoken.”
   
3. Attitude. David prayed, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O L
   ORD
   , my strength and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14,
   NKJV
   ).
   

So we’ll close with Proverbs 10:19: “[She] who restrains [her] lips is wise” (
NKJV
).

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Wisdom restrains. The Hebrew word for
restrain
is
khasak
, which means “to keep from, to hold in check.” Whether it’s trying to hold back from eating a second piece of cheesecake or trying to restrain yourself from saying the wrong thing, you know it’s easier said than done. The forces of our human nature seem to have a life of their own. It’s a tug-of-war. Are you feeling weak, defeated? Join the club. Even Paul, the great apostle, cried out, “Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?” (Romans 7:24). Romans chapter 8 explains the marvelous answer. Only God’s Holy Spirit has the power to “restrain.”

One Year Bible Reading

Amos 1:1–3:15; Revelation 2:1-17; Psalm 129:1-8; Proverbs 29:19-20

December 11

Hot-Tempered

     
An angry man stirs up dissension,

          
and a hot-tempered one commits many sins.

Dissension and strife, being hot-tempered, and sins—all these concepts become part of the atmosphere when anger is raging in someone’s soul.

To some of you reading today this does not need to be explained. You are living this. Maybe it’s because of an angry husband or an angry teenager, or maybe you have an angry boss. You probably feel overpowered and powerless. Someone who is given to outbursts of anger feels at that moment that they are in control, but nothing could be further from the truth. They have lost control of themselves. Anger is their slave-master, causing them to lash out, vent, be cruel, and burn bridges by hurting even those who love them most. And what do they have after that’s done? Less than nothing. There is no comfort or satisfaction. All they have is a trail of collateral damage that wraps them up in a package of shame, problems, and more sin as they seek to blame others.

If you’re a victim of this, it can be a nightmare because it feels like there’s nothing you can do. But there is hope. The Lord hears, and sees, and cares. In moments of outbursts, shoot up an arrow prayer. Practice putting up your shield of faith. Ask God to guard your heart and mind. And don’t let them pull you into their pit. Misery loves company. So I repeat, don’t let them pull you into their pit.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

If you’ve been the brunt of someone’s anger, either in the past or present, you probably have anger of your own. There are two responses, fight or flight. If you aren’t a fighter, your flight pattern might have turned your anger inward. Depression is often the result. Let me ask you an important question. Are you now angry at God? Are you depressed and angry that he did not defend you? Never forget, Jesus bore the full brunt of angry men. “He is despised. . . . Surely He has . . . carried our sorrows . . . and by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:3-5,
NKJV
).

One Year Bible Reading

Amos 4:1–6:14; Revelation 2:18–3:6; Psalm 130:1-8; Proverbs 29:21-22