90 Days of Wisdom: Day 30

Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. (Proverbs 30:5)

We can trust God and His word to us. When we open our Bibles, we don't have to read wondering how much of it we can believe. We can believe all of it. God's word can be described in many ways. Here we see that it is a shield that protects us. As I receive God's word into my life and apply it to my daily living I find myself walking under His protection.

As we conclude the first 30 days of our wisdom journey, take a moment and look back at what God has brought to your attention. Look over the verses you've jotted down in your 90 Days of Wisdom journal and consider how these truths are making a difference in your life.

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 29

A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control. (Proverbs 29:11)

Anger is a part of life. There are things that make all of us angry. Some things should make us angry. The issue here is how to deal with anger. The foolish person reacts to anger, blows up, and holds nothing back. This "scorched earth policy" results in hurt feelings, ruined relationships, and burnt bridges.

The wise person, on the other hand, does not speak until he has his emotions under control. Sometimes the best way to do this is to give yourself some space between the event that brought your anger to the surface and your saying something about it. The old adage of counting to 10 before you say something is not a bad idea.

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 28

He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy. (Proverbs 28:13)

Keeping a sin hidden only leads to bondage. When I refuse to confess a sin, that sin will eventually effect many areas in my life. It will keep me from prospering in my relationships with others, my relationship with God, and even in my career.

Could it be that your financial lack, or inability to get ahead is due to something that you've chosen to conceal? This is always the case, but this very thing can be a reason for some of our struggles.

Sin disturbs more than just our walk with God. That's one more reason to keep it's tentacles from wrapping around our lives.

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 27

Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips. (Proverbs 27:2)

I'm sure you know someone who loves to brag about themselves. These "legends in their own minds" are quick to let the world know how great they are and what they have accomplished. Most of the time, we try to avoid these people. They dominate conversations and the topic of the conversation is almost always on one subject: them.

Instead of falling into the trap of being like the braggart, let's be the opposite. When you are with someone, let them know how great THEY are. Let them know that they are appreciated, that their friendship is valued, and that they have good qualities about them.

In a world full of people who believe "it's all about me!"... let's treat others like "it's all about you."

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 26

Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down. (Proverbs 26:20)

Quarrels happen. They are a part of life. Disagreements take place at home, at work, at school, between friends, and even at church. All of us have found ourselves in the middle of them. They are inevitable.

Whenever you find yourself in such a situation, remember that you are holding a bucket in each hand. In one hand, you hold a bucket of water that can be used to put the fire out of the quarrel. These are kind words and the choice not to gossip about the matter. In your other hand, you hold a bucket of gasoline that will spread the fire. This is what happens when we choose to repeat a matter to others.

Gossip is deadly. It is a cancer to any group of people. Let's be sure to use the proper bucket when quarrels arise.

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 25

If you find honey, eat just enough—too much of it, and you will vomit. (Proverbs 25:16)

OK... the health nut in me could not resist this one! Even in ancient times people realized that too much sugar (that's what honey was used for) was bad for you.

We need to glorify God in all that we do, including our daily nutritional habits. Throughout Proverbs we are warned against gluttony, this verse is just stating it in a different way.

God wants us to control our appetites, and not be controlled by them.

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 24

If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength!

(Proverbs 24:10)

The high school basketball team I'm working with found themselves up by eight points last Tuesday. It was the first time all season we had a lead at half-time. I began thinking that all the instruction, drills, and hard work were finally starting to pay off. At the end of the third quarter, we were losing... by 16!! OUCH!!!!

How did that happen? The other team, which was bigger and older, came out angry and began to press. Our team knew what to do, but instead of executing the plan, they panicked and the turnovers began to mount. Before we knew it, we were losing.

How do you handle pressure? Do you rise up to the occasion and meet the challenge? Or do you falter? All of us have fallen apart under pressure. Use this as a wake-up call to grow stronger and be ready for the next time it happens.

Failure does not need to be final. Let failure be a reminder to grow stronger.

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 23

Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path.

(Proverbs 23:19)

We cannot talk ourselves into wisdom. Wisdom comes from listening and those who are wise have sharpened their listening skills.

Because we are naturally selfish, we tend to be more concerned with talking than listening. If there is a conflict between us and another person, our chief objective is usually to get our point across and make sure they hear what we have to say.

Also, many times when someone else is talking we are not really listening. We may be hearing, but we're not listening. Sometimes we use the time that someone else is talking to think about how we are going to respond. Other times we just drift off into our own little world. While their words are going into our ears, our minds are not paying attention, comprehending and assimilating what is being said.

Wise people are listeners. Let's work on sharpening our listening skills. When your having a conversation, ask questions. Another tool for becoming a better listener is to repeat what the other person has said, paraphrasing them in your own words.

As you become a better listener, you'll not only grow in wisdom but will also become a more valued friend, employee, boss, and/or spouse!

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 22

Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered, ²⁵ or you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared. (Proverbs 22:24-25)

Everyone has a boiling point, but we are warned concerning those whose boiling point is low. Short-fused people are dangerous... and contagious.

The first consideration we must give here is to ourselves. Ask yourself, "Is my fuse too short?" When we fly off the handle every time life doesn't go our way, we ruin relationships. The Bible tells us that love is patient; that is, love has a long fuse and as we live empowered by the Holy Spirit we will reflect that in our relationships with others. Even when we are angry, we'll express that anger in a tempered, proper manner.

The other consideration we must give to this passage is this: are there relationships in my life that are negatively effecting me? Am I picking up someone else's bad habits? We need to choose our friends with care. Our closest companions in life need to be people who build us up and challenge us, by their lives, to be better people ourselves.

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 21

In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil,
but a foolish man devours all he has. (Proverbs 21:20)

It's Pay Day!!! Even if you detest your job, you look forward to going to work on pay day. Getting that pay check reminds us why we work. The problem is many people have their entire pay check spent before they even get it!

It's amazing how quickly we can blow through money. For some of us, holding on to our money is like trying to hold water in our hands.

God's wisdom touches every area of our lives... including our finances. In the verse above we learn an important principle: put some back! The wise have stores of food and oil because they don't devour it all on pay day!!

Here's a good rule of thumb for handling your money: The 10-10-80 rule. Every pay day give 10% to God... 10% to savings... and 80% for everything else. If consumer debt makes this unfeasible, then give 10% to God... 10% toward debt-relief (after all, the interest your paying on your credit cards is way more than the interest your making in a savings account) and 80% for everything else.

By doing this, we keep ourselves from being labeled "foolish."

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 20

The righteous man leads a blameless life;
blessed are his children after him (Proverbs 20:7)

Our decisions today will effect our children tomorrow. When I choose to live a godly life, I am establishing a legacy for my children and other generations. When we are tempted to go in a wrong way, we need to remember that our decisions don't impact our lives alone... our children will also reap what we have sown.

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 19

It is not good to have zeal without knowledge,
nor to be hasty and miss the way. (Proverbs 19:2)

In order to be successful, we must learn to balance zeal and knowledge. Both are important. Zeal and knowledge are like the wheels on a bicycle. Knowledge is the front wheel, connected to the handle bars. We must have knowledge in order to make good decisions and move in the proper direction. Zeal is like the back wheel which is connected to the pedals giving us power to move.

When we have knowledge but lack zeal we'll never get anywhere. When we have zeal without knowledge we may find ourselves going in the wrong direction.

Impulsive decisions may be exciting at the moment, but they rarely pay-off. Ask God to give you the zeal, or ambition, to attempt great things for Him... AND the knowledge to be able to plan and carry it out.

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 18

A fool finds no pleasure in understanding
but delights in airing his own opinions. (Prov. 18:2)

We cannot talk ourselves into knowledge. We do not build lasting friendships by dominating conversations. Real communication involves listening... not just 'hearing' but 'listening.' Sometimes we can find ourselves in a conversation, but instead of listening to what the other person is saying, we are thinking about what we will say next.

Today, in every encounter I have with other people, I want to listen to what they are saying.

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 17

He who covers over an offense promotes love,
but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. (Prov. 17:9)

How do you handle it when someone wrongs you? It's tempting to get even or if you cannot get even to let as many people as possible know what happened. It's the natural thing to do. It happens when we have a bad experience at a restaurant: "don't eat at _______________; they brought me a drink and the glass had lipstick on it!!"

What's worse is when we repeat the matter that was repeated to us. At this point we are nothing but a conduit of gossip.

Sometimes the best thing to do is to say nothing. Elsewhere in Scripture we are told that love covers over a multitude of sins. When we keep the matter between us and the person who offended us, and deal with it like that... or when we are big enough to forgive and move on and not bring it up... we are allowing love to do its work.

Sometime this week something will not go your way. Someone will treat me wrong. At that point we'll have a choice to make: spread the bad news... or be quiet and promote love. Let's choose love.

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 16

Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil. (Proverbs 16:6)

Here we find two aspects of living a guilt-free life: forgiveness and avoidance. Because of His love and faithfulness, God has provided a pathway to forgiveness through Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection. God demonstrated His love for us at the cross when Christ died for us. God demonstrates His faithfulness to us every time we come before Him and ask His forgiveness for our sins.

Forgiveness is a fantastic gift! But when it comes to daily living, and reaching our potential, there is something better: avoiding sin altogether. That's where having a healthy respect for God comes in. The Bible calls it the fear of the Lord.

Here's how the fear of the Lord can work in our lives. Yesterday I had to go way out to Edgefield, SC because my daughters' school's basketball teams were playing there. When I came over a hill, going into the town of Edgefield, I saw two police cars at the bottom of the hill, just past where the speed limit goes from 55 to 45 (I know a speed trap when I see one!). I checked my speedometer and made sure I was at 45. The reason was I didn't want to get pulled over, get a ticket, and be late for the games. Knowing that the police had the authority to wreck my day slowed me down. Now, I don't live my life afraid of police officers, but seeing them on the roads is a reminder to me that I need to check my speed.

The fear of the Lord is much the same. When we live with a consciousness that God is near, it helps us to avoid evil. The best way to instill this into our lives is to spend time with God every day... and throughout the day.

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 15

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. (Proverbs 15:1)

It's been a long day. You've worked hard all day and you finally arrive at home, totally spent. You've barely sat down in your favorite chair when your spouse walks up and hits one of your hot buttons (you know what I'm talking about). Your response at that moment will determine the rest of your evening.

Whether at work, at home, at church, or at a ball game, opportunities to be provoked will arise. At this point you can do one of two things: you can react... or you can respond.

Reacting is a negative response that is usually based on your emotions at the moment. Think of it this way: suppose you go to the doctor and are given a prescription. You take the prescription and have a 'medical reaction.' That's not good... you may be allergic to the medication and so your body is reacting negatively to it. That's what a harsh word does to a relationship. Your negative reaction, be it sarcasm, yelling, or a cold shoulder, will in turn produce another negative reaction in the person with whom you are dealing.

Responding, though is positive. When your body 'responds' to medication that means the prescription is having its desired effect. When you give a gentle answer, your words can diffuse what could have been a volatile situation.

Today let's choose our words carefully. When the opportunities for conflict come, remember that you are holding two teaspoons. One is vinegar... the other is honey. The teaspoon you decide to react/respond with will determine the course of that conversation.

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 14

Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox comes an abundant harvest. (Prov. 14:4)

All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. (Prov. 14:23)

God rewards diligence. It is obvious from Scripture that work precedes harvest. Get-rich-quick schemes and money-for-nothing scams have existed since ancient times. Such plans will lead to disappointment and the loss of what money one invests in them.

Instead of wasting your time in the lottery line, or waiting for some scam to pay-off, be diligent with the work you have to do. When you apply yourself and work hard, your employer and others around you will take notice and in time you will be rewarded. Avoid the temptation to be like most people today and just do enough to get by. Do your work with all your heart, as if you are doing it for the Lord.

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 13

He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin. (Prov. 13:3)

Have you ever let your mouth run faster than your brain? When we make commitments in the emotion of the moment, or fall into the trap of telling others what you think they may want to hear, you will eventually find yourself entrapped. You make promises that you cannot keep or that you don't remember. Each time this happens, you chip away at your own reputation until it is eventually ruined.

Choose your words carefully. Safeguard your lips by putting up boundaries. Before saying anything, ask yourself the following questions: Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary? Will it help the situation? If the answer to any of these questions is 'no'... then you might be better off leaving it unsaid.

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 12

An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up. (Prov. 12:25)

Every day we meet people who are going through difficult times. Many are experiencing the results of a down economy and are having trouble making ends meet or maybe they are even out of work. Others are going through hardships in their homes as relationships have broken down and they do not know how to put the pieces back together. These kinds of things can cause anxiety that weighs people down. You can see it on their faces as the worries of this world have taken their toll.

One thing each of us can do in times like these is to be ready with a kind, encouraging word. A kind word can be like a Red Bull ( I don't recommend drinking those, by the way) to the soul. It doesn't cost us anything to give a kind word, at home, at church, at work, in the check-out line at the grocery store, or wherever we might find ourselves.

Let's make a commitment to share God's kindness and His encouragement with the people we bump into every day. Ask God to open your eyes to the people around you and to put His words of kindness on your lips. You never know... your words of kindness might just be the difference in whether someone gives up or keeps moving!

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 11

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

Proverbs 11:2

"We have met the enemy, and he is us!" (Pogo--old comic strip)

Every day we face our toughest opponent. He/she is waiting for us when we wake up in the morning and does not relent until we go back to sleep at night. Our toughest opponent is not the devil. The devil could take a vacation and we'd still have problems. Our toughest opponent is ourselves.

With a little success comes a lot of pride. It's amazing how quickly it can happen. We pray for success, and when God grants it, suddenly we get the notion that we did it on our own. With head swollen and shoulders thrown back we puff out our chest and exclaim, "Look at me world!! I have arrived!!"

What happens next? We fall apart. Pride will always lead us to disgrace. It's inevitable. After all, God says in the book of James that He opposes the proud. When we walk in pride, God becomes our adversary.

To humble is to be teachable. When we are teachable we grow in wisdom. Let's admit today that we don't know it all and that we cannot make it on our own. When that is our attitude, God can do great things in us and through us.

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 10

The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out. Proverbs 10:9

Every day we are tempted to take the easy way out. Opportunities to cheat show themselves around every corner of life. In school there was always the temptation to look over the shoulder of the person in front of you during a test, or to carry crib notes in the palm of your hand. In sales, it's easy to tell the customer what they want to hear in order to make the deal... after all, "let the buyer beware!" In our relationships, we borrow money, or things, or even love with no intention of paying it back.

However, short-cuts never pay-off in the long-run. The crooked path will always be found out. Just look at Bernie Madoff who made tons of money until the ponzi scheme he was operating came to light.

The only way to live securely is to walk with integrity. And the easiest way to walk with integrity is to always ask yourself one simple question before every decision: "Is this the right thing to do?"

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 9

"Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse. Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you. Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning. Proverbs 9:7-9

The difference between the mocker and the wise man, and the wicked and the righteous man boils down to one simple thing: teachability. I have had the privilege of working with young people as a coach for several years. I began coaching rec-league basketball when my youngest daughter was 4 and have worked with kids from that age up to high schoolers. During this time, one thing I've learned is that a child's ability to get better at the game is not as much physical talent as it is their willingness to be taught and coached. Like a sponge, some players soak in everything their coach tells them, while others are determined to do things their own way.

Spiritual growth is much the same. The believer who grows strong in his or faith and learns of the great adventure of walking daily with Christ and serving Him is the believer who is willing to receive instruction.

I find two applications in this passage for me:

1) Am I teachable and willing to be coached? All of us can learn and we all need people in our lives from whom we are learning.

2) Don't waste time with unteachable people. I've experienced the coaching end of these verses, both on the court, in the gym as a personal trainer, and at the church. As far as the mocker/wicked: I've seen it happen... believe it or not I've had people tell me where to go, how to get there, and even offer their assistance! All because they weren't willing to receive instruction.

On the other hand, in all three arenas mentioned above, I've had the privilege of seeing most people blossom and find success all because they were willing to be taught.

Today, I need to ask myself which camp do I fall in: am I teachable or am I stubborn and self-willed.

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 8

My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness. All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse. Proverbs 8:7-8

Although these words describe God's wisdom, they should also be the result of God's wisdom working it's way into a believer's life. As much as we might hate to admit it, our language is an accurate thermometer of our spiritual temperature. When my language is course, crooked and perverse it is a tell-tale sign that my walk with the Lord has wavered. On the other hand, as I grow in my relationship with the Lord, become more like Christ, and gain His wisdom, my words will be true and just.

Today I will listen to myself in order to take my own spiritual temperature.

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 7

My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you. ² Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. ³ Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.

--Proverbs 7:1-3

God's Word is a safeguard. The wisdom that is forged by spending time in His Word will work to keep me from sins that could very well be my downfall. The chief sin mentioned in Proverbs 7 is adultery. Sexual immorality is often the result of short-sightedness: we only see the thrill and the pleasure... not the long-term ramifications. When I've spent time in God's Word, and I hold His teachings and principles near to me (i.e.: bound to my fingers and written on my heart) the Holy Spirit will use this as an alarm when I'm flirting with disaster.

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 6

For these commands are a lamp,
this teaching is a light,
and the corrections of discipline
are the way to life

Proverbs 6:23

The commands, teachings and corrections of God's Word are for my own good. They light the way so we can find the proper path in a dark world. Just as I wouldn't drive my car at night without turning on the headlights, I don't need to make decisions without the knowledge and wisdom God's Word gives me. What I must remember is to build God's Word into my life by spending time in it every day.

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 5

For a man's ways are in full view of the Lord,

and he examines all his paths. Proverbs 5:21

I can hide a lot of things from a lot of people. But I cannot hide anything from God. He knows the truth about me, both the good and the ugly. God doesn't just know my actions, He knows my motives. He knows why I do what I do.

Like David, I need to pray, "Search my heart O God." We so easily fool ourselves, or drift just a little each day off the mark, maybe not even realizing it. God's desire is not to ultimately judge us for not being on the right path. He wants to keep us on his path for us. So I will go before Him daily and trust him for direction.

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 4

Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life.

Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

Another English version translates that last phrase, "for it determines the course of your day."

I need the check my heart, that is my inner man, regularly. What am I allowing to influence me? What am I allowing my mind to dwell upon? It's so easy to be sucked into the world's vortex of immoral thinking which will in time lead to immoral/unethical decisions.

Verses 24-27 lay out a game plan for guarding your heart:

1) Guard your speech (4:24)

2) Be careful what you look at (4:25)

3) Be wary of risky decisions (4:26)

4) When you see evil coming, walk the other way (4:27)

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 3

Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he's the one who will keep you on track.

Prov. 3:5-6 (message)

Figuring out life begins and ends with trusting God. Life is too long and way too complicated for me to figure it out on my own. I am naturally short-sighted and cannot see the big picture of life.

When I live by my own perspective, I will inevitably make a wrong decision at some point. Hence, the old saying that hindsight is 20/20. Even though these missteps and slip-ups can sometimes be overcome, at times that cannot, and at all times they slow us down.

God's path is not a natural path. Many times it does not make sense and sometimes it looks completely wrong. If I don't trust Him, I will not take the path He is laying out for me.

Today, I need to grow in my relationship with the Lord. I need to draw close to Him, get to know Him more, walk in the love relationship He has offered me. As I do that, my trust in Him will grow stronger... and as His path for me unfolds, I'll follow it without hesitation.

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 2

For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. ⁷ He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, ⁸ for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Proverbs 2:6-8 (NIV)

True wisdom only comes from God. It is a gift from Him to those who diligently seek Him. As I seek God and trust Him for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding I will also obtain other benefits:

Victory--I will be a winner in life.

Protection--God promises to be my shield.

Successful journey through life--v8: my course will be guarded... that is, I can trust that God is taking me down the correct path for my life.

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 1

The Book of Proverbs presents two roads from which we must choose to travel: the way of the wise or the way of the foolish. Proverbs 1:7 sets the stage for the rest of this book:

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,

but fools despise wisdom and discipline. Proverbs 1:7 (NIV)

Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline. (NLT)

Start with God—the first step in learning is bowing down to God;
only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning. (Message)

True wisdom and knowledge begin with recognizing a simple truth: there is a God, and I'm not Him... and neither are you. To fear the Lord means that we are to have a healthy respect as to who He is. He is bigger and stronger than we are. His power, knowledge, and presence has no limitations. We, on the other hand, are very limited in all of our ways.

If I am going to grow in wisdom, I must depose myself from the throne of my life and allow God to take His rightful place in my life.