Just a few verses among the many that Proverbs brings you to consider…
Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, & a gentle tongue can break through a bone.
Proverbs 25:15
This verse speaks directly to me. I often recognize in me how little patience I have & how quickly the volume of my voice rises (especially with my kids). If I were to be less quick to get frustrated, rather taking the time to teach instead of expecting things of them that as kids they need to learn, they would feel less frustrated & the situation would become positive instead of negative. I don't want people to yell at me & can imagine that someone would respond better if I spoke with gentleness too.
Proverbs 28:13
When someone admits a sin with remorse or we hear a testimony of someone who has received forgiveness, we don't look at that person with disgust but rather with compassion & grace. Why, then, is it so hard to admit to our own mistakes & sins? (sadly our pride often gets in the way) Without acknowledging our mistakes, it's hard to learn from them.
I find, for myself, that it's easy to just kind of throw away the thought that I really sinned on any given day (I mean, I didn't steal anything, I didn't swear or even call someone a bad name, etc). However, if I'm really honest with myself & take time to consider my actions & thoughts, it can be a little overwhelming how short I fell. How often did I raise my voice, how often did I think something of someone else that wasn't gracious, etc? I need to take time to recognize my failings & God will show me mercy. Only once I have acknowledged them can I change my ways & prosper in my walk with God.
He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe.
Proverbs 28:26
It is so easy to go about my day, making decisions & feeling that I have everything under control. There's a degree of pride in feeling like we can do it on our own. However, our limited vantage point cannot always direct us to the right path (we can't always clearly see or predict the consequences of our choices). We need to depend on God & seek his direction to know that we are not making decisions with less than 20/20 vision.
Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Proverbs 29-31
2 comments:
Good points Danae. There were many verses that stood out to me, but I chose this one to comment on:
Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. - Proverbs 27:17
I struggle with this one because I don't like to be challenged in what I'm doing. I tend to become defensive and close the door to learning. I need to be more open in allowing others to sharpen me.
25:12 To one who listens, valid criticism is like a gold earring or other gold jewelry.
Human nature is to react defensively when we receive criticism. But wisdom tells us to receive valid criticism humbly and with a teachable spirit. We all know we're not perfect, and we should always be willing to grow. So often we are blind to our own sin or character flaws, and can benefit from others holding us accountable.
25:18 Telling lies about others is as harmful as hitting them with an ax, wounding them with a sword, or shooting them with a sharp arrow.
Pretty sure that most of us would never seriously consider attacking our neighbours/friends/family with an ax, sword, or arrow. Yet that's really what we're doing when we attack them with our words. Lies, gossip, flippant words, rude comments - all of these have the ability to severely wound our target. We would be wise to remember that and think it over, before speaking words we cannot take back.
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