Honest Reflections

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Kings 18:13-19:37. Acts 21:1-17, Psalm 149:1-9, Proverbs 18:8

Daily Verse: “The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.” Prov. 18:8

Choice morsels.

Listening to tidbits of delicious, ill-gotten information about someone else doesn’t please the Lord. I remember how quickly stories flew up and down the East Coast during my flight attendant days. We would land in Charlotte, someone on the crew would learn a juicy morsel, and by the time we landed in D.C., it had spread like wildfire throughout the entire company.

But God doesn’t want us spreading gossip or misinformation that harms another person. Instead, when we hear something that qualifies as gossip, we should stop it.

One of the most harmful experiences I had with gossip happened at church. A convicted felon, awaiting appeal, attending church on probation became the center of the hurtful words. Everyone talked behind the person’s back. While the individual thought no one knew, everyone did. Eventually, the truth came out, and much harm occurred.

Gossip hurts the person and the people doing it. Don’t engage; stop others when they try to tell you something. And do your best to avoid the vicious circle of gossip.

Lord, forgive us for gossiping. Please help us do better by avoiding vicious rumors and stopping people from telling us things we don’t need to know. Let us speak uplifting and encouraging words only. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Kings 17:1-18:12, Acts 20:1-38, Psalm 148:1-14, Proverbs 18:6-7

Daily Verse: “A fool’s lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating.” Prov. 18:6

Inviting trouble.

Traveling to New York for work, I took the train from Washington D.C. to Manhattan. Standing in line at the post office while waiting for my train, a lady tried to draw me into a fight. Watching her argue with the postmaster, she turned and saw me looking at her.

“Whatcha looking at?” She said, her tone angry.

“Nothing, just waiting in line,” I responded, looking away, not wanting to engage. With an angry “Umphh,” she returned to the employee and left me alone.

Some people go looking for fights and enjoy them. Not me. I refrain from engaging in ineffective communication. That lady didn’t do herself any favors or get what she wanted. But she did get to argue with the postmaster.

“People don’t like being around sour pusses.” A friend said while golfing. I agree wholeheartedly. Don’t go looking for fights. Guard your mouth and maintain peace with your words.

If you go looking for trouble, you will find it.

Lord, forgive us for starting fights with our words. Please help us guard our mouths and speak only uplifting and engaging talk. Let us avoid conflict and promote peace with our language. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Kings 15:1-16:20, Acts 19:13-41, Psalm 147:1-20, Proverbs 18:4-5

Daily Verse: “It is not good to be partial to the wicked  or to deprive the righteous of justice.” Prov. 18:5

Partiality in judgment.

“You stand on your principles,” my sister told me years ago. At the time, I thought it an odd statement, but since she’s passed, I think of her words often. Standing on my principles seemed to cause me more harm than good, mainly because I struggle with grace.

But age helps me become more graceful as I understand it better. We can still stand on our principles but show grace to those who struggle. Some people don’t know Biblical principles, so we can’t expect them to live by them if they don’t know them.

Therefore, showing partiality in judgment doesn’t set a good example. Letting people get away with things doesn’t help them grow. Instead, we can create teachable moments to address sin and teach the principle with love.

Helping people become their best version takes time, effort, and much grace. But if people didn’t show me grace and teach me lessons, I wouldn’t grow. We can do the same for others.

Don’t compromise your principles; instead, teach with grace.

Lord, thankfully, You don’t compromise on principles but teach us with love. Help us do the same with those in our lives, not compromising but leading with love and grace. Lord, let us become the best version of ourselves and help others do the same. IJNIP.

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Kings 13:1-14:29, Acts 18:23-19:12, Psalm 146:1-10, Proverbs 18:2-3

Daily Verse: “When wickedness comes, contempt comes also, and with dishonor comes disgrace.” Prov. 18:3

Contempt and shame.

Punishment for wickedness comes naturally from the community. Once people learn about the treachery, they turn their backs on the perpetrator. Scoundrels eventually get what they deserve, but sometimes it takes time.

We see this theme in movies often.   Bad Education, starring Hugh Jackman, told the story of a school administrator who embezzled money. The film begins with everyone loving his smooth personality and positive ways, but by the end, the truth comes out, and the community turns on him. Wickedness exposed.

Volunteering with the 1^st-3^rd graders, studying Eve and her life-changing bite, one of my young friends asked me if “God created sin?”  I explained that He didn’t create sin, but God did give us free will, which means we have a choice in what we do, just like Eve did when she bit the forbidden fruit.

“That’s good. I didn’t like thinking about God creating sin,” she responded.

We choose our actions, and we suffer the consequences that go with them.

Thank You for loving us, Lord, even when we make bad decisions. Help us to honor and serve You well today. Let us make good decisions that bring life to those around us. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Kings 10:32-12:21, Acts 18:1-22, Psalm 145:1-21, Proverbs 18:1

Daily Verse: “Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.” Prov. 18:1

Self-centered and Unreasonable.

“The Unabomber died today. Do you remember him?” Ron said. How could I forget the man who committed 16 bombings, killing three, maiming others, and terrorizing the country for almost two decades from the late 70s to the mid-90s? When the FBI captured him, he lived in a 10 x 14 ft. plywood and tarpaper cabin.   An extreme example of an antisocial person who isolates himself seeks his desires, and goes against sound judgment.

Today’s verse refers to an enemy of society, usually caused by strong differences in belief. Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber, had journals showing his motives for making homemade bombs and mailing them came from petty grievances and the wish for vengeance, according to AP news.

People can become so convicted of their beliefs that they take extreme measures. Thankfully, most don’t go to the extent Kaczynski did, but it happens.

Pray for people to have eyes to see and ears to hear the ways of the Lord. God help them; He’s the only one who can.

Lord, thank You for giving us eyes to see and ears to hear You. We pray for those with issues that cause them to isolate and not listen to sound judgment. Please help them, Lord, as only You can. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Kings 9:14-10:31, Acts 17:1-34, Psalm 144:1-15, Proverbs 17:27-28

Daily Verse: “Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.” Prov. 17:27

Restrained speaking.

Controlling my actions and restraining my tongue don’t come easily for me. My husband’s one reservation about marrying me had to do with my anger issues, which I have worked on immensely in the last decade. Partnering with God and writing a book on how I learned to restrain my words through prayer has helped me find victory.

Running a small crafting business, I received a message that the owner moved my booth and didn’t know what to do with my product. On my way to the store, I realized anger wouldn’t get me anywhere, proof of my growth with God’s help.

Instead of flying off the handle, something I used to do in situations like this, I restrained myself, put my emotions in the back seat, and worked through the problem logically and with kindness. Victory in the Lord comes in all kinds of ways.

Don’t let anger get the best of you—partner with the Lord to learn restraint and remain calm in heated situations. Allow God’s Spirit to guide you, helping you practice self-control and learn how to handle complex challenges differently.

Lord, thank You for the work You do within us. Help us restrain our words and tempers as we deal with challenges. Please give us the strength to respond calmly and logically. Let us not overreact but instead view things from Your perspective. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Kings 8:1-9:13, Acts 16:16-40, Psalm 143:1-12, Proverbs 17:26

Daily Verse: “To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good, nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.” Prov. 17:26

Improper punishment.

Punishing innocent people has consequences we may not see on this side of heaven, but God knows. One of the reasons people falsely accuse others happens because of wrong conclusions. Making assumptions without facts leads to punishing innocent people.

Jumping to conclusions leads to wrong judgments, especially when we base those decisions on surface appearance. As I have confessed, I’m guilty of judging people by appearance because of my jealousy.

One of my biggest lessons came from a friend I thought had everything based on appearance, convicting the innocent. I learned after her passing about the pain and suffering she experienced on Earth. My jealousy closed my eyes to her reality.

Mistakenly punishing innocent people happens every day for a variety of reasons. We must check our hearts before we conclude. Understanding motives and not letting wrong intentions rule our decisions helps us avoid punishing innocent people.

Leading with grace means giving people the benefit of the doubt and will stop us from punishing innocent people.

Lord, forgive us for punishing innocent people. Please search our hearts and reveal any negative motives we may have. Help us draw proper conclusions based on facts and not surface appearances. Let us honor You with our actions. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Kings 6:1-7:20, Acts 15:36-16:15, Psalm 142:1-7, Proverbs 17:24-25

Daily Verse: “A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.” Prov. 17:25

Bitter grief.

Nothing causes me more shame than thinking of the grief I caused my mother in my younger years with my shenanigans. 

“I earned every gray hair I have,” she told me many times. Parents never stop worrying, no matter what the age of their children. In ways, they worry more as kids get older. Someone once told me, “You’re only as happy as your saddest child.”

Since God didn’t bless us with kids, I will never know the truth of that statement. But I pray for parents regularly as they strive to raise their children to the best of their ability.

As a child who made many foolish decisions in my youth, I pray for wandering souls searching for their way. God knows, my mother’s prayers helped save me. Despite my many flaws, her unconditional love helped me find my way back to the Lord.

Don’t give up on your kids. The Lord does work miracles, and you never know when they will decide to make a U-turn and head in a different direction.

Lord, thank You for protecting us from our poor decisions. Praying for parents with wayward children, give them hope for a brighter future. Help the wandering hearts find their way back to You. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Kings 4:18-5:27, Acts 15:1-35, Psalm 141:1-10, Proverbs 17:23

Daily Verse: “The wicked accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the ways of justice.” Prov. 17:23

Wicked intent.

People who secretly accept bribes have evil intent and plan to pervert justice. Through the centuries, politicians have taken bribes for personal gain and public harm. Political sides don’t matter; corruption comes with humanity.

Money talks and everyone has a price. During my retail days, management trained us in vigilance. Even though an employee might have an impeccable record, things happen in life that could change their honorability. For instance, an illness with large medical bills could drive someone to steal. Or developing a drug habit will change a person’s priorities.

One of my saddest moments happened with a wonderful grandma who didn’t pass the background check because of a drug conviction; she took the fall to protect her grandchild. Never in a million years would I have thought her to have a record.

Fleshly desires can cause us to do bad things. Taking bribes to pervert justice falls into that category. We all fall short of the mark; thankfully, God loves us anyway.

Lord, forgive us for falling short of the mark. Help us defeat temptation when it comes our way. Give us the strength to remain strong in the faith when people try to tempt us away from You. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Kings 3:1-4:17, Acts 14:8-28, Psalm 140:1-13, Proverbs 17:22

Daily Verse: “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Prov. 17:22

Joyful heart.

Depressed spirits ruin health, but joyful hearts bring health to the bones. As someone who has struggled with depression my entire life, I understand today’s verse entirely.

My husband helped me identify my last bout with depression. After experiencing a life-threatening health crisis, my mind filled with anxious thoughts as I recognized life’s fragility and mortality. Thankfully, God gave me a strong support network of family and friends and an excellent therapist who helped bring joy back to my heart.

Identifying depression in myself challenges me. We can’t always see what others see in us. Thankfully, as a member of God’s family, the Lord gives us community to help us live life to the fullest.

Whether you struggle with depression or not, invest in God’s family. Build a support network by joining a Bible study (small group), intentionally developing friendships with others, and seeking professional help if necessary.

God wants us to live life to the fullest; we can with the support of His family.

Lord, thank You for adopting us into Your family. Please help us develop friendships that will help us live life to the fullest. Give us the courage to seek professional help if necessary. IJNIP. Amen