Daily Devotional
               Betty Miller shares her daily devotionals which are based on the book of Proverbs in the Bible.   

  The Wisdom of God

Verses for the Day:

Proverbs 18:16(KJV):
16 A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.

Proverbs 18:16(Amp):
16 A man's gift makes room for him and brings him before great men.

Thoughts for the Day:

The book of Proverbs is not only known for its wise sayings, but also for its practical observations. Verse 16 states that   a man who presents a gift to someone will gain an audience with him.  This verse can be looked at in two ways. First, some men use gifts to bribe or manipulate others for a favor that they are desiring. This is wrong and is not pleasing to the Lord.   If they just wanted to give a gift to bless others, it is not wrong. However, if a gift is used to bribe someone to do something, it is wrong. The Lord will give us favor when we need it, and we do not need to resort to methods of manipulation or bribery.

Years ago when Bud and I made a missionary journey to Africa, we were traveling from Kenya to Uganda and then back to Kenya before we returned home. We were required to have certain immunizations  in order to enter these countries.  We thought we had all things in order with our passports and immunization records. However, when we came back to Kenya from Uganda we discovered that I failed to have a shot for yellow fever, while somehow Bud did.  We were not required to have these shots to go into Kenya or Uganda from the USA, but when we came back from Uganda to Kenya they informed us at customs that I could not enter Kenya without a yellow fever immunization after being in Uganda; however, they would allow Bud into the country.

I remember we were so tired as we had been in the bush and mud huts for 10 days and I was ready for a bath and a good nights sleep in a hotel bed. I did not want to sit at the airport overnight until our flight left for the USA the next day.  I began to testify to a man at customs that I could not possibly have yellow fever as the Lord had healed me 17 years prior to this time and I had never had any illness since then, plus the fact that we had just prayed for many sick people including a lame man and a leper in Uganda and the Lord had healed them.

The customs man looked at me rather strangely but continued to tell me that there was no way he could allow me to enter.  I then began to tell him of many more of the miracles and things the Lord had done during our entire trip.  He finally just shrugged his shoulders and sighed and waved me on through.  I did not realize it at the time, but a local man told us later that the customs officer was waiting for us to give him a bribe of money. Twenty dollars would have gotten us passage back into the country.  This was the common practice there.  In this case a gift of money (a bribe) would have given us favor and entry.  However, the Lord's favor and gifts are greater than what we could buy with money.  Because it was God's will that we were to be there, He gave us favor with the man by touching his heart to allow us in.

This verse also applies to God's giftings to men also.  If we are gifted by God it will make room for us to gain an audience or favor before great men of authority.  The Bible speaks of this in the New Testament as Paul, the apostle, gained an audience and the right to preach before King Agrippa (Acts 25) and other men of authority.  We do not have to use gifts or money to buy our way into any situation when we have God's favor, as He will gift us with that favor and make room for us.

Prayer for the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father, we bless you today.  Thank you for the wonderful favor you give us when we are serving You and your causes. You have made a way many times for us when there was not a way to take care of something in the natural.  I am grateful for the gifts You have given us.   May we always use them to bless those that You send us to.  Lord, keep us from the temptation to use money as a means of manipulation, but rather let us use our money to bless and help others with. Lord, may we also never be guilty of using the spiritual gifts you give us to manipulate others or for self gain.  Forgive Your ministers that have succumbed to this and deliver them and change their hearts.  Purify our hearts and motives Lord, that we might bring glory to You and never any reproach. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.