“The wounds of a friend are trustworthy, but the kisses of an enemy are excessive.” Proverbs 27:6 CSB
We are at the end of our month of prayer. I will not lie, this has been a challenge to write. Each day it’s been hard to be honest about how much I struggle with all of these different things. But God has carried me through. He has taught me a lot along the way, I pray He has done the same for you.
As we look at this one last Scripture for our month of prayer, I wanted to end with truth. It is always best to seek the truth, over anything else. Truth can be hard to take. We may not want to hear it, preferring the lie, but it will always set us free (John 8:31-32). It will always make you better. I’ve spent the last 6 weeks working on a project for my class. It was an analysis of a non-profit organization. I did all of my research, I answered all the questions, and when it was finished it was 21 pages long. My first big project for school. I was so excited to turn it in, I was the first one, just knowing my work was good. I couldn’t wait to share it with my class.
My work was good, but it wasn’t great. The presentation could have been better. I’m not great with all of the graphic designs people use these days. I’m still learning. As others began to share their projects, I saw these beautifully laid out presentations. I don’t even know how to make a presentation look like that. One of the first feedback I received commended me for my research and writing, but he said I should have created a more visually interesting report. I know he’s right. I just didn’t know how to do it, but I prefer his truth. I’m not going to receive the grade I was hoping to get, but I have learned a valuable lesson. Next time, I will make it visually more appealing. I prefer the wounds of a friend than the kisses of an enemy. Because he told me the truth, I will do better next time. I won’t forget his words.
The truth isn’t always easy to receive, but it is what will make you better. It will help you grow and be all God has for you. It will help you find your purpose. It is better than a thousand kisses from the enemy who does nothing but lie and deceive. Let’s end this month focused on the truth of God’s word. Let’s be all we can be with this prayer:
Lord, we know You are truth. We know the truth can be hard to hear sometimes, even wounding, but it is better than lies. Help us as we move forward from this month of prayer, seeking Your truth in all things. When our enemies are lying to us, reveal it to us so we can know the truth (Proverbs 27:6 CSB). In Jesus precious name we pray. Amen
