The One Year Wisdom for Women Devotional: 365 Devotions through the Proverbs (5 page)

January 13

The Lord Disciplines

     
My child, don’t ignore it when the L
ORD
disciplines you,

          
and don’t be discouraged when he corrects you.

     
For the L
ORD
corrects those he loves,

          
just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.

J. Vernon McGee said, “God is going to chasten you as you go along through life if you are his child. . . . That is a good evidence that you belong to him. . . . Chastening is not punishing. . . . The criminal is to be punished; the child is to be corrected.”

So let’s consider the Lord’s discipline in our lives. Here it is directly connected with God’s love and even his sweet delight. Think about this. For a parent it is easy to be delighted in a child who is delightful, but have you ever seen a little girl who is a brat? She is spoiled. She is selfish. She throws tantrums when she does not get her way. Have you ever seen a big girl like that? It’s not pretty, really.

That behavior is a direct result of a stubborn bent that did not have or did not yield to correction. Ladies, dear sisters, this is not our destiny. You do have a Father who loves you very much. He loves you enough to discipline you when you need it.

So if conviction comes, if the Holy Spirit has been speaking to your heart about a bad habit or bad attitude, yield. Because whom the Lord loves, he disciplines.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Can you look back on your life and remember times that you have stubbornly chosen your own way, to your own harm? I can. My mother told me that one time I stood in the corner for hours just because I wouldn’t say I was sorry. One time I sat at the table until bedtime because I wouldn’t eat my peas. Childish stubbornness is childish. God wants us to grow up and out of these childish ways.

Let’s Pray

Lord, show me when I have allowed my selfishness or pride to box me in. Soften my stubborn heart and help me to yield and listen to you.

One Year Bible Reading

Genesis 28:1–29:35; Matthew 9:18-38; Psalm 11:1-7; Proverbs 3:11-12

January 14

Better Than Gold

     
Blessed are those who find wisdom,

          
those who gain understanding,

     
for [wisdom] is more profitable than silver

          
and yields better returns than gold.

     
She is more precious than rubies;

          
nothing you desire can compare with her.

Take a minute and stand back with me. Let’s take a really good, long, hard look at the world. Let’s look at the diminishing value of material things. This is a great time for a reality check. The stock market has fallen; housing values, fallen. If you buy a new car, it is worth less the minute you drive it off the lot. Last year’s top fashions look hokey today. Reality check: even things like our health and the way we look deteriorate as we get older. Diminishing returns.

First John says this world is passing away, and so if you’re a child of God, you—we all—need to stop living like this is all there is and like this is all that is important. Don’t pretend that you don’t do that. They say you can look at someone’s checkbook and Day-Timer, and you will be able to tell what is really important to her. What do yours say?

Jesus has some really important things to say about this. If you are listening, let him give you his reality check: Matthew 6:19-21. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. . . . For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (
NKJV
).

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

God’s wisdom, his love, and his peace are all things that the world isn’t selling and money can’t buy. God calls us back to the things that matter. He calls us back to him: “Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food. Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you” (Isaiah 55:2-3).

One Year Bible Reading

Genesis 30:1–31:16; Matthew 10:1-23; Psalm 12:1-8; Proverbs 3:13-15

January 15

Pleasant Ways

     
Long life is in [wisdom’s] right hand;

          
in her left hand are riches and honor.

     
Her ways are pleasant ways,

          
and all her paths are peace.

     
She is a tree of life to those who embrace her;

          
those who lay hold of her will be blessed.

The central phrase that grabs my attention is this: “Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace.”

This is a good way to live. It is pleasant—pleasant for yourself and pleasant for others who are around you. This reminds me that it is not wise to be impatient; it is not wise to be rude or harsh or critical of others. It is wise to be a peacemaker; it is wise to be kind.

Being wise is more than just being smart or skillful at life.

James gives us an excellent and clear description of godly wisdom that shows that it is both practical and wonderful. “The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy” (James 3:17,
NKJV
).

And so, in conclusion, dear ladies, choose wisdom—because all her ways are pleasant ways and all her paths are peace.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Some people view wisdom as a dusty old thing, antiquated, good only for old people with nothing much to do. No! Wisdom opens wonderful doors and takes you on journeys where few travel. Wisdom fills your heart with the pure, simple, exhilarating joy that comes when you just do the right thing. Wisdom from above is “full of mercy,” for instance. So, just for the joy of it, try this out: Is there someone in your world who does not deserve mercy? Someone who has been cranky or rude? Will you choose to show mercy?

Let’s Pray

Lord, please give me a tender heart to forgive. Help me say one pleasant word or do one kind deed. I know you love the difficult people in my life; help me to love them too.

One Year Bible Reading

Genesis 31:17–32:12; Matthew 10:24–11:6; Psalm 13:1-6; Proverbs 3:16-18

January 16

Look Up!

     
By wisdom the L
ORD
founded the earth;

          
by understanding he created the heavens.

     
By his knowledge the deep fountains of the earth burst forth,

          
and the dew settles beneath the night sky.

I grew up in a nominal Christian home. We believed in God, but we lived like he was far away and unconcerned. When I was eighteen, one of the first college classes I took was Philosophy of World Religions. I was drawn to spiritual things but had a lot of questions. Some of the questions were
What is the meaning of life?
and
Where did we come from?
The first day of class, the professor held up a Bible and asked if anyone believed in that book. I weakly raised my hand, not because I had ever read it, but because somehow I felt it must be important. With a tone of authority he said, “It is my stated goal that at the end of this class no one will believe in the Bible, because life is all about you; you are the center of the universe.” Well, as an eighteen-year-old, I already lived like life was all about me. He was singing my song. So at the end of the semester I dropped out of college, left home, and traveled to the tropics of Mexico to “find myself.”

Two years and many travels later, I had found myself, but didn’t like what I found. I was disillusioned, confused, and empty. Walking along the beach one evening, I was overwhelmed with the power and beauty of a tropical sunset. Falling to my knees I cried out to God, “God I know that you are real, and I do not know you.” I didn’t know that the Bible says, “The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship” (Psalm 19:1). But that night, surrounded by such majesty, I experienced both an awe and a hunger to know the one who created it all.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Has it been a while since you cried out to God, not asking him to do something for you, but to know him? Has it been a while since you went outside and looked up at the beauty of a starry night? God heard my voice that glorious night, and he will indeed hear you.

One Year Bible Reading

Genesis 32:13–34:31; Matthew 11:7-30; Psalm 14:1-7; Proverbs 3:19-20