Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Proverbs 4:20-27
Prov 4:20-27
My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you crooked speech and put devious talk far from you. Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.
Matt 15:18-20
But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”
Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. We are what we think. We do what we love. What we say speaks volumes about what is inside of us. This is why Jesus said the most important command is to love the Lord God with all our heart. The biblical heart is the seat of our thoughts, our emotions, and our desires. It is the computer that controls who we are, how we feel about things, and then how we act or react to circumstances around us.
James says we are to be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath. Listen. Then think about what has been said. Consider it carefully. Then decide if it is best to speak in reply or to just keep our mouth shut. Don’t let your emotions control your response. Let reason (godly reason and wisdom) control your emotions. We choose to respond in anger or to be hateful. We can choose to respond by saying nothing or we can choose to respond in love.
Learning to listen is partly an art and partly a science. We often say things that do not mean exactly what the words said, especially when we are upset. Others do the same, so listen for what is meant. Listen with charity. Love puts the best possible construction on things (words or actions of others). If there is any doubt, repeat what you heard and then ask the speaker to clarify if not correct.
O Lord, my heavenly Father, guard my heart to keep it pure and always tempered with love. Open my ears so I can listen more and listen better. Close my mouth so I will not utter hasty, rash, or unkind words. Give me wisdom to think carefully before I speak on all occasions. As I get older and more parts of my body fail to be what they used to be, help me not complain, but do the best I can. Give strength, healing, peace, and joy to others who are aging and hurting. I pray in the name of Jesus, my Lord, and my Savior.
Robert
