Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Proverbs 23:6-11
Prov 23:6-11
6 Do not eat the bread of a man who is stingy; do not desire his delicacies, 7 for he is like one who is inwardly calculating. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you. 8 You will vomit up the morsels that you have eaten, and waste your pleasant words. 9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the good sense of your words. 10 Do not move an ancient landmark or enter the fields of the fatherless, 11 for their Redeemer is strong; he will plead their cause against you.
Rom 12:9-12
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Yesterday we read of a king who offered dainties in abundance but who would use it against you if you enjoyed them. Today we read of a stingy man who pretends to be your friend but is calculating about what he does to put you in his debt. The world is filled with hypocrisy and manipulation by people who are trying to take advantage of others for their own benefit. It may be a pretend friend, an ad on social media, or some other means, but we all have to be careful.
Every time we hear of a new scam, it produces more distrust in us. The less we trust others the more bad motives become the norm in our minds. If we are not careful, this eventually translates into our thinking that doing these things is acceptable for us to do also. We are to love others and do it without hypocrisy.
Much of this section of Proverbs is warning us against taking advantage of those who are less fortunate than us. When we see people who are in a bad situation, we are to have compassion and we are to help them, not use their plight to our advantage. God sees the poor and he has pity on them but will punish those who mistreat them or steal from them. We are to be like Jesus and have love for others, show mercy to the downtrodden, and be filled with compassion so that we will help those in need. Love one another with brotherly affection.
O Lord God, fill me with your Spirit so my heart will overflow with love. Use me to teach your word and to show others how to be like Jesus. Forgive me when I fail to live up to his glory and help me know how to correct it in my life. Lord, be with your people, wherever they may be in the world. Help us to make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit that you have given us and to do it in the bond of peace. Give me a heart of compassion and mercy and keep me from being bitter or judgmental toward others. I pray in the name of Jesus my Savior.
Robert
