Honest Reflections

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Judges 21:1-Ruth 1:22, John 4:4-42, Psalm 105:1-15, Proverbs 14:25

Daily Verse: “A truthful witness saves lives, but one who breathes out lies is deceitful.” Prov. 14:25

Honest answers save.

As a fan of crime shows, the story’s climax happens when someone decides to come forward with the truth, saving the day. False witnesses put innocent people in jail, but truth-tellers save them.

Telling the truth sets people free. However, people who don’t want the facts revealed will do their best to hide them. And sadly, in today’s world, people will ignore the truth, believing lies instead.

“For this purpose, I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Johne 18:37

People didn’t like Jesus’ truth when He walked the earth, and some don’t like it today. Christ exposed religious leaders and politicians alike, none thrilled with His teachings. But when we pursue the Lord, we find freedom from lies.

Humans lie, but following Jesus helps us discover the truth about ourselves and others. One thing remains the same, everyone sins and needs forgiveness. Christ gives us freedom when we lay our sins on the cross and accept His gift.

Lord, forgive us for telling and believing lies. As we follow You, help us find and focus on the truth. Let us become more like Jesus as we mimic Him in words and actions. We ask for Your blessing and favor on our lives as we move through our days. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Judges 19:1-20:48, John 3:22-4:3, Psalm 104:24-35, Proverbs 14:22-23

Daily Verse: “In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.” Prov. 14:23

Diligence profits.

People who work hard receive rewards for their labor. But idle talk doesn’t make money. Lots of people chat about doing something but never do it. Those who put their words into action find reward.

Hard work does more than earn a day’s wages; it gives people a sense of accomplishment, builds self-esteem and confidence, and pleases the Lord. Empty words do the exact opposite and lead to poverty. God designed us to work; He put us on earth to fulfill a divine purpose no one else can do.

In the parable of the talents, Jesus told us what God will say to those who worked hard for the Lord:

‘His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ Matthew 25:23

God takes pleasure when we work hard for Him.  Not only do empty words bring poverty, but they displease the Lord. We bless God with the work of our hands.

Lord, forgive us our empty words.  Bless the work of our hands as we set about our business today.  Help us fulfill our divine purpose as we pursue You.  Lead us step by step, giving us divine insight into our purpose.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Judges 17:1-18:31, John 3:1-21, Psalm 104:1-24, Proverbs 14:20-21

Daily Verse: “The poor is disliked even by his neighbor, but the rich has many friends.” Prov. 14:20

Don’t Let Possessions Determine Popularity

Excited to meet their new pastor, the congregation shuffled past a homeless man sitting on the steps. In disheveled clothes, disguised well, no one paid attention to him. As the well-dressed attendees noticed him, they passed by him, not saying a word, no one offering help.

When the service began, the elders (in on the plan) introduced the new pastor. The homeless man stood from his seat in the back of the sanctuary, walked to the pulpit, and recited Matthew 25:31-40.

“The king will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40

Sharing what he experienced that morning with the congregation, many cried, bowing their heads in shame. After challenging them to become more like Jesus, he dismissed the service until the following week. (Read the full story here.)

Don’t let possessions determine who gets your attention. Love like Jesus, whomever God puts before you, rich or poor.

Lord, forgive us for letting possessions determine who gets our attention. As we move through our days, help us notice everyone You place before us. Help us love like Jesus, no matter a person’s wealth. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Judges 15:1-16:31 John 2:1-25 Psalm 103:1-22 Proverbs 14:17-19

Daily Verse: “A man of quick temper acts foolishly, and a man of evil devices is hated.” Prov. 14:17

Distasteful character traits.

Quick tempers and conniving plans will lose friendships. As a person who struggled with anger issues, I can vouch for the truth of today’s verse. Older and wiser now, I’ve learned ways to control my temper, but in my younger days, my explosive outbreaks wreaked havoc.

Learning to walk away from an inciting situation, take deep breaths, and let reason replace anger helps me no longer make the same mistakes. Unfortunately, repairing the damage done with a quick temper takes time and effort. And sadly, some people don’t want to restore the relationship, unable to forgive or forget.

In the same way, if you become known for your manipulations, people won’t trust you. Untrustworthy people can’t have healthy relationships. Both character traits destroy friendships, sometimes irreparably.

Develop a strong character by following Jesus. Don’t let emotions rule your reactions; allow common sense to lead the way. When you stop the anger and manipulations, your relationships will grow like never before.

Lord, forgive us for our quick tempers and manipulations. Help us honor You with our actions as we control our emotions and pursue honest, life-giving relationships. Let us become more like Jesus as we follow Him.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Judges 13:1-14:20, John 1:29-51, Psalm 102:1-28, Proverbs 14:15-16

Daily Verse: “The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps.” Prov. 14:15

Opposite of discernment.

Gullible people believe everything they hear.  And usually, they only hear what they want to hear.  Learning to listen well takes effort, intention, and the ability to discriminate critically.  In other words, apply discernment to people’s comments.

Today’s verse contrasts gullible people and prudent ones.  Unsuspecting people believe whatever someone tells them, but discerning people realize you can’t believe everything. 

For instance, when a salesperson tells me their product’s features, I know he has an ulterior motive.  Ultimately, he wants to sell me something and will say anything to get me to buy his stuff. Discernment means I do my research and believe only some of what the salesman says.

Selfish people have selfish motives, and everyone battles selfishness.  Looking for the motivation behind someone’s words will help you discover the truth and not fall prey to their ploys.

Looking for people’s intentions will help you avoid falling into their trap.

Lord, forgive us our gullibility.  Help us develop discernment and look behind people’s words for the truth.  Let us speak words of integrity, not try to manipulate people with our words.  Help us honor You with our words in all situations. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Judges 11:1-12:15, John 1:1-28, Psalm 101:1-8, Proverbs 14:13-14

Daily Verse: “Even in laughter the heart may ache, and the end of joy may be grief.” Prov. 14:13

Mixed emotions.

Joy and grief comingle together; you can’t have one without the other. As my friend Sharyn often says, “You wouldn’t know a good day if you didn’t have a bad day.”

Life comes with mixed emotions. A friend recently lost their beloved dog, bringing grief. When he posted the pictures of all the joy River brought to them during his time on earth, I couldn’t help but smile at all the shenanigans. Joy and grief mixed.

Often at funerals, people laugh at shared memories of their loved ones. 

“Grief is the last act of love we have to give to those we love. Where there is deep grief, there was great love.” Anonymous

At any given moment in time, people feel more than one emotion. Following Jesus and applying His principles to our lives helps us learn to accept and deal with the hills and valleys of life.

Christ helps us discover the peace that surpasses all understanding, regardless of the circumstances.

Lord, thank You for introducing us to love. As we move through our days, help us deal with the mixed emotions of caring for others. Let us live in the moment, enjoying the good times, persevering through the bad times, and in all things, staying centered on You.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Judges 9:22-10:18, Luke 24:13-53, Psalm 100:1-5, Proverbs 14:11-12

Daily Verse: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” Prov. 14:12

Proceed with caution.

No one makes decisions thinking they will lead to disaster. The alcoholic wouldn’t take the first sip if he knew it would lead to his demise. Nor would I have swiped my first credit card charge if I knew it would lead to a mountain of debt that took me years to pay off.

Lord knows we all make choices we think will turn out one way, and they lead us to places we never wanted to go. Having trusted counselors in our lives help us make life-giving decisions instead of leading us on the path to destruction.

In my life, my husband and close friends help me make good choices. I’ve learned from past mistakes; it doesn’t go well when I forge ahead without consulting anyone about my decision. But having people who will look at the situation objectively and tell me the truth about the direction my decisions will take me helps me make better choices.

Seek wise counsel when making important decisions. Trust those who love you to tell you the truth and help guide you on the path of righteousness.

Lord, forgive us for our poor choices. Help us make better decisions as we surround ourselves with wise people who will help us see the path ahead. Steer us from destructive choices. Help us live our lives to the fullest with You. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Judges 8:18-9:21, Luke 23:44-24:12, Psalm 99:1-9, Proverbs 14:9-10

Daily Verse: “The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares its joy.” Prov. 14:10

Personal emotions.

No one can truly understand the depths of someone’s sorrow or joy. Never having children, I don’t know the wonder of having a life grow within my body, then experiencing the pain of childbirth and the awe of holding a new life in my arms. As much as I try to understand those feelings, I never truly will.

In the same way, from February 2014 through October 2015, I lost five people, all close, intimate relationships whom God called home. The grief compounded with each loss, challenging my faith and growing me closer to the Lord as I sought His comfort. No one could understand my grief, just like I can’t completely understand someone else.

Today’s proverb warns us against forced empathy. Instead of acting like we understand someone else’s pain, we admit we can’t. Ask them how you can help them through their pain or how you can celebrate their joys with them. Even though we can’t entirely share in the emotion, we can walk with them through it, loving them to the best of our ability.

Allowing people to experience emotions individually will enable us to come alongside them, praying for and supporting them on the journey.

Lord, forgive us for thinking we understand others’ feelings when we don’t. Help us to support people, whatever the circumstances, grieving with those who grieve, rejoicing with those rejoicing. Let us become more like Christ as we strive to obey and follow You.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Judges 7:1-8:17, Luke 23:13-43, Psalm 97:1-98:9, Proverbs 14:7-8

Daily Verse: “Leave the presence of a fool, for there you do not meet words of knowledge.” Prov. 14:7

Unprofitable associations.

Not every relationship benefits us. People unwilling to learn and grow, not accepting responsibility for their actions, cause harm to those around them. As much as we may love them, we must protect ourselves from their escapades, or we will fall into the pit with them.

Years ago, an unsuspecting friend dragged Ron and me into their scheme. We took their words at face value, thinking them trustworthy. Hindsight tells me I should have known better, having experienced other incidences of foolishness because of them. But I trusted, hoping for a different outcome, sorely disappointed when fooled again.

Finally, we learned our lesson and distanced ourselves from the relationship, knowing that we couldn’t trust their schemes unless this person made different choices. In the years since the poor decisions continue to pile up, but we no longer experience the adverse outcomes, loving and praying for them from a distance. Accepting the truth about people and our lack of control over their choices challenges anyone. But God gives us free will to live our lives however we want. We don’t have to let their decisions affect our lives.

Lord, forgive us for our foolish ways. Help us discern which path we should take and whom we should trust. Lead us on our journey, helping us to make wise decisions and develop healthy relationships. Let us become more like Jesus with each that passes. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Judges 6:1-40, Luke 22:54-23:12, Psalm 95:1-96:13, Proverbs 14:5-6

Daily Verse: “A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies.” Prov. 14:5

Discover truth.

Point of view varies in life. Depending on how people perceive and interpret the world around them determines what they consider the truth. And for some people, the narratives they tell themselves don’t come near the reality of the situation.

For years, I took responsibility for things that went wrong in relationships. But, when conflict occurs between two people, both share the blame. And every issue has three points of view, theirs, ours, and the truth.

Recently, I miscommunicated with a store associate who didn’t clearly define the terms of the service I received. Walking away from the situation, I felt guilty, owning all the blame. But the associate made assumptions about my knowledge, and I didn’t ask enough questions. Truth showed areas we both needed to learn and grow.

Following Jesus helps us discover the truth about ourselves and others. Understanding God’s unconditional love for us and accepting our sinful nature allows us to take responsibility for our actions and allow others to own theirs; by doing so, we will discover the truth.

Lord, forgive us for believing lies about ourselves and others. Help us see and hear the truth in all situations. Remove the blinders from us and give us clear vision. In all things, let us discover the truth as we follow Jesus wholeheartedly. IJNIP. Amen