Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Proverbs 7:1-9
Prov 7:1-9
My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye; bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call insight your intimate friend, to keep you from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words. For at the window of my house I have looked out through my lattice, and I have seen among the simple, I have perceived among the youths, a young man lacking sense, passing along the street near her corner, taking the road to her house in the twilight, in the evening, at the time of night and darkness.
We live in a culture that celebrates youth. While the younger generation may have more energy and may have more strength, there are some things that only come with age and experience. The son of Solomon listened to the young men, those of his own age, instead of listening to the trusted advisors of his deceased father. It caused him to lose most of his kingdom to his adversary. While this was from God to carry out his purpose, he used this foolish mistake of Rehoboam to do it.
Not only has the older generation been through a lot themselves, and many times we have learned from our foolish mistakes. We have gained wisdom by making wrong decisions and getting in trouble as a result. Instead of listening to our parents or other older people, we did it our way and paid the price. In addition to this, we have seen others make mistakes and foolish decisions and we have seen the consequences of their actions.
The (we) older folks don’t have all the answers, but we can share our wisdom and help those who are young and learning. It is true that things have changed since we were young, but most things are really the same. Temptations may change their form, but they are essentially the same now as in days before my birth. The lure of sin remains the same and most sins fall into only a few categories.
Older folks are not necessarily wise. Many have lived without learning, so they continue to make the same mistakes. Wisdom must be tested and measured by the word of God because he alone is the source of all true wisdom.
O Lord God, my heavenly Father, thank you for revealing your wisdom to me in your word. Help me learn from it and follow it in my life. Use me and the wisdom I have gained to help guide some younger person to avoid the pitfalls of sin. Thank you for protecting me from the many foolish decisions I have made in my life. Give me wisdom and a love for wisdom so that I will be more like Jesus. Be with those who are having tests and who are facing surgery or treatments. I humbly pray in the name of Jesus my Lord and my Savior.
Robert
