Proverbs 30:8-9

Proverbs 29:23

The arrogance of people causes them to fall; but a lowly spirit holds glory tight.

Humility is valuable for the wisdom enterprise because it depends on a teachable spirit. Wisdom is not a natural trait that needs to be preserved in a human. Folly is natural; wisdom must be inculcated. To do so, people need to be open to criticism of their words and behavior. They hear and change. On the other hand, because of pride fools will resist criticism, even mocking those who try to help them in this way. The results are clear. The proud are doomed to repeat their mistakes and end up falling, while the humble will gain glory.

-Tremper Longman III

Proverbs 29:25

Anxiety about people is a trap, but those who trust Yahweh are protected.

Those who trust in YHWH have nothing to fear from any person.

Perfect love casts out fear. 

Don’t fear those who can only kill the body, but Him who can destroy both body and soul in hell.

One who fears God does not fear human beings. Do we really fear God? Or is it a mental concept only?

Sometimes I wonder if, in our Western Christianity, we fear death too much. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Perhaps this is not real to us. Perhaps deep down, we do think that this life is all there is.

In God I trust. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? [Ps.56:11]

Anxiety about people is a trap that even the most religious can fall into, and it is a hard one to get out of.

Luke 16:1-13

The parable of the unfaithful, but clever steward.

The moral of this story seems to be to use our possessions to serve people and further God’s kingdom rather than simply accommodate ourselves and make our lives more and more comfortable.

We are only God’s managers of anything we have.

Proverbs 28:23

Those who correct others will later be liked more than those who give false praise. 

Proverbs 27:2

Don’t praise yourself. Let someone else do it. Let the praise come from a stranger and not your own mouth. [NCV]

Don’t sing your own praises. Let someone else do that for you.

Performing for an audience of One, you won’t feel any need to talk about how awesome you are.

It’s interesting that this proverbs tells us to let a “stranger” praise us. I wonder if its implication is that this is usually true, unbiased praise as opposed to just your mom praising you because she will no matter how awful you are at something, be it basketball, info graphics, or relating to people. Or someone who wants you to be their friend so desperately that they don’t have the cullions to be honest with you when you don’t really deserve praise for something.

Proverbs 27:3

Stone is heavy, and sand is weighty, but a complaining fool is worse than either.

This is so true…a person living foolishly, with no reverential awe for God, who complains about their life is about the most annoying thing in the world. It can really wear you down and be life-stealing.

Luke 14:34-35

Flavorless salt is good neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown away. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand! [NLT]

Unsalty salt is as pointless as a disciple who does not live as a disciple.

Are you affecting others for the kingdom of God in some way, or keeping it all to yourself?

You either live as tho Jesus is Lord of your life, or as tho YOU are lord of your life.

Proverbs 26:13

The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion in the road! Yes, I’m sure there’s a lion out there!”

As laziness grows and grows, so do the excuses. We say the most ridiculous things to get out of hard work…

“I heard some zoo animals escaped and there may be one in my area. Better I stay home and be safe all day than take a chance and go to work.”

Which is about as asinine as, “I don’t have time, really, to spend with God.” HAHAHAHAHA! I mean what else is even close to as important as spending time with the Creator and Sustainer of your very life? We have all the time we could want, we just fill it with fatuity.

In my own modern, culturally sensitive translation of Proverbs 26:13, it would read:

The lazy person postulates, “I have 4 more seasons of this series on Netflix to get thru this week! How can I possibly squeeze God and His work in anywhere?”

Remember, whenever we say we don’t have time for something, what we are really saying is, “I value something else more.”

What do you value more than time with God?

For a while for me, it was going to the gym. That is a good thing, but I have found time spent alone with God is much more enriching. [Not that God is not with me at the gym of course, but it’s a matter of focus and available faculties, mind you]

Luke 13:22-30

The Narrow Door.

What an intense and sobering section of Scripture.

Do you know Jesus, or just know of Him?

Is it a superficial fascination, even admiration, or sincere submission to Him and His ways?

These are some of the most jugular questions of life we can possibly ask ourselves.

Proverbs 25:7c-8

That which your eyes see, don’t be quick to bring out an accusation, lest what will you do in the future, when your neighbor humiliates you?

As Christ followers, we should never be quick to accuse.

I’ve made this mistake so many freakin’ times it makes me sick.

My goal has been to not judge at all, one nanometer, until I have talked face to face with the person to judge. Even then, I’m not suppose to judge per se, but can make a wise choice or discernment if needed.

I’ve thought for a while how our media culture breeds us to be judgmental of people we don’t know, or who we have never met. It ranges from the ridiculous of how bad someone looks on the beach to “look who got caught drinking and driving.”

I’m trying to coach our daughters against this fruitless endeavor-making judgments upon people we’ve never met. What is the point? What good comes of it? I guess we can use examples of what not to do whenever we witness a life gone awry, a life lived against God’s principles. But we don’t need to condemn anybody to do that do we? There’s no possible way we can know the billions of factors that have contributed to the person’s present moment right in front of us now.  We can love someone while at the same time coach our children to not make their same bad choices, to learn from others’ mistakes whenever you can.

May we be characterized as people who do not accuse, judge, or condemn, but who love, hope, forgive, and give the benefit of the doubt. Isn’t that much more powerful than the world’s alternative? Does love not cover a multitude of sins???

Luke 12:21

Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.

A rich relationship with God.

You have nothing better to spend your time and energy on.

Proverbs 24:10

It is through the hard things in life in which we grow.

It is how we grow.

It just is.

“Do Hard Things” one book title tells us.

Avoiding hard things is avoiding growth into a more mature person.

“Accept the universe” as some have put it.

When you hide from the hard things, you are not strengthened, but rather linger in a state of perpetual weakness. Stopping a few reps short in the weight room “because it hurrrrts” (say in a whiny voice) gets you nowhere near beast mode strength.

It is the pushing through the pain, it is those extra few reps, that actually do the work required for growth.

Luke 11:36

The pure in heart, truly seeking God will be illumined by His light. I believe you can even be seeking in the wrong place, but if you are sincerely seeking truth, seeking the mystery that is God with a completely open heart, He will reveal Himself to you.

Be single-mindedly focused.

Allow His light into every part of your life.

Don’t withhold any parts to be kept in darkness. There is freedom in the whole self being exposed to the light.

Proverbs 23:9

Don’t speak in the ears of fools; they will only ignore your wise words.

The wisest words will just bounce off the ears of fools, and many times will even bring on their hostility. Foolish people are set against wisdom, especially if that wisdom involves any kind of critique against their behavior.

At the same time, I believe we have a duty to present truth in love and in a way in which we have prayed and thought will influence the person in an authentic way. Yet in this, we do not put pressure on ourselves, but trust the Holy Spirit, not taking ourselves too seriously. If a person is closed off to truth, I’m not sure there is a way we can present it in which they will listen to it.

Remember Paul’s words that they did not present the gospel in eloquence and wise words, but in the power of the Holy Spirit. For me, how I present is more a check against myself to see if I am giving God’s truth in love or not. But the Holy Spirit can and will use whatever however whenever.

Proverbs 23:20-21

Don’t drink too much.

Don’t eat too much.

Don’t be crapulous!

Those who drink and eat too much become poor. It promotes a lethargy in you that will war against any productivity. It clouds your thinking warring against remaining sharp.

Jesus showed us so well to obey God, not your physical desires.

Luke 10:25-37

“Teacher, what must I do to get eternal life?”

Love God with every fiber of your being.

Love people in the manner of the parable of the good Samaritan, which I take as “Do whatever good you can to the person who is right in front of you.”

Do that and you will live.

If we truly loved God and the people He made, we would automatically obey every commandment in the Bible.

Do everything you agree to, and bring no harm upon anyone.

Proverbs 22:11

Those who love a pure heart–their words are gracious; the king is their friend.

It all begins with a pure heart. If one’s core personality is not oriented in the proper way, then the rest will not follow. But those who do have a pure heart will speak gracious words, because words are the reflection of the heart. The result is positive. Such people have the king as a friend, and it is always good to have friends in high places.

-Tremper Longman III

Luke 9:18,28

Jesus was praying alone.

Jesus went up a mountain to pray.

Jesus took special time to pray. To do nothing but pray. Which is to commune with our Father in conversational interaction.

We should pray–> a LOT.

“Without ceasing,” someone once wrote.

It is good to set aside time to pray alone and in the quiet. To simply converse with God in a focused manner. This is so richly life-giving, and I believe many Christians miss out on the soul-blessing that this simple, centuries-proven practice provides. We are losing the ability as a society to focus in on one thing at a time. Yet even science tells us that our brains thrive and are in a state of optimal rest only when we are singularly focused.

Perhaps you don’t know what you’re missing. I can’t think of a time I walked away from focused prayer without peace, without the weight of the world lifted from my shoulders, taken by the only One who is capable of handling such a burden.

It is good to pray throughout the day and on the go, don’t get me wrong, but is that enough, really? Is that enough to experience the deep connection we were all made for?

Is it enough for your spouse or closest friend to only talk in passing while doing something else at the same time?

Luke 9:35

“This is my Son, my chosen One: listen to Him.”

If anyone could ever say, “I’m kind of a big deal” it was Jesus of Nazareth.

Everything Jesus said was absolute truth, whether we like it or not. He is who YHWH chose to reveal Himself thru in human form. Jesus showed us in the form of a human being what our Creator is like. Get to know Jesus, you get to know God, because He and the Father are one.

You will do yourself a huge blessing to form new habits of thought>>

To think of Jesus at least one second out of every minute of the day, or something similar. Just the attempt is a blessing…

Proverbs 21:12