Honest Reflections

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Ezekiel 1:1-3:15, Hebrews 3:1-19, Psalm 104:1-23, Proverbs 26:24-26

Daily Verse: “Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart;” Prov. 26:24

Charming words.

Slick talkers hide their emotions well. Watch a soap opera, and you will witness people concealing their hatred with flattering speech. Manipulators know how to use words to their advantage and easily deceive those they dislike into thinking they care.

Unfortunately, I have fallen for pretty words more times than I’d like to admit. People recognizing my naivete used it to their advantage, both men and women. Believing their manipulative words cost me much heartache and taught me lessons I’ve never forgotten.

When someone takes advantage of you with their words, learn the lesson and keep going. Don’t let them pull you down. One day, liars will stand before the Lord and answer for the lies they spread.

God exposes the truth. People who deceive with their lips will fall. Jesus came to give us life in abundance; the devil will do anything to keep us down. In Christ, we find victory and truth. Stick close to Christ, and He protects you from those who would deceive you.

Lord, protect us from those who would do us harm. Please help us identify lies when people tell them. Let us recognize the nudges from the Holy Spirit and not fall for false flattery and manipulative words. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Lamentations 4:1-5:22, Hebrews 2:1-18, Psalm 103:1-22, Proverbs 26:23

Daily Verse: “Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel are fervent lips with an evil heart.” Prov. 26:23

Hypocritical speech.

Covering a clay jar with beautiful glaze makes it look dazzling, but underneath, it remains clay. In the same way, saying the right things makes one look good to others but covers an evil heart.

Elizabeth Holmes, founder and CEO of Theranos, became a billionaire defrauding investors. Dropping out of Stanford during her sophomore year of college, she convinced wealthy friends to invest in her company, centered on developing a better and faster way to collect and test blood in the field. Now serving an eleven-year sentence in prison, having lost the company and money, you can watch Holmes’s story in the Hulu docuseries, “Drop Out.”

Holmes mastered the art of glazing a clay jar with her words. Young and ambitious, she did and said the right things to get what she wanted while knowing the product didn’t work. Smooth words covered an evil heart, and wise people fell for her ploys.

Following Jesus will help us find the path of truth. If the Holy Spirit nudges you when someone tells you something, take the time to find out why. Ask God for direction, and He will provide it.

Lord, forgive us for hypocritical speech. As we move through our days, let us become sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s direction, following the nudges and not falling for deceptive words. Protect us from those who would do us harm. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Lamentations 3:1-66, Hebrews 1:1-14, Psalm 102:1-28, Proverbs 26:21-22

Daily Verse: “The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.” Prov. 26:22

Delicious morsels.

When we hear a juicy gossip, it can take root within us and begin a flame that turns into a quarrel. Wise people know to look at the intent behind the words and not take everything at face value. People gossiping usually do it with malicious intent and because someone else’s misery makes them feel better about themselves.

Sharing prayer requests about someone differs from gossiping. Praying for someone, especially when they can’t pray for themselves, helps them out of the valley. Gossiping drives them further down into the pit.

Become an advocate for others by stopping gossip in its tracks. One of the most sinuous forms of deceit, malicious talk spreads like wildfire, destroying lives and sometimes causing irreparable damage. Throw water on the flames by not engaging, confronting the gossiper, and stopping the quarrel.

Let the Lord’s light shine through you with your actions and words. Encourage and uplift people instead of tearing them down.

Lord, forgive us for taking part in gossip. Please give us the wisdom and discernment to recognize and stop malicious talk. Let our lights shine brightly for You with our words and actions. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Lamentations 1:1-2:22, Philemon 1:1-25, Psalm 101:1-8, Proverbs 26:20

Daily Verse: “For lack of wood, the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.” Prov. 26:20

Restrict gossip.

As a nature girl, I love campfires. When we spent two weeks in the Shenandoah Valley this summer, I woke early every morning and started a fire. Sitting beside the blaze, reading my Bible, and writing devotionals highlighted the trip for me. I burned a bundle of wood each morning, and when the last log became ashes, the fire died. In the same way, quarreling dies down when we stop talking about gossip.

Don’t engage in the conversation the next time you stand beside the office water cooler and someone begins gossiping about a co-worker. When moms start talking about another mother, change the conversation. And when the next prayer meeting becomes a dish session, start praying.

Ending gossip prevents quarreling and unnecessary pain. No one wants people talking about them. If we want to treat others as ourselves, we won’t chat about them behind their backs. If you can’t say the words to someone, don’t say it about them.

Stop gossip and prevent quarreling.

Lord, forgive us for adding fuel to the fire. Next time the temptation to gossip faces us, help us walk away. Protect us from our human nature to engage in malicious speech. Help us become known for our integrity, not our gossip. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Jeremiah 51:54-52:34,Titus 3:1-15, Psalm 100:1-5, Proverbs 26:18-19

Daily Verse: “Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I am only joking!” Prov. 26:18-19

Deceptive speech.

Joking with someone has dangerous aspects. Done with mean intentions, deceiving someone out of jest can cause serious harm. Irresponsible words hurt people, although the jokester thinks it fun. God’s not against joking, but know your audience.

One night out with the girls, I shared a personal revelation about myself. As a child, I misinterpreted some of the things said to me and thought myself worthless. In other words, no one cared about what I had to say. Immediately after sharing, a friend joked, “And we don’t want to hear it now,” then started laughing.

She hurt me deeply. Sharing with the group took courage; her words reinforced the lie, causing me to stumble. Quickly, I realized deep conversations made her uncomfortable and let it go. But the moment stung.

Words carry so much weight; they change worlds. Uplifting and encouraging words cause people to blossom. Deceptive and mean words cause people to wither. Choose your words wisely and bring life to others.

Lord, forgive us our ill-spoken words that hurt others. Please help us use life-giving language all the time. Let our words build others up, not tear them down. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Jeremiah 51:1-53, Titus 2:1-15, Psalm 99:1-9, Proverbs 26:17

Daily Verse: “Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.” Prov. 26:17

Unwanted interference.

Meddling in someone else’s quarrel will get you bitten. Solomon uses the analogy of grabbing a dog’s ears. Not talking about Benji or Lassie, the most beloved dog stars of their day, Solomon’s referring to stray dogs like wild jackals.

During my brief time in El Salvador, one of my vivid memories contains dogs. Walking through the streets and working at the center, neglected, starved dogs lay everywhere. Sad eyes looked up at you in the broiling heat as they lay barely alive. The mistreatment of animals hurt my heart and left a lasting impression. But I knew not to mess with them.

If I had grabbed a dog by the ears, I probably would have contracted rabies from the bite. In the same way, getting into someone else’s business will get you hurt. Knowing when to engage and when to remain silent brings you peace.

Don’t get into other people’s business if they don’t ask for your help. Give others the respect to fight their battles as they wish.

Lord, thank You for these words of wisdom meant to protect us from unnecessary harm. Please help us know when to engage and when to stay quiet. Please give us the wisdom and discernment to see the difference. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Jeremiah 49:23-50:46, Titus 1:1-16, Psalm 97:1-98:9, Proverbs 26:13-16

Daily Verse: “The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly.” Prov. 26:16

Book of Sluggards.

Proverbs 26:13-16, referred to as the Book of Sluggards, exemplifies how lazy people use absurd excuses to get out of work. Lacking self-awareness, lazy people don’t consider themselves lazy, calling themselves realists, not shirkers.

Lazy people can find an excuse for anything. They consider their opinion superior and so don’t listen to sensible advice. Morning doesn’t work for sluggards because they dislike getting up. If lazy people don’t do anything, they won’t get hustled.

Like the parable of talents (Matthew 25:14-30), when the master leaves money to each trusted servant, the lazy servant does nothing. As a result, the man who made the most money for his master also got the sluggard’s talent.

People who want to do something will find a way; sluggards find an excuse—forcing someone to do something they don’t want to do wastes your time. Lazy people will reap what they sew, just like the hard-working person.

Lord, forgive our laziness. Motivate us to work hard and serve You well. Give us the tools we need to accomplish the tasks You give us. Don’t let us miss anything You have for us. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Jeremiah 48:1-49:22, 2 Timothy 4:1-22, Psalm 95:1-96:13, Proverbs 26:9-12

Daily Verse: “Like a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of fools.” Prov. 26:9

Painful words.

Fools misapply proverbs because they don’t possess the intelligence or spiritual maturity to handle it. The author compares fools’ stupidity to a drunkard with a thorn in his hand. Because he can’t control his movements and actions, the drunk hurts himself like a fool with a proverb.

Slapstick comedy does an excellent job of portraying fools. The Three Stooges, Larry, Curly, and Mo, constantly found themselves in foolish situations. Don Knotts, also known as Barney Fife in the highly acclaimed Andy Griffith Show, had irrational tendencies. And Tim Conway, a fan favorite on the Carol Burnette show, played fools well.

One of my favorite scenes involved Tim Conway playing a dentist. Trying to give anesthesia to his patient, he kept poking himself instead of the person in the chair. Eventually, he numbed his entire upper body without once injecting the patient.

Fools can’t handle wisdom and do not portray it in their actions. They may speak a proverb, but that doesn’t mean they understand it.

Lord, thank You for giving us the wisdom to apply to our lives. Forgive us for acting foolishly. Help us continue to learn from You as we use Your proverbs. In all things, let us honor and glorify You.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Jeremiah 44:24-47:7., 2 Timothy 2:22-3:17, Psalm 94:1-23, Proverbs 26:6-8

Daily Verse: “Like one who binds the stone in the sling is one who gives honor to a fool.” Prov. 26:8

Inappropriate honor.

Glorifying foolish actions has no benefit. Unable to understand or comprehend the accolades, a fool honored causes more harm than good. Like tying a stone in a sling, it does no use and helps no one.

People who accept honor understand the work and privilege that comes with the reward. Watching professional athletes receive the trophy at the end of a tournament exemplifies the difference. Wise athletes humbly accept their awards, congratulating their opponents and thanking their team for the support that helped them win.

Foolish athletes do the opposite. They take all the credit themselves, disrespecting their opponents and alienating their teams. Ego leads the way, and they can’t see past their selfishness. Fools remain fools, but wise people continue to grow.

Honoring fools doesn’t accomplish the goal. Fools remain fools no matter what the situation. Unteachable, they cannot learn and grow. Glorifying the simple does no good and only wastes your efforts.

Lord, please give us the wisdom and discernment to honor those who deserve the accolades. Don’t let us encourage foolishness by honoring those who can’t handle the reward. Let us use our time wisely serving You. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Jeremiah 42:1-44:23, 2 Timothy 2:1-21, Psalm 92:1-93, Proverbs 26:3-5

Daily Verse: “Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself.” Prov. 26:4

Engage wisely.

Immediately following today’s verse comes a contradiction:

“Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.” Prov. 25:5.

Picking your battles means knowing when to say something and when to stay quiet. When teaching a tennis lesson, I have students who refuse to listen because they think they have the game and their technique figured out. Fools don’t take instruction, and I’ve learned not to waste my breath in these situations.

However, I engage when a student gets too big for his bridges because of folly. Fools think they can’t lose. Putting them against a player that easily defeats them humbles the fool. Answering with words does no good, but responding with action does.

Know when to engage and when to stay quiet. Arguing with fools draws you down to their level. However, sometimes, you must engage with fools to keep them from thinking too highly of themselves. Seeking God’s counsel will help you know the difference.

Lord, forgive us for not seeking Your guidance when engaging with fools. Please help us know when to say something and when to stay silent. Please give us the discernment we need to deal with the fools in our lives. IJNIP. Amen