90 Days of Wisdom: Day 89

"This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, 'I've done nothing wrong.' (Proverbs 30:20)

We have a tendency to rationalize our sin. Whether it is adultery, as pointed out in the above verse, or some other form of detrimental behavior; we play with it in our minds until we feel justified in what we are doing.

The problem is, this kind of behavior negates God's blessings upon our lives. Also, in the long run life will force us to the conclusion that we have cheated ourselves out of the best He had in store.

Let's not fall victim to our own devices. Instead of rationalizing, heed the Holy Spirit's conviction and confess your transgressions. You'll find yourself forgiven and free... and not having to make excuses for your life.

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe. (Proverbs 29:25)

The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in God protects you from that. (The Message)

Throughout Proverbs we learn about the importance of wise counsel and seeking the advice of others. This is true for all of us, especially leaders. At the same time, we cannot effectively lead if we are afraid of what people may think. Fear of human opinion can be paralyzing. It is also an easy habit for one to develop.

The remedy is not a head-strong my-way-or-the-highway attitude, but a healthy and strong trust in the Lord that develops a desire to please Him over all others.

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 87

Blessed is the man who always fears the LORD, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble. (Proverbs 28:14)

This verse, like many in Proverbs is a contrasting couplet. Here we find two opposite attitudes that each produce differing results. The Message interprets this verse:

A tenderhearted person lives a blessed life;

a hardhearted person lives a hard life.

One of life's tougher battles is that of keeping our hearts soft, tender, and pliable. Life has a way of hardening us on the inside. Circumstances can harden our hearts as we are wrongly treated and respond by building walls of protection and resistance. Sin hardens our hearts when we choose not to repent and confess them and instead hold on to them.

Our hearts do not harden overnight. That's what is so dangerous about this dilemma. In fact, the process goes almost unnoticed until it is too late. We have all wondered how good, solid Christian people fall. This is one way it happens: the slow road to a hardened heart.

We need to battle this issue every day. We need to go before God every day and ask Him to search our hearts and show us if we are drifting in this direction. We also need to listen to our speech. Jesus pointed out that our speech--the way to talk to others--is a reflection of our hearts. Hard words are often a warning sign of a hard heart.

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 86

Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. (Proverbs 27:6)

Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one's friend springs from his earnest counsel. (Proverbs 27:9)

A true and good friend will tell you the truth, even if it stings. We need to be careful around people who are always flattering us, as alluring and addictive as their words may be.

Be a friend who will speak the truth in love. Choose friends who will do the same.

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 85

If a man digs a pit, he will fall into it; if a man rolls a stone, it will roll back on him. (Proverbs 26:27)

As a kid growing up, one of my favorite Saturday morning cartoons was The Road Runner. Every week poor Wile. E. Coyote would do his best to catch the fleet-footed desert bird. He would order his A.C.M.E. products that were guaranteed to give him the upper hand, but each attempt would end in his trap backfiring, and the poor coyote would find himself either at the bottom of a canyon or burned to a crisp.

Bad attitudes have a way of backfiring as well. When we carry a grudge, spread gossip, or seek revenge, the person we will inevitably hurt is ourselves. The Message puts it this way:

Malice backfires; spite boomerangs. (Proverbs 26:27)

The next time you are tempted to cut someone down, either face-to-face or behind their back, or get even over a wrong you've endured, remember that poor old coyote with his rocket jet pack strapped on his back, a fork in one hand and a knife in the other, thinking he had the perfect plan to capture his dinner... only to fly himself into the side of a mountain. That's the same thing malice will do to us.

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 84

If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. ²² In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you. (Proverbs 25:21-22)

You've heard the saying, "Fight fire with fire." Our natural inclination is to take revenge and to get even when someone wrongs us. Sometimes our revenge is active as we retaliate. At other times, it is passive as we pull out the weapon of the cold shoulder.

God's weapon for dealing with those who have wronged us is kindness. Kindness will tear down the walls of defense and open up a entry way into your enemy's heart. Kindness will either win your enemy over... or so baffle him that he'll not know what to do. Kindness towards those who wrong us also comes with a promised reward from God.

Who is on your "hit list?" Ask God to show you a kind act you can do for them. Trust God on this... follow through... and see what happens!

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 83

The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked. (Proverbs 24:16--NLT)

All of us trip, stumble and fall. Sometimes we even get knocked down by someone else. At times the circumstances of life seem to suck the joy out of living. But those who walk with God never stay down long. The Holy Spirit gives us an inner resiliency that causes us to get back up and keep moving forward.

As believers in Christ, we should never be down. We are either up... or getting up.