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 25:26 (KJV): A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.

Proverbs 25:26 (AMP): Like a muddied fountain and a polluted spring is a righteous man who yields, falls down, and compromises his integrity before the wicked.

Thoughts for the Day:

This verse from Proverbs compares a righteous man who compromises, to a polluted spring. Men and women of God should be as a spring of fresh water to thirsty people. However, when a spring becomes muddied or polluted with something dead in it, then it is unfit to drink.  This is how our Christian witness becomes when we yield to sin and compromise our integrity, thus allowing the wicked to mock us.

There is a story in the Old Testament about a time when Jerusalem, the city of God's people, was lying in ruins because it had been destroyed by its enemies.  It is a type of the life of a Christian whose life has been wasted by the enemy.  Nehemiah, who was a Jewish exile in Persia obtained permission from the King to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the city.  He was met with resistance when Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem heard about his plans. They mocked him and even falsely accused him of rebelling against the king.

Nehemiah 2:17-20:
17 Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.
18 Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.
19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?
20 Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.

Nehemiah was a man of integrity, unlike those who had sinned in Jerusalem (and who were responsible for its destruction). Because they had lacked integrity, their city was destroyed by fire and they were taken captive and led away into exile. Nehemiah, on the other hand,  was able to lead in the rebuilding of Jerusalem and its walls, because he was a man who was not given to compromise.  When he was met by ridicule and anger, he resorted to prayer and vigilance, to overcome his enemies. When he met the spirit of discouragement and defeatism, by faith in His God, he likewise overcame it.  He then faced greed and covetousness from within his own ranks, and through his personal example of unselfishness, during his 12 year term as governor, that too, was overcome. 

If a man is not able to rule his own life, he can fall and become like a muddied spring. In fact, the Bible teaches that any man chosen for a leadership position in the church, must first know how to rule his own life. Many of those who have fallen have been novices and have been put into positions of leadership prematurely; therefore they are unable to stand up under the attacks of the devil. Being chosen for an important position caused them to be lifted in pride and the Bible says that "pride goeth before a fall." Many fall down when the pressure of the devil is applied against their lives and they yield by compromising, and therefore lose their integrity.

1 Timothy 3:5-7:
5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

We are admonished in the book of James the place to start in order not to muddy or make bitter our water is to guard our mouths and watch what we say.  We want to have people taste sweet water from us and not bitter water.

James 3:9-13:
9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

Prayer for the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father, Fill me with the Holy Spirit so that I am one through whom sweet water can always flow forth. Lord, help me to guard my mouth and speak good things from Your Word.  Deliver me from all compromise and give me the grace to always stand in integrity before men.  Help Your people to be good witnesses in this world so that we do not bring any reproach on the Kingdom of God. Forgive us when we fall down and lift us back up and rebuild our walls, so that the enemy is defeated in our lives. I ask in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.