Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Proverbs 14:26-30
Prov 14:26-30
In the fear of the Lord, one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death. In a multitude of people is the glory of a king, but without people a prince is ruined. Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly. A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.
James 1:19-20
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
A very loose paraphrase of this might be keep your mouth shut and listen, and then think carefully before you say anything because getting angry will not help you do what God wants you to do. A quick temper leads to acting foolishly but when we learn to listen and think, we show great wisdom. Too often we are like Peter who didn’t know what to say, so instead of being quiet, he spoke anyway and then was corrected by Jesus for what he said.
For most of us it is so much easier to talk than it is to listen. Even when someone is talking to us, we find ourselves thinking about what we will say in reply or how we can add to what is being said, instead of really listening to what they are saying. This is even more true when we think that we disagree with what they are saying to us. This often leads to anger on our part, often without cause.
When we put our trust in the Lord, we have great confidence. Not because we know exactly how things will turn out, but because we know he will do what is best for us. It is easy to forget that it is in facing and overcoming trials that our faith is strengthened. It is in being knocked to the ground that we learn humility and dependence on God. What we want is often not what we need.
O Lord God, increase my faith and help me be more like Jesus. Fill me with your Spirit so your love will overflow in every part of my life and others will see Jesus living in me. Use me and what you have given me to help others. Keep me from being selfish or stingy. As I think about your majesty and your holiness, I stand in awe of your greatness and am reminded of just how much I fall short of your glory. Thank you for your love for me and your grace shown to me in the death of Jesus for my sin. Thank you for his resurrection that gives me hope and assurance that I too will be raised to live forever with you. In his holy name I pray.
Robert
