Honest Reflections

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Jeremiah 31:27-32:44, 1 Timothy 3:1-16, Psalm 88:1-18, Proverbs 25:20-22

Daily Verse: “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.” Prov. 25:21-22

Heaping coals.

Smothering your enemies with kindness will turn the tides of the relationship. God blesses your efforts, and your foes will feel remorse for their actions. Burning coals represent guilt, pangs of consciousness for whatever your adversaries’ offensive actions.

“Gone with the Wind,” the highest-grossing movie of all time, has one of the best examples of this proverb. Having thrown herself at Ashley Wilkes, Scarlett must face his wife in front of the entire town. Her husband, Rhett, makes Scarlett wear a tawdry red dress to humiliate her further.

But Melanie, Ashley’s wife, heaped burning coals on Scarlett’s head. When the adulteress woman entered her home, Melanie treated Scarlett with kindness, embracing her in a warm and heartfelt hug and then complimenting her adversary’s dress. Grace personified as guilt poured from Scarlett’s facial expression.

Hurting people hurt others. Remembering the simple adage will help you show kindness to your enemies. God will handle the rest.

Lord, forgive us when we miss opportunities to show kindness to our enemies.  Please help us have soft hearts towards those that hurt us.  Let us respond with love when someone slaps our cheek.  Help us become more like Jesus every day.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Jeremiah 30:1-31:26, 1 Timothy 2:1-15, Psalm 87:1-7, Proverbs 25:18-19

Daily Verse: “Trusting in a treacherous man in time of trouble is like a bad tooth or a foot that slips.“ Prov. 25:19

Bad tooth.

Unfaithful people cause pain and agony, like a bad tooth or a lame foot. Trusting unreliable people wastes time and money, especially in times of trouble. When the storms start whipping, you want dependable people to help you through them. People who will pick up the slack when you can’t.

Fall started with a case of the flu for me. What began as a headache became two weeks of the virus running through my system. Losing my voice due to coughing, I couldn’t coach. Thankfully, I have a reliable and trustworthy business partner who found people to help her cover my classes during my illness.

Trustworthy people can easily handle the pressure of unexpected storms and navigate the rough waters. But those who prove themselves lacking in character will only cause more heartache.

Don’t put trust in treacherous people. Depending on a decaying tooth or lame foot only causes more pain. Using discernment will help you place your trust in those who deserve it.

Lord, forgive us for placing our trust in the wrong people. As we move through our days, please help us choose wisely those we rely upon during the storm. Give us discernment to make good decisions that bring life to our bones. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Jeremiah 28:1-29:32, 1 Timothy 1:1-20, Psalm 86:1-17, Proverbs 25:17

Daily Verse: “Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor’s house, lest he have his fill of you and hate you.” Prov. 25:17

Limit visits.

Dropping in on your neighbors too often wears out your welcome. Familiarity breeds contempt. Coming home after a long day at work, people want to relax in the sanctity of their homes. But if the neighbors descend when your car pulls into the driveway, it adds tension.

Years ago, we experienced a neighbor who dropped by too much, treating our house like he owned it. Unfortunately, setting boundaries caused friction in the relationship, but we had no privacy in our home, nor did he respect it as we did.

Difficult conversations occur when neighbors overstep their boundaries. Excessive visits will eventually lead to problems. But showing respect for others means understanding they don’t always want you around. And that’s OK.

Healthy relationships have healthy boundaries. Respecting your neighbor’s privacy and not stopping by too much will build solid relationships that stand the test of time.

Lord, forgive us for not respecting other people’s privacy. Please help us not wear out our welcome, set healthy boundaries, and build lasting relationships. Let us love our neighbors as ourselves. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Jeremiah 26:1-27, 2 Thess. 3:1-18, Psalm 85:1-13, Proverbs 25:16

Daily Verse: “If you have found honey, eat only enough for you, lest you have your fill of it and vomit it.” Prov. 25:16

Necessary moderation.

Too much of a good thing will make you sick. Whether food, alcohol, or words, overindulging upsets the stomach.   Putting excess brown sugar on my morning oatmeal always brings a tummy ache. Anyone who had one too many drinks knows what a hangover feels like. And people who overuse flattery cause a distaste in the mouth.

Excessive flattery comes with a salesperson. Recently, I received a call from a literary agent trying to recruit me. However, the broken English, lack of knowledge about my books, and scripted conversation tipped me off to their deceptive intentions. Beware when someone flatters you with ulterior motives.

“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up.” 1 Cor. 10:23

God allows all things, but we shouldn’t have everything. Understanding our limitations helps set boundaries so that we don’t overindulge in anything. Staying grounded in Christ helps us become more self-aware and able to deal with our greedy nature. 

Enjoy moderation and live life to the fullest.

Lord, forgive us for overindulging in anything. Please give us discernment to help us make wise choices, set healthy boundaries, and live life in moderation. With You, we can do anything. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Jeremiah 23:21-25:38, 2 Thess. 2:1-17, Psalm 84:1-12, Proverbs 25:15

Daily Verse: “With patience, a ruler may be persuaded; a soft tongue will break a bone.” Prov. 25:15

Patient speech.

As a sales manager, I learned a trick when dealing with unhappy customers: lower your voice. Speaking softly forced the argumentative person to stop yelling and listen. We dealt with many grumpy people in the stores where I worked. Wanting something for nothing, they always found something to complain about. But by lowering my voice and not engaging in the yelling, I could calm the situation and resolve it.

Using patient speech works. Teaching children, when they become upset, pulling them aside, and talking to them softly helps calm them down. One kid who places unreasonable expectations on himself comes to mind and gets upset quickly. Encouraging him with soft words helps him lose the high standards and rejoice in the progress he makes.

Use situational conflict to help practice patient speech. Lower your voice, repeat the complaint to the person, and then work to find a resolution using calm words. You will find patient speech reduces stiff opposition and finds peace.

Lord, forgive us for flying off the handle and engaging in unproductive speech. Please give us the self-control necessary to control our language, lower our voices, and resolve the problem. Let our words bring life to all who hear them. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Jeremiah 22:1-23:20, 2 Thess. 1:1-12, Psalm 83:1-18, Proverbs 25:11-14

Daily Verse: “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” Prov. 25:11

Profound speech.

Picturing golden apples in a setting of silver speaks of beauty, value, and artistry. Using words skillfully has a powerful impact on the receiver, giving them lasting encouragement.

Recently, I spoke at Life Community Church in Mt. Pleasant, S.C. In a series on prayer, they asked me to talk about the topic because of my book, Three Word Prayers. The next day, I received an email from the founding pastor giving me feedback on my talk. Full of uplifting and encouraging words, the email fueled me onward. 

Charles Spurgeon, a pastor from the 1800s, used words skillfully. His grasp of the scriptures and his communication still impact people today. Spurgeon, who wrote many sermons, books, poetry, and hymns, used words fitly, producing beautiful fruit that continues to blossom today.

Words carry weight. How we choose to use language matters. Speaking uplifting and encouraging words at the right time will spur people to become who God intends. Choose what you say wisely, and always make sure to couch it in love.

Lord, forgive us for speaking out of turn. Please help us manage our mouths well and only speak words of love at the appropriate time. Each day that passes helps us become more skillful with our language. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Jeremiah 19:1-21:14, 1 Thess. 5:4-28, Psalm 82:1-8, Proverbs 25:9-10

Daily Verse: “Argue your case with your neighbor himself, and do not reveal another’s secret,” Prov. 25:9-10

Private quarrels.

When you divulge secrets to clear yourself in an argument, people perceive you as untrustworthy, and it will damage your reputation. Overcoming a lousy name takes a lot of time, work, and effort; even then, you may not get rid of the judgment.

People tend to hold onto the wrong things, forgetting the good. We must learn to let go of the offenses and work towards restoration. Admitting our faults, asking forgiveness, and then keeping quarrels private will help you become trustworthy and someone people respect.

When in a conflict with someone, keep it between you and them. Don’t discuss the argument with others; work to restore the relationship privately, keeping the details secret. Not only will becoming trustworthy repair the relationship, but it will deepen the friendship.

Resolution comes with trustworthiness, responsibility for each other’s parts in the conflict, and a conscious effort not to repeat the same mistake.

Lord, forgive us for breaking other people’s trust in us. Please help us build our character as we practice trustworthiness, keeping quarrels private and striving to restore relationships as You would have us do. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Jeremiah 16:16-18:23, 1 Thess. 4:1-5:3, Psalm 81:1-16, Proverbs 25:6-8

Daily Verse: “What your eyes have seen do not hastily bring into court, for  what will you do in the end when your neighbor puts you to shame?” Prov. 25: 7b-8

Cautious Testimony.

Don’t rush to tell what you see, especially about your neighbors. If your claim has no truth to it, you will experience public disgrace. Using caution when divulging information helps us avoid embarrassment.

Jumping to conclusions about the actions of our neighbors causes trouble. As in all things, our limited perspective doesn’t give us the entire story. When a neighbor forgot to close his garage door while on vacation, I feared something had happened. Making up negative narratives doesn’t take much effort. Often, we overlook the obvious.

Using caution when talking about others helps us keep our foot out of our mouths. As in all things, if you don’t know the whole story, don’t tell it. Search for truth, speak only uplifting and encouraging words, and don’t spread rumors about your neighbors.

We don’t know what goes on behind closed doors. Unless you’ve walked in someone else’s shoes, please don’t make assumptions about them. Only God knows the whole story; we should look to Him for guidance.

Lord, forgive us for making up stories. Please help us stay focused on You and the truth You reveal. Don’t let us fall into the temptation to jump to conclusions. Please give us the wisdom we need to make good decisions. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Jeremiah 14:11-16:15, 1 Thess. 2:9-3:13 Psalm 80:1-19, Proverbs 25:1-5

Daily Verse: “Take away the dross from the silver, and the smith has material for a vessel;” Prov. 25:4

Remove dross.

Silversmiths remove dross from the silver, the imperfections that take away its value. By applying heat to the metal, the impurities float to the top, allowing the silversmith to skim them off, creating pure silver.

Solomon uses the analogy of purifying silver to purify a nation. By removing wicked leaders, righteous leaders remain. Followers of Christ produce good fruit, leading with humility and valuing others before themselves. By analyzing the fruit, you can determine who people follow. Selfish people only think of themselves.

Of course, we all battle selfishness and a sinful nature. As we endure the fires of life, applying God’s word and following Him obediently, we will become more like Jesus. Through Christ, we become righteous. Become a moldable vessel for the Lord. Let Him remove the dross from your life, becoming pure in Christ.

Submitting our lives to Jesus will lead us along the path of righteousness, where we will find abundant life.

Lord, thank You for purifying us and helping us become more like Jesus. Guide and direct us in all we do so that we can honor and glorify Your Name. Make us teachable; strengthen us to obey Your commands and follow You. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Jeremiah 12:1-14:10, 1 Thess. 1:1-2:8, Psalm 79:1-13, Proverbs 24:30-34

Daily Verse: “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.” Prov. 24:33-34

Lazy poverty.

Too much rest leads to poverty. God didn’t create us to live off the efforts of other people; He made us to work. Each of us has skills that, if applied, will earn income. But if we don’t utilize the Lord’s gifts, we’ll find ourselves in poverty.

Working and enjoying the benefits of your efforts ranks as one of the many blessings of living in America. Liz Murray, the subject of Homeless to Harvard, exemplifies the outcome of hard work. Born in the Bronx to a dysfunctional family, she overcame homelessness and sexual abuse to earn a scholarship to Harvard University.

Liz didn’t expect other people to support her. After losing her mother to AIDS,  she commited herself to finishing high school in two years instead of four. Entering an essay in a New York Times contest heralded her entrance to Harvard.

Don’t waste the talents God gave you. Anything becomes possible with the Lord and hard work.

Lord, forgive our laziness.  Please guide and direct us to the lives You desire for us.  Help us use the talents You gave us to honor and glorify You.  Motivate us to work harder and become more like Jesus every day.  IJNIP. Amen