Honest Reflections

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Zechariah 12:1-13:9, Revelation 19:1-21, Psalm 147:1-20, Proverbs 31:1-7

Daily Verse: “What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb? What are you doing, son of my vows?” Prov. 31:2

First warning.

King Lemuel recalls an oracle his mother taught him. Massa, the original Hebrew word for oracle, means prophetic utterance, pronouncement, with the focus on the content of the message. In the King’s situation, his mom warns him about women not to spend his strength and ways on them.

The indelicate Arabic term used to describe women refers to females who ruin rulers. Culturally, kings had many women in their lives: wives, concubines, and female servants; men had harems. King Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines, learning from his father, King David, who also had a vast harem. For both men, their harems caused them much trouble.

King Lemuel’s mother doesn’t want her son to follow in the footsteps of rulers who faltered because of women. In the verses to come, we will learn what a woman of noble character looks like. 

Heeding his mother’s warning leads King Lemuel to discover a wife of noble character, one who uplifts and encourages her husband, not tearing him down.

Lord, help us heed the advice we find in Your word. Let us not waste our time on earth by pursuing trouble, but instead, give us discernment to make wise decisions and live life to the fullest in Christ. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Zech. 10:1-11:17, Revelation 18:1-24, Psalm 146:1-10, Proverbs 30:33

Daily Verse: “For pressing milk produces curds, pressing the nose produces blood, and pressing anger produces strife.” Prov. 30:33

Sage advice.

Yesterday, the author warned us of foolish exaltation. Today’s verse tells us why. Pride and evil planning cause strife, which compares to twisting the nose, causing it to bleed—undesirable results from undesirable actions.

When I exalted myself to a fellow golfer about breaking a 100, his reaction surprised me. Instant tension developed between us, causing division. Because he perceived me as a braggart, it caused dislike. We have never talked about golf since.

Although I don’t completely understand my friend’s reaction, I appreciate that my self-exultation caused it. Unintentionally, I twisted his nose and caused it to bleed. The phrase “nose out of joint” means upsetting or offending someone by making them feel less important or valuable.

I never want to make someone feel less important or unvalued. Therefore, I must watch my words and cover my mouth when tempted to exalt myself foolishly.

Choosing words wisely builds relationships. Foolish exaltation tears connections apart.

Lord forgives us for putting people’s noses out of joint. Please give us discernment and wisdom when choosing our words so that we uplift and encourage people instead of tearing them down. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Zechariah 9:1-17, Revelation 17:1-18, Psalm 145:1-21, Proverbs 30:32

Daily Verse: “If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil, put your hand on your mouth.” Prov. 30:32

Control output.

“Not to brag about myself, but…” Watching a golf clinic on YouTube,  the coach began with those words, followed by a list of his accomplishments over the past fifty years of his career. Without a doubt, he possessed the knowledge to respect his teaching. Giving credentials to support your authority differs from exalting yourself.

When I broke a 100 for the first time in my golf score, I exalted myself, telling anyone who would listen. However, it took a while for me to repeat the feat; stroke play humbles any golfer. 

Exalting myself foolishly over a game taught me a lesson in humility. Each time I play a round, it tests my integrity. Keeping accurate scores takes brutal honesty and develops character. Foolishly exalting myself only leads to more humbling.

Better your hand on your mouth than foolish exalting. With every mountain comes a valley. My mother always said, “If you are worthy of praise, let someone else do it; don’t do it yourself.”

Lord, forgive us for foolishly exalting ourselves. Please teach us humility with a gentle hand as we follow You.  Keep us hungry for Your word and humble for Your teachings. Let us become more like Christ every day. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Zechariah 8:1-23, Revelation 16:1-21, Psalm 144:1-15, Proverbs 30:29-31

Daily Verse: “Three things are stately in their tread; four are stately in their stride” Prov. 30:29

Majestic qualities.

Leaders have a stately stride. Using animals as examples in the verses that follow today’s scripture, lions, strutting roosters, and he-goats all possess majestic qualities. The human model of a king standing with his army makes the fourth.

Mel Gibson’s portrayal of Sir William Wallace, a late 13th-century Scottish warrior in the 1995 movie Braveheart has a memorable scene. Wallace sits tall on his stallion in front of his army, giving a freedom speech:

“They may take our lives, but they will never take our freedom.”

Gibson’s stately stride atop his mighty steed creates an unforgettable image of a king before his army. With a confident demeanor, strong leaders stand tall when leading troops into battle.

Standing tall and walking with a stately stride gives us confidence when facing life’s struggles. Propping ourselves on God’s promises will give us the strength for the fight, knowing we already have victory in Jesus.

Lord, thank You for giving us powerful examples to spur us onward. As we face the day’s challenges, please give us the weapons to enjoy victory. Patience, self-control, grace, and mercy, the things of Christ, will lead us to success. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Zechariah 6:1-7:14, Revelation 15:1-8, Psalm 143:1-12, Proverbs 30:24-28

Daily Verse: “Four things on earth are small, but they are exceedingly wise:” Prov. 30:24

Four things.

Ants, rock badgers, locusts, and lizards have small stature but extreme wisdom. Ants show forethought in preparing for winter by storing food in the summer. Rock badgers exemplify ingenuity in finding a place of security. Locusts have incredible cooperation and order, organizing their military division and causing problems for humans. Finally, lizards have elusive boldness, simultaneously attending King’s courts and servants’ houses.

Learning from God’s creation helps us become wiser. Each month, we save for the winters of life with an automatic withdrawal to our emergency account, learning from the ants. Creating a safe living environment requires adjustments as things change. Working well with others helps us develop a support system to help us through life’s trials. And walking boldly with Jesus takes us places we never thought we would go.

Ponder the world around you. Think about how the creatures of the earth manage their lives. Ask yourself, what can I learn from them? Pray for God to give you divine insight into the things of the world and what you can learn from them.

Lord, thank You for giving us examples to learn from in your creation. Open our eyes to see what you have for us to know; give us teachable hearts. Let us become who You desire as we grow wiser, learning from Your Creation. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Zechariah 4:1-5:11, Revelation 14:1-20, Psalm 142:1-7, Proverbs 30:21-23

Daily Verse: “Under three things the earth trembles; under four it cannot bear up:” Prov. 30:21

Unbearable people.

Individuals who suddenly experience an elevated life status can become unbearable: a servant who becomes king, a fool who becomes rich, an unloved woman who gets a husband, and a maidservant who becomes mistress. The verses that follow Prov. 30:21 helps us understand the context of it.

Statistics show that when people win the lottery, they experience bankruptcy within two to three years. As much as we think more money will solve problems, it causes them. And if people don’t know how to manage the stress that comes with riches, they falter.

“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.” Luke 16:10

Becoming faithful in the small things helps us learn how to handle the big stuff. Instant success doesn’t allow us to gain the understanding necessary to handle it.

Trust God in the process, acquiring skills on the journey that will help you handle the blessings that come from faithfulness and not become unbearable.

Lord, forgive us for becoming unbearable when we receive blessings. Give us teachable hearts that help us learn how to handle the gifts we receive. Let us not become unbearable but draw people to Your light inside us instead. IJNIP Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Zechariah 2:1-3:10, Rev. 13:1-13:18, Psalm 141:1-10, Proverbs 30:18-20

Daily Verse: “This is the way of an adulteress:  she eats and wipes her mouth and says, “I have done no wrong.” Prov. 30:20

Insensitivity to sin.

Having no regard for immoral behavior, the adulteress doesn’t care about the consequences of her actions.  In other words, she possesses an insensitivity to sin.  The femme fatale has a hardened heart and a lack of self-awareness.

Continually doing the wrong thing causes the heart to lose sensitivity.  Eventually, the wall around the soul becomes impenetrable.  Stuck in distorted thinking, our perception becomes a reality.  Harden hearts don’t receive help because they don’t think they need it.

“What good does it do to get angry?” Mom said on many occasions to me.  Because I had an angry heart, feeling cheated by life, it came out in many ways.  My mother tried to help me see the problem, but my hardened heart wouldn’t listen.

Until I met my husband, whose love for me finally penetrated the wall I erected and began to pull the bricks down, a work still in progress.

Only unconditional love can conquer hardened hearts.  Jesus offers the cure for our sinful nature and waits patiently for us to let Him into our lives.

Lord, forgive us for hardening our hearts to our sinful ways.  Open our eyes to see the areas we must give to You.  Help us find life to the fullest as we soften our hearts and accept Your grace. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Zechariah 1:1-21, Revelation 12:1-17, Psalm 140:1-13, Proverbs 30:17

Daily Verse: “The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.” Prov. 30:17

Mocking looks.

Through our eyes, we see the soul.  Contemptuous looks run deep and reveal the person’s inner thoughts.  Mocking our parents with eye rolls results in severe punishment.

My Mom didn’t tolerate my disrespect.  Widowed and raising three teenagers alone, she didn’t have time for our shenanigans, and we had many.  I feel shame when I think how my contemptuous ways made her life harder during those years.

Both of my parents instilled the fear of God in me.  As a result, I realize that I must answer to the Lord for my actions.  Submitting to His authority means respecting His sovereignty, including who God gives us as parents.

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” Exodus 20:12

Our Creator expects us to honor our parents, not disrespect them.  If we follow the Lord’s command, He promises long days in the promised land.

Lord, forgive us for disrespecting our parents.  Please help us honor and respect our fathers and mothers, appreciating them.  Guide and direct us, allowing us to serve our parents well, glorifying You.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Haggai 1:1-2:23, Revelation 11:1-19, Psalm 139:1-24,Proverbs 30:15-16

Daily Verse: “The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. Three things are never satisfied; four never say, “Enough” Prov. 30:15

Unsatisfied desires.

According to Agur, four things never find satisfaction: death, barren wombs, land that lacks water, and wildfires. Greed, symbolized by the leech, a blood-sucking creature that never gets enough, remains insatiable.

In other words, the leech’s daughters give and give and never get enough. No matter how much they get, they want more. Death never stops coming; the mortality rate always 100%. For women struggling to get pregnant, the journey challenges their faith. Parched land consumes any water it gets, and wildfires burn out of control, devouring everything in its path.

Agur makes the point that greed never finds satisfaction.   Like a gambler who experiences the thrill of winning, greed causes him to lose reason, never getting enough of the thrill, eventually losing everything.

Satisfaction comes from following Jesus. Developing an attitude of gratitude slays greed, as we appreciate what we do have instead of focusing on what we don’t.

Lord, forgive us for letting greed take control. As we turn our eyes to You, help us find satisfaction in Jesus. Give us eyes to see the blessings we have, filling our hearts with gratitude. Let us enjoy life to the fullest as we follow You.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Zephaniah 1:1-3:20, Revelation 10:1-11, Psalm 138:1-8, Proverbs 30:11-14

Daily Verse: “There are those who are clean in their own eyes but are not washed of their filth.” Prov. 30:12

Inner cleansing.

Outer cleanliness doesn’t equate to inner cleansing. Showering and washing the day’s dirt off our body doesn’t clean the heart. Exterior cleansing differs from internal cleansing.

During my youth, people attended church because of the cultural norm. Fewer people attend church now than ever. Walking through the entrance doors, listening to the sermon, and saying the right things doesn’t cleanse you. 

Unless we let God’s word permeate our hearts and transform us from the inside out, we can’t experience inner cleansing. Allowing the Holy Spirit to illuminate our shortcomings will enable us to address them.

Jesus transforms our lives with inner cleansing. Become sensitive to the nudges from within that steer you in a different direction. Humility comes when we acknowledge our shortcomings and change our actions.

Inner cleansing happens when we allow Christ into our hearts and minds.

Lord, forgive us for acting cleansed on the outside and remaining dirty on the inside. Help us become sensitive to the Holy Spirit, purifying our hearts and making us new. Free us from our sins as we confess them to You and change our ways. IJNIP. Amen