Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Proverbs 14:31-35
Prov 14:31-35
Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him. The wicked is overthrown through his evildoing, but the righteous finds refuge in his death. Wisdom rests in the heart of a man of understanding, but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools. Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. A servant who deals wisely has the king’s favor, but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.
James 4:5-8a
Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? But he gives more grace. Therefore, it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.
Righteousness exalts a nation. Righteousness exalts a family. Righteousness exalts a church. Righteousness exalts you and me as individuals. God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble and this is necessary in order for us to submit to God and to draw near to him. He made us so that we can serve him and honor him. It is our purpose in life to respect him and keep his commandments.
It is so easy for us to forget that our life is not about this world or the things in the world. We can serve God if we have abundance of wealth, or we can serve him if we live in abject poverty. We can honor him if we live in a free country, or we can honor him if we live under an oppressive dictator. Most of what happens in our lives is beyond our control, so we are to just trust him and live for him.
Our place in life is to submit to God as God and to Jesus as our Lord, our Master, and as our King. First and foremost, this means that we trust him to direct us and our lives. We trust him to take care of our family problems, we trust him to take care of national, state and local elections, we trust him to give success to the work of our local church. But this trust means that we pray for wisdom and then we do the best we can to do our part in what he guides us to do, in his way. This includes serving him by serving others in every way that we have opportunity to do so.
O Lord God, as I ponder your greatness, your majesty, your power and your wisdom, I stand in awe and realize just how small and insignificant I am. When I think of your wonderful love for me, your tender compassion and mercy, and your marvelous grace shown to me in the life, the death, and the resurrection of Jesus on my behalf, I can’t help but praise you and thank you. As I count my blessings, I realize that all I have and all I am is because of your grace toward me. Give me a heart of wisdom to live in a way that honors you. I pray in Jesus’ name.
Robert
