Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Proverbs 9:7-12
Prov 9:7-12
Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury. Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. For by me your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life. If you are wise, you are wise for yourself; if you scoff, you alone will bear it.
Luke 8:16-18
“No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.”
God gave Solomon wisdom beyond any other of his day. People traveled from all over the world to hear him. The Queen of Sheba was one such person and after her visit with him, she said that the half had not been told concerning the great wisdom of Solomon. In this book of Proverbs, he shares a great deal of this God-given wisdom with us today, on almost every area of life. We need to listen.
Jesus shared his wisdom with us also. Even Solomon did not have wisdom when compared to the Son of God. What makes the wisdom of Jesus hard for us to accept and practice is that often it is counterintuitive. Things like we are not to retaliate when treated wrongly, even to “turn the other cheek” or “bless those who curse you.”
His wisdom says we are to forgive anyone who sins against us. We are to extend and offer our forgiveness, no matter what that person has done to us. It does not matter if they acknowledge they have done wrong or not. It does not matter if they even brag about doing us wrong, we still must extend forgiveness to them. This is the example of Jesus on the cross: “Father, forgive them because they don’t’ know what they are doing.” We forgive and then the rest is up to them.
O Lord God, my heavenly Father, help me love others enough that I want what is best for them, even when they are my enemies. Help me forgive them, even if they don’t see they have done wrong and if they never ask for it. Fill me with your Spirit so your love will overflow to all around me, even as Jesus loved his enemies and prayed for them and then died for them. Give me your wisdom. Help me always be willing to accept correction and criticism. I pray in the name of Jesus.
Robert
