September 15 / Proverbs 15 / John 9

banquet-table

Proverbs 15:4

Healing words give life.

Do your words give life to those with whom you speak?

Do your words encourage?

Proverbs 15:22

Plans fail without good advice, but they succeed with the advice of many others.

It’s amazing(ly sad) how many try to succeed on their own great ideas without seeking the wisdom of others. I’ve seen many fail year after year because they do not learn from their own mistake of going at things alone. They do not learn from others because of pride.

Knowing it all, succeeding in nothing.

Wisdom is characterized largely by looking at one’s mistakes and making the necessary corrections. Humility involves being open to listening to correction. Doing this improves one’s ability to properly navigate reality and therefore leads to glory.

Proverbs 15:26

The Lord is pleased with kind words.

Proverbs 15:33

The fear of Yahweh is wise discipline, and humility comes before glory.

Talking with a wise friend yesterday, he painted a great picture of the pile-up at the gate of heaven due to the humility of everyone there saying, “You first. No, you, please. You. No, really, go ahead.”

John 9:39-41

“If you were blind,” replied Jesus, “you wouldn’t be guilty of sin. But now, because you say, ‘We can see,’ your sin remains.”

Jesus seemed to be most condemning of those who thought they knew it all and looked down on others.

These references to “blindness” are interesting. What I take from this is that it is important to come to God empty. It is when we empty ourselves of our own thoughts and false narratives from our family, culture, and religion that we are most open to God and the truth He would like to fill us with.

It is those who come to Him blind that He gives the ability to see. When I come to Him professing to know nothing is when I receive the most from Him.

That which can be most filled is that which is most empty.

This is tough though. We have so much in our heads, so much history. So much potential blockage. It’s like YHWH wants to provide the most perfect of food for our body from His own garden that He created especially for us. But we just stuffed ourselves with so much McDonalds that we can’t even take a bite. We’ve gotta stop eating that pseudo, non-fulfilling food, crap it out, throw it up, maybe get our stomach pumped for some of us, and make room for that which gives true life and health.

The best meal is the one you eat when you’re famished. My best time with Jesus is when I come to Him starving for Him. Like an old friend use to say to me when I wanted a Mountain Dew, or “poison” as he called it, “If water doesn’t sound good to you, then you’re not really thirsty.”

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