Author: Beth Morrison

Two-minute read.

Humility comes with self-awareness of your place in the world and God’s sovereignty over it. When things happen, humble people defer to the Lord’s will, understanding His ways differ from ours, and we can’t comprehend all that He does. Pride, on the other hand, has self-bestowed divinity and an inflated ego. In other words, they think the world revolves around them and their opinion, not the Creator’s viewpoint.

As one of the pastors in my life said, pride is the root of all sin. I made that comment in a women’s group, and one of the ladies disagreed, saying she thought selfishness caused sin. Although we didn’t have the opportunity to discuss it, I don’t disagree; however, I do think that selfishness stems from pride.

Pride, as defined by Expositor’s Bible Commentary, “is literally a boiling up; thus an overstepping of the boundaries and insubordination is meant.” Thinking we know more than God never goes well.

“You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, “You did not make me”? Can the pot say to the potter, “You know nothing”?”

Isaiah 29:16

When pride rears its ugly head in our lives, we turn things upside down and act like we created the world instead of God. We can’t comprehend how the Lord transformed darkness into light and brought life into existence, yet at times, we act as if we do.

Allowing pride to lead the way gives the devil a foothold. Self-righteous anger begins to develop, and everything becomes about us, and we can’t see the whole picture. Only when we humble ourselves and surrender to God’s authority can we begin to see the truth.

Stay humble by submitting your life to the Savior. Seek His will for your life. Live abundantly, serving the Creator in His creation.

Journal Question:

How has pride affected your life?

What indicates pride to you?

How can you remain humble?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for creating the world and giving us life. Forgive us when we let pride inflate our ego, blinding us to the truth. Please give us the tools we need to remain humble and hungry for you.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

“All the houses are concrete,” a friend said after house hunting in a hurricane-prone part of the United States. Because of the strong, 100-plus-mile winds that habitually blow against the waterfront homes, they build them of heavy concrete that can withstand the storms.

Better concrete than the wooden homes, built on stilts, I’ve seen wash into the ocean waves when the hurricanes come. The foundation determines whether or not the house will survive torrential wind and rain. Both types of homes will experience hurricanes, but one has a firmer foundation than the other.

In the same way, we choose our foundations of faith. Some put theirs into worldly things, equivalent to wooden homes. But others choose a firmer foundation, the Rock that endures life’s storms. Placing our faith in Jesus anchors us to the Rock, providing a dependable foundation, no matter what storm winds may blow. Because God never lied to us, we know that in this world we will have troubles, but we can take heart, because Christ overcame them on the cross.

When Jesus walked the Earth, He faced many trials. The Lord taught us that we can’t avoid hardship and struggles; they come with life. But Christ also promised never to leave us nor forsake us when they come, offering us relief from our sufferings as we rest in Him.

Amid our heartache, we may feel alone. Don’t believe the lie. God lives in us, His Spirit guiding and directing our steps. Jesus never leaves nor forsakes us. He walks through the fire with us, helping us persevere through the flames. The storm winds may blow, but we won’t fall, anchored to the Rock; we have all we need to stand tall.

Journal Question:

How has Jesus helped you persevere through life’s storms?

How does knowing struggles come with life help you prepare for them?

In what way has Jesus shown up for you during a storm?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for preparing us for life’s storms and giving us a Savior who walks through them with us. Please help us find our footing on the Rock and trust You when the storm winds start blowing.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

Love’s strength defeats hatred’s strife. A single scroll through social media reveals the power of hate to inspire wickedness in people. Feeding the powerful emotion allows it to control us, giving the devil a foothold in our lives and leading us down crooked paths. Jesus gave us a new way to live, defining love and showing us how to apply it to our lives.

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

To defeat hate, we must first understand love. An action verb, love has movement. Enduring affection requires us to have patience, respond with kindness, and avoid becoming proud and arrogant; instead, we should lead with humility. Always seeking the truth, love never ends; it forgives quickly. We experience and share it because of our divine relationship with the Savior.

Love, like faith, requires a choice. God gave us free will because He understands that for love to flourish, we must choose it. To experience eternal life, we must place our faith in Jesus, the starting point of love. Once we begin following the Savior, we start to understand love. The more we study Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection, the more we will understand the nature of unconditional love. As we grow in knowledge, we will also grow in love.

In every circumstance, you have a choice: love or hate. Each day, you choose which one you will feed by what you allow into your heart, mind, body, and soul. Turn to the Savior, let His Spirit guide and direct your actions, and become known for your love as we know Jesus for His.

Journal Question:

How have you experienced love defeating hate?

How has knowing Jesus taught you about love?

In what ways can you cover someone else’s sin with love today?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for teaching us about love and sending Jesus to set an example for us. Please help us guard our hearts and minds from anything that would fuel hatred, fill our souls with Your divine love, and enable us to share it with the world.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

For our anniversary, we did something we had never done before: we went to a NASCAR race. Preparing for the event, we didn’t think to research parking, so we just parked in the first open lot we found. As we slipped out of the truck onto the grassy hill, we fell in line behind the other people entering the gates, having no idea which way to go.

Once inside the race track, we quickly realized we had parked as far away from our seats as possible. And so we continued to follow the crowd, unsure of our destination. Eventually, we stopped and asked for directions, and then made our way to our seats, which took us over half an hour to reach.

Because we didn’t know our destination, nor understand the course, we walked a crooked path. Only when we had clear directions did we walk confidently towards our seats. Without instructions, we journey with uncertainty and go astray, but with divine guidance, we can walk confidently towards our future, knowing what awaits us at the end of our journey.

God instructs us to walk with integrity, which means telling the truth and living a life of honesty. When we start to veer from truth, following lies, our paths get crooked, and we waste time and energy on things the Lord never intended for us to do.

Value integrity, develop strong, consistent moral and ethical principles based on biblical truth. Walk confidently ahead, knowing the next right thing to do because of the Lord’s guidance. Fulfill your divine mission, loving God and others, living a purposeful life for Jesus.

Journal Question:

When have you walked a crooked path?

What does living with integrity mean to you?

How can you love God and others today?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us written directions to follow, allowing us to have confidence in which way we should go. Please keep us on the straight and narrow, not allowing us to stray onto the crooked path.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

Righteousness leads on the path of life, but the lure of wealth tries to derail us. In the past year, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of following the right trail. Each day, we make approximately 35,000 decisions, with 75% of them subconscious and the rest conscious. On average, we make over 200 food-related decisions daily. Following the righteous path means doing the next right thing.

Using food as an example, we can equate it to fuel for our bodies. Eating a balanced breakfast with protein and low carbs gives us energy to make better decisions. High-sugar foods cause our insulin levels to spike and then crash, which can make us less productive. If we continue to make good fuel choices throughout the day for our bodies, we’ll make better decisions; however, if we don’t, we’ll feel tired and sluggish, lacking the energy to do the things we need to do.

In the same way, if we fill our hearts and minds with God’s word, we’ll make better choices. But if we allow the influences of the world to fill our heads, we will make uninformed decisions that lead us astray. The Lord gives us the tools we need to direct our paths, but we must follow Him to know them.

Worldly wealth doesn’t last; treasure gained from dishonest ways vanishes even quicker. However, when we follow the Savior, He shows us the right path to take, which leads to an abundant life filled with peace and joy in our hearts. We don’t have to know everything when we know the One who does. Placing our trust in Christ takes the pressure off us to make the right decisions, instead allowing Him to guide us.

Give your life to Jesus, let Him guide you down the path of right living, one step at a time.

Journal Question:

In what ways has worldly wealth led you astray?

How has Jesus helped you make the right decisions?

What choice do you need Jesus’s help with today?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for sending Your Son to show us the way. Please help us stay on the right path, making good choices as we apply Your word to our lives. Give us discernment and guidance for all the days of our lives.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

Folly, in its original Hebrew, means “stupidity, insolence, with a possible implication of rebellion.”[1] An image of a woman I encountered years ago comes to mind. In D.C. at the post office, waiting in line, she saw me look at her and immediately began ranting at me for daring to glimpse her way. I didn’t engage, averting my eyes and apologizing for disturbing her. Because I didn’t rise to the occasion, she found another innocent victim to attack.

Another incident occurred in New Orleans on a work trip. Walking to lunch with colleagues, a woman followed us, yelling crazy, unintelligible things at us. Her actions unnerved me and left an indelible mark on my memories.

Foolish people crave attention, and if we give it to them, it fuels the flame of their rebellious nature. Instead of having a teachable spirit, they dig their heels into whatever position they take, not wanting to admit their folly. Avoiding folly means not engaging, but instead praying for God to give them eyes to see and ears to hear the error of their ways.

Seeking divine wisdom helps us avoid folly and its obnoxious call. Keeping the Son in your eyes gives you discernment, making it easy to spot those who would lead you astray. Unlike the women I mentioned above, not all folly comes in such outspoken ways; sometimes it comes as a whisper that seems appealing.

The counterpart to wisdom, folly attempts to appeal to the naïve and lure them into its web. Without biblical wisdom found in Proverbs, folly tries to create chaos, stealing peace and destroying the joy found in the Lord. Don’t listen to folly’s call; instead, find the Savior’s peace by following Him.

Journal Question:

How have you experienced folly’s call in your life?

In what ways do you avoid folly?

How can you help others avoid folly’s call?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for helping us identify folly and listen to her call. Please give us the tools we need to avoid foolishness and not succumb to its temptation. Let us live in Your peace that surpasses all understanding.

IJNIP. Amen

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[1]https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%209%3A13&version=NIV&tab=interlinear

Two-minute read.

As a tennis coach, it didn’t take long for me to know who would become a better player, all because they listened to instructions. Some students would ignore me, while others argued with my directions. However, those who absorbed the information and followed my instructions became the top students in the class.

Remaining teachable helps you become wiser. However, many people stop learning and remain stuck in the same situation for most of their lives. I know, for years I stopped growing because I turned my back on God and people, the pain of my father’s death consuming me. Thankfully, our Creator reaches into the depths of our heartache and helps us climb out of the pit.

Developing tennis students meant watching them play and working on the things that didn’t come naturally to them, or they didn’t know. In the same way, the Lord knows our weaknesses and provides us with instructions to help us overcome them, thereby growing stronger in Christ. As we learn to listen to God’s word and apply it to our lives, we’ll become more like Jesus. But if we don’t listen, we’ll never learn.

In my current walk with the Savior, He’s fine-tuning me. We’ve overcome many of the significant issues in my life that kept me from experiencing the joy of the Lord. Now God reveals smaller things that cause harm and don’t reflect His Son well. Each day, I learn something new, which makes me want to chase after Jesus even more and share Him with all I know, so they can experience His miraculous work as well.

Humble yourself before the Lord and allow Him to teach you His ways. Experience the freedom that comes from giving your life to Christ and allowing Him to transform you.

Journal Question:

Define what a teachable spirit means to you.

In what ways have you become wiser reading God’s word?

How would you describe the effect becoming wiser has on your life?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us instructions that make us wiser and help us enjoy life more. Please give us teachable spirits that crave more of Your teachings and show us how to apply them to our lives.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

Simple, according to the Oxford Dictionary, means “easily understood or done, presenting no difficulty.” If you think about walking, we could define it as simple, something we don’t think much about when we do it, easily understood. However, if you watch a toddler learning to walk, you begin to understand the complexity of the walking process. Only with much practice does it become something we do without thinking.

When Solomon tells us to leave our simple ways and walk in the way of insight, he wants us to grow and mature, seeing what lies beneath the surface. Like a toddler taking their first steps, we must move forward into wisdom, leaving our crawling days behind us, learning to walk and eventually run.

Placing our faith in Christ marks the beginning of our journey towards wisdom. As we take steps of faith, applying His commands to our lives, we start walking in the way of insight. Like a toddler, we first pull ourselves up, balancing precariously on our spiritual legs, then become more confident as we take one step after another.

“And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,”

Hebrews 12:1

God has a race marked out for each of us to run. Unfortunately, if we never learn to walk, we can’t make the long strides necessary to run. We must leave our ways behind, submitting our hearts to Jesus, focusing our eyes on Him, and learning from the wisdom He teaches to walk in insight.

Thankfully, we serve a Savior who walks with us, and when necessary, carries us. Like a parent who holds their toddler’s hand as they learn to walk, Christ does the same for us. God never expected us to journey alone; He takes pleasure in accompanying us on the trip, watching us grow and mature, just as parents do with their children.

Journal Question:

What comes to mind when you think of walking in insight?

How has Biblical wisdom helped you learn to walk more confidently in life?

Define what running the race marked out for you means.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for teaching us how to walk in insight by applying Your word to our lives. Please help us continue to refine our steps and become wiser with each passing day. Let us finish our race well.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

Listening to wisdom, the difference between life and favor, and harm and danger according to the Expositor’s Bible Commentary. From those two choices, I can easily decide which one I prefer; however, I often find myself in the wrong category.

For instance, “Read the fine print” refers to carefully reading an agreement before you sign it. We have all heard this piece of advice at one point or another, but how often do you follow it? When a website asks you to accept cookies, do you take the time to read about them, or do you click ‘accept’? The same applies to privacy agreements and a myriad of other “Click Here” boxes that we must navigate through before reaching our internet destination.

Watching “The Paper,” a spinoff from “The Office,” the first episode made me have an unexpected epiphany. One of the characters describes how their online newspaper gets more information from the readers than they report in their articles. As soon as someone clicks “Accept Cookies,” they get information on their browsing history, etc. All because we don’t listen to the wisdom of four words, “Read the fine print.”

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?”

Luke 14:38

Biblical wisdom advises us to count the cost before embarking on a project. In other words, read the fine print before you agree to something so that you will know the commitment involved. How many times have you regretted not getting all the facts before moving forward on a project or idea? We’ve all done it. Listening to wisdom helps us slow down and make better choices.

Live in God’s favor by listening to His instructions. Following the Lord’s commandments helps us avoid trouble and stay on the right path.

Journal Question:

When have you ignored wise advice?

How can you listen better to wisdom?

In what ways has listening helped you live in God’s favor and blessing?

Prayer:

Thank You, Lord, for giving us wisdom in Your word and through Your people to help us avoid pitfalls and experience Your blessings. Please help us listen more and apply Your teaching to our lives, keeping us out of trouble and in Your favor.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

When Solomon became king of Israel after his father, David, God appeared to him in a dream and asked a simple yet complex question:

“Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

1 Kings 3:5b

Solomon didn’t ask for money, wealth, or the death of his enemies; the young king asked for wisdom. Divine knowledge has more value than anything else on Earth. Knowing how to represent God well, loving people for Him, and building strong, healthy relationships only happen when we partner with the Savior. Solomon knew he couldn’t rule his kingdom well without the help of God. By seeking wisdom above jewels, David’s son found favor with the Lord:

“So God said to him, ‘Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have you asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.”

1 Kings 3:11-13

By seeking wisdom above all else, Solomon received the other blessings. Without divine knowledge, the king couldn’t reign over his kingdom, and we can’t rule over ours.

We may not rule a nation, but each of us has a kingdom to watch over. Loving God and others requires a partnership with the Savior and a trust in His wisdom. The more we seek Jesus, the wiser we will become and the more abundantly we will live.

Journal Question:

Why do you think wisdom has more value than jewels?

In what way has divine knowledge enriched your life?

If God asked you what you wanted, how would you reply?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us such powerful stories to teach us about Your ways. Let us seek wisdom above all else, and allow You to do the rest. Help us rule our kingdoms well and honor You in all we do.

IJNIP. Amen