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 10:12-14:(KJV): "Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins. 13 In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding. 14 Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction."

Thoughts for the Day:

These verses in Proverbs are a contrasting picture of hatred and love, and wisdom and foolishness. Those who are hateful are always stirring up trouble and getting in strife with others. People who hate have hostile minds and are full of malice toward others. Their hatred not only leads to the persecution of those they oppose, but it also manifests even toward those who are their friends. Anyone who embraces hatred, will soon find that this emotion does not stop with just hating one's enemies, but it will break out against people they do not want to hurt.  The reason is that the very nature of sin is to grow. If we do not resist it, it will overtake us, and we will find that it has become our master. If a person hates another, soon they will find they are unable to selectively hate certain people as they become consumed with the spirit of hate.

On the positive side, those who choose to love and forgive others, will find that will have loving natures. When we ask the Lord to give us love for those who use us and persecute us, we can conquer all hateful thoughts toward others.  We cannot do this in ourselves; however, the Holy Spirit empowers us to overcome hatred with His love. This love is a wonderful miracle we receive when we receive Christ in our hearts. As Christians, we will not want to expose people's sins, but rather, we will cover them with love.  In our world today, it is popular to dig up and expose people's sins. Many good people who are in the public spotlight and have made some mistakes in their lives, are scrutinized unmercifully. Gossip mongers always try to find something that people have done wrong, usually for political reasons. I am not referring to corrupt leaders when I make this statement, as their own sins will find them out, because they sin openly, as well as sin in the shadows. They reap what they sow.

In verse 13 those who lack understanding and are foolish, will bear the "rod of correction." In early times, men who did wicked deeds were openly punished by public whipping. The "rod" used, was sometimes a tree branch or in some cases a stick. All sins come with a penalty attached to them.  The greater the sin, the greater the penalty. Jesus died on the cross and took the penalty for our sins. Without His sacrifice, we would all not only face hell, but deserve it as well. If we come to Him and ask Him to forgive our sins, and invite Him into our hearts, we will not go to hell, but heaven will be our home.

Verse 14 says that if we are wise we will store up knowledge. This knowledge is of the things of God.  Hosea 4a says: "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." The reason so many of God's people are destroyed is because they lack the knowledge of God's Word. They are foolishly speaking the wrong things that are bringing destruction upon their lives. We should speak the things that the Bible declares, and not allow negative things to come out of our mouths that are contrary to the Word of God.

Prayer for the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father, I praise You today for my salvation. Thank you for delivering me from hatred and evil and filling me with Your love.   Lord, help me to witness to those around me about Your love for them.  Give me the grace to always be loving and kind to all, even when others act differently toward me.   Help me not to repeat the sins of others that I know about, but rather cover them with prayer, lest I am also tempted.  Forgive our nation for its taste for gossip and its unsavory thirst for finding out evil about others.  May we cover one another's sins in mercy and prayer, so we may all rise to an honorable national life. Lord, You said You would deal with the wicked. We do not have to do it.  You said, vengeance was Yours and because You are just, You will see to it that we are eventually treated fairly, if we simply pray and trust You. Give us all grace to do this.  In Jesus name I pray. Amen.