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 21:28-29 (AMP):
28 A false witness will
perish, but the word of a man who hears attentively will endure
and go unchallenged.
29 A wicked man puts on the bold, unfeeling face (of guilt), but as
for the upright, he considers, directs, and establishes his way
(with the confidence of integrity).
Throughout
the book of Proverbs, we continue to find comparisons
between the wicked and the upright, and in these scriptures we are
told the wicked person will perish, while the upright man will
endure and be established in his society. Verse 28 tells us
that every day we are given choices to speak and also to keep quiet. A
man that listens to the wisdom of God attentively will endure,
and since God's Word is the final authority, he cannot be
challenged.
Since the
book of Proverbs is all about wisdom, one of the main things it
stresses, is to give thought to what we speak, and also, to consider
what we give an "ear" to. A false witness is a liar. Most of
us have probably seen a portrayal of the three monkeys, with each
one of them having their hands over a different part of their
heads. One, has his hands over his ears, another one is covering
his eyes, while the last one has his hands over his mouth.
The caption beneath the picture says, "Hear No Evil, See No Evil,
and Speak No Evil." This little analogy is actually proclaiming
advice from the Bible. If we just practiced this admonishment, it
would keep us out of a lot of trouble. Honesty is a virtue that we
all should walk in. The world is getting more wicked, and
for many people, lying has become the normal thing to do.
Luke 8:18
(KJV):
Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall
be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even
that which he seemeth to have.
Luke 8:18
(AMP): Be careful therefore how you listen, for to him who has
(spiritual knowledge) will more be given, and from him who does
not have (spiritual knowledge) even what he thinks and guesses and
supposes that he has will be taken away.
In this
scripture, we are told that by our hearing we can obtain some
things, and by our hearing we can lose some things. The
scripture above in Luke 8 is given at the conclusion of
Jesus' Parable of the Sower and the Seed. Jesus told
the people that a sower went out to sow seed, and that the seed
would produce fruit, if it was put in good ground. He also
listed the kind of ground that the seed would not take root and
grow in (ground that was continually walked on, rocky ground, and
thorny ground). He then told them, that in this parable, the seed
represented the Word of God, and if it was sown in good soil
(which was an honest and good heart) and if they would be patient
and keep the Word, it would produce fruit. The Lord not only told
them that they needed to be careful about what they heard, but
also, what they saw, as we must guard our eye gate and ear gate if
we are going to produce fruit for God.
Verse 29
in our study tells us that the wicked man will even look guilty
when he is up to no good, while a righteous man will direct his
way by heeding the Word of God, which will always promote
integrity in a person's life. Years ago, I heard an interview with
an old-time political figure. A reporter ask him how he had such a
good memory, and was able to remember the promises he made, and
who he made them to, and not contradict himself in regard to what
he told different people. He replied, "That's easy, when you tell
the truth, you never have to remember any lies you told, that
would require additional lies to cover them." Walking in
truth, and maintaining integrity, should be the goal of every
Christian.
Dear
Heavenly Father, Thank You for giving us Your Word in the Bible.
Help me to read and study it more. Lord, I not only want to hear
what You have to say, but I also want to do the things You have
instructed us to do in the Word of God. Give me Your grace to be
obedient to the Word. Lord, I also ask You to help me not to
listen to things that I should not hear. Lord, give me grace to
turn my eyes away from those things that hinder my growth in You.
I know if I see and listen to Your Words, then I will be able to
speak the things I need to say. I ask this is the name of
Jesus. Amen.
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