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 25:17 (KJV):  Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.

Proverbs 25:17 (AMP): Let your foot seldom be in your neighbor's house, lest he become tired of you and hate you.

Thoughts for the Day:

This verse from Proverbs warns that people can over-extend their visits, and by doing so, can destroy a friendship because too much visiting can turn into invasion of privacy. Some people who are guilty of this are also guilty of being gossipers, busy-bodies and lazy. When I was young I had a neighbor who was like that.  She would bring her children over to my house when she came for a visit and at first it was enjoyable, but then she started dropping by every day, just wanting to talk. Her children were undisciplined and soon I was to find out she too, was undisciplined. Her children would mess up my house, while their mother was oblivious to what they were doing. She was just intent on telling me the next thing that was on her mind.  Eventually, I had to ask her to limit her visits as she and her children were interfering with me being able to get my domestic duties done.  However, she just ignored my request to limit her visits and soon I was praying about how to deal with her intrusion into my life. If I had not had the Lord, I could have ended up disliking her immensely.

There is another scripture in the New Testament that addresses the same problem speaking of widows and single women:

1 Timothy 5:12: (AMP): Moreover, as they go about  from house to house, they learn to be idlers, and not only idlers, but gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not say and talking of things they should not mention.

A "busybody" is someone who is busy butting into other people's affairs. This friend of mine began to fall in this category, and since she couldn't come to my house all the time, she found other women who would entertain her, and she would make the rounds, becoming a gossip.  I invited her to attend church with me, but she found it too difficult to get up on Sundays and dress her children, and go with me. Her house was never clean and her husband finally grew tired of a dirty house, a wandering wife, neglected children and meals not cooked on time. Sadly,  their marriage ended in a divorce. Not only did she lose her husband, but she lost many other friends because she imposed upon them by her endless chatter.

The Bible admonishes us the way to avoid becoming disorderly and a busybody is to learn to work and take care of our own houses and our own businesses.

2 Thessalonians 3:7-12:
7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
8 Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.

If we take care of our own homes and businesses, it shuts the door for the devil having opportunity to lead us astray.  Many silly women have been led into lust and sin by some man who seemed godly, but was full of deceit and only used them. The Bible says the way to avoid this is to turn away from such people. Over the years I have known many women who were deceived, and through yielding to their lust, lost good husbands. Later they wished they had not gone down the path of sin and had their husbands back.

2 Timothy 3:5-6:
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts.

Prayer for the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that You would deliver Your people from the sin of gossip and being busy-bodies.  Lord, may we help those who are engaged in this activity by speaking the truth in love to them. Lord, may we also have the courage to refuse a listening ear to any gossip. Father, give me strength to take care of my duties and not be negligent in anything that is my responsibility. Lord, also help me to speak edifying things that uplift and help people and deliver me from any form of gossip. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.