Honest Reflections

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 26:1-51, Luke 2:36-52, Psalm 60:1-12, Proverbs 11:15

Daily Verse: “Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm, but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure.” Prov. 11:15

Discernment brings security.

Making financial pledges with strangers, an unknown person can leave you holding the bag. Watching a recent episode of “Poker Face” on Peacock, the heroine picked up a hitchhiker in the mountains. Throughout the entire episode, her car companion kept stealing her wallet.

Discernment means the ability to judge well. Applying sound judgment to financial decisions means taking emotion from the equation, objectively analyzing the situation, and seeking wise counsel.

As Christ’s followers, God calls us to help those in need. Unfortunately, scammers often portray themselves as needy. In today’s world, they have more ways than ever to scam honest people out of their funds.

Before helping strangers, take time to do the research and gain as much information as possible. Use the tools God gives us to apply discernment in financial decisions.

Lord, forgive us for making pledges without considering the consequences. Please help us apply discernment to all aspects of our lives, making the best decisions with Your assistance. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 24:1-25:18, Luke 2:1-35, Psalm 59:1-17, Proverbs 11:14

Daily Verse: “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” Prov. 11:14

Develop wise counselors.

“Your suggestion to call the doc on call may have saved my life.  Thank you!” Read the text I sent to my friend, who gave me wise counsel when I didn’t know what to do.

Home alone, Ron dealing with another emergency, I didn’t know what to do about my swelling leg.  Having wise counselors in my life whose opinion I trust helped me weather the unexpected storm, leading me to seek the appropriate medical attention, which found and removed the life-threatening blood clot from my body.

Without wise counsel, people fall, but in an abundance of counselors, you will find safety.

Developing a network of trusted friends help you live life to the fullest, make better decisions, and create security in an insecure world. God never intended for us to live life alone; we need connection and community to create stable environments.

Surround yourself with wise counselors. Make better decisions with the help of God’s people.

Lord, forgive us for trying to do everything ourselves.  Please surround us with wise counselors to help us make better decisions and grow closer to You.  Thank You for giving us a community of believers to help us live life to the fullest. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 22:21-23:30, Luke 1:57-80, Psalm 58:1-11, Proverbs 11:12-13

Daily Verse: “Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.” Prov. 11:13

Become trustworthy.

Today’s verse contrasts the difference between a trustworthy person and a gossip.  Don’t tell your tales to someone who can’t wait to spread juicy news.  People who can’t keep a secret give themselves away quickly.  If they share one secret, they will share them all.

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” James 5:16

Becoming a trustworthy person allows people a safe place to confess their sins and begin the path to healing.  Praying for someone’s struggles helps them grow in the Lord and overcome their mountains.

Create a safe environment for the people you love by keeping their secrets.  Give them someone to turn to during the battle.

Keep things covered and give people a safe place to spill their secrets.

Lord, forgive us when we’ve not kept secrets.  Please help us create safe environments for people to discuss their struggles.  In all things, let us honor and serve You well.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 21:1-22:20, Luke 1:26-56, Psalm 57:1-11, Proverbs 11:9-11

Daily Verse: “With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.” Prov. 11:9

Righteousness stops slander.

Fools gossip and spread lies about people, but Christ’s followers stop slander.

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Ephesians 4:29

Jesus never slandered anyone, neighbor or otherwise. Christ lifted people up with His words, showering them with grace and mercy. But those who don’t follow God tear people down, destroying their self-esteem and relationships.

Words matter; when someone begins to gossip around you, stop the talk.   Not only should we build people up with our language, but we shouldn’t allow others to tear people down with theirs. 

Walk away when someone begins the gossip chain. Don’t participate in negative talk about anyone. Use words wisely to enhance and encourage those around you.

Lord, forgive us for gossiping. Please help us choose our words carefully, using them to encourage and uplift those around us. In all things, let us honor and serve You well. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 19:1-20:29, Luke 1:1-25, Psalm 56:1-13, Proverbs 11:8

Daily Verse: “The righteous is delivered from trouble, and the wicked walks into it instead.” Prov. 11:8

God delivers.

When troubles befall us, God guides us through them, but the wicked plunge ahead without care.

Writing from my hospital bed, recovering from a thrombectomy, blood clot removal, miraculous events led me to the life-saving procedure. They started in prayer; I asked the Lord to guide and direct me when lying in pain. Too long to include in a one-minute devotional. He answered the prayer by giving me one step at a time to follow.

Prayer led to action that led to healing. But without God, who knows what would have happened? Throughout my stay, I had the opportunity to talk about my faith with several staff, encouraging them on their journey as they worked to care for me.

People who don’t know God don’t have access to His guidance and walk straight into trouble. Faith in the Lord gives us direction and helps us avoid the pitfalls of life, giving us hope, no matter the circumstances.

Lord, thank You for guiding and directing us through the valleys of life. Let our light shine to all around us as we traverse this life, helping others come to know Your saving grace. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 16:41-18:32, Mark 16:1-20, Psalm 55:1-23, Proverbs 11:7

Daily Verse: “When the wicked dies, his hope will perish, and the expectation of wealth perishes too.” Prov. 11:7

Wicked expectations perish.

Evil plots don’t win, although sometimes it seems like they do. In a world wrought with heartache, people doing and saying horrendous things to each other, the pain appears palpable sometimes.

But the things of this world don’t last. Evil intentions don’t win. Following in Christ gives us the hope of eternal life to come. Worldly wealth doesn’t stop death from coming. And U-Hauls don’t follow anyone into eternity. We leave the earth with what we had at its entrance: nothing.

Christ in us gives us peace on earth. Our treasure waits for us in heaven, not here. No mind can genuinely imagine the afterlife; we all have our interpretations of heaven. Our best day on earth can’t compare to our first day in heaven.

Without Jesus, people don’t have the same hope. One decision turns life around. Trusting and following Christ changes lives, one decision at a time.

Lord, forgive us for missed opportunities to share Christ’s love. Give us Your vision for others, helping us see them as You do. Let us love well today. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 15:17-16:40, Mark 15:1-47, Psalm 54:1-7, Proverbs 11:5-6

Daily Verse: “The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight, but the wicked falls by his own wickedness.” Prov. 11:5

Righteous and wicked.

Solomon contrasts righteousness and wickedness in today’s proverb. Righteous people find straight paths, while the wicked fall because of their exploits.

Following Jesus helps us navigate life’s dilemmas. Solomon’s writing style changes in the coming chapters, becoming more like proverbs: advice on various life topics. Following Solomon’s wisdom will help you live a blameless life with Jesus.

Raised Jewish, Jesus knew Solomon’s proverbs by heart. As you become more familiar with Christ, you can see how He exemplified Solomon’s wisdom in action.

Following Jesus keeps us on the righteous path. Day after day, applying the wisdom found within scripture to our life circumstances, guiding our way—practical advice for practical living.

Whatever dilemma you face in life, scripture has an answer for it.

Lord, forgive us our wicked ways. Guide and direct us on straight paths as we seek You.  Lead us on the way of the righteous as we desire you anew each day. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 14:1-15:16, Mark 14:53-72, Psalm 53:1-6. Proverbs 11:4

Daily Verse: “Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.” Prov. 11:4

Faith brings life.

God looks at our hearts, not our bank accounts. Placing faith in Christ leads to righteousness pleasing to God. Hope comes with Jesus. No longer do we need to fear death. When life on earth ends, eternal life begins without pain and suffering.

Riches rot away on earth; you can’t buy your way into eternity with Jesus. But you can spend your days practicing Godly virtues:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things, there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

Just like anything else in life, we must practice. Pro athletes didn’t wake up one day at the top of their sport; they practiced. Billy Graham didn’t wake up a world-renowned evangelist, he practiced faith daily, and God blessed Billy’s efforts.

Place your faith in Jesus, then become a master of the faith by practicing it daily.

Lord, forgive us for getting caught up in the riches of this world.  Help us practice our faith daily, blessing our efforts and helping us become more like Jesus.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 11:24-13:33, Mark 14:22-52, Psalm 52:1-9, Proverbs 11:1-3

Daily Verse: “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.” Prov. 11:2

Humility brings wisdom.

“Pride is the center of all sin,” said our pastor in a recent message. Ever since he uttered the words, I’ve meditated on their truth. At the heart of sin lies our selfish desires, also known as pride.

“Don’t write a book on pride; no one will buy it,” Joyce Meyers said at her conference. Chuckling at the time, she also speaks the truth. No one wants to look at the pride within themselves nor take responsibility for it.

Addressing our pride issues unveils dark corners in our hearts. Selfishness remains the bedrock of sin; we put our needs before God’s desires and others. Pride makes me angry when someone cuts me off in traffic; humility keeps my heart soft and reminds me that God loves them too.

Ask God to keep your heart soft towards others, alerting you to prideful ways. Admitting our problem leads to fixing it. Pride fuels sin, but humility fuels wisdom. 

God helps us keep a soft heart when we submit our ways to Him.

Lord, forgive us for our pride. Humble us gently and keep our hearts soft towards You and others. Pull the thorns of pride from our hearts and replace them with Your love and grace. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 10:1-11:23, Mark 14:1-21, Psalm 51:1-19, Proverbs 10:31-32

Daily Verse: “The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off.” Prov. 10:31

Righteous speech pleases God.

“But ask God if your speech is honoring Him,” said my therapist.  During my last session, the topic of cursing came up.  Full confession, in heated moments, I’ve spewed unpleasant words.  Hence the conversation on cursing.

And now I hear my therapist’s words echo when the urge to say something adverse tempts me. Most times, I don’t need to ask God; I already know the answer, and my mouth remains closed.

Words contain the power of life and death, having the ability to build up or destroy.  Using fewer words and choosing them well benefits others and ourselves.

And if in doubt, ask God, “Does your speech honor Him?” Adding a filter to your language will change the words you use. With God’s help, we become encouragers, one sentence at a time.

Honor God and others with your speech.  Mom’s advice stands the test of time:  “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything.”

Lord, forgive us for our unpleasant words.  Nudge us through Your Spirit when our language doesn’t honor You.  In all we do, let us represent You well, not only in word but deed.  IJNIP. Amen