Fear will wrap up your eyes, not allowing you to see clearly. You will be looking, but not seeing…seeing but not perceiving correctly. By turning a blind eye to atrocities…you are silently condoning the actions… and panicking against becoming involved. Fear will wrap up your eyes, making you blind to the truth.
Tag: proverbs
Proverbs 14:10 ” Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy.”
We are so good at hiding and deflecting those inner emotions. We secretly will judge harshly, dwell on mean, angry thoughts, and think up sharp biting comments that we would never utter out loud. Only our heart knows the pain inside. Only our inner self understands the path we’ve trudged through… and only the Lord really knows us.
Proverbs 11:12 ” A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbors, but a man of understanding holds his tongue.”
Who is my neighbor? Is it the family living next to us…or the couple down the street…or the lady working with me everyday? It really doesn’t matter to the Lord who exactly I think my neighbor is…what matters to Him is how I treat them. God wants me to be kind to those I have contact with daily – not ridiculing and mocking – but displaying wisdom and discretion.
Proverbs 13: 21 ” Misfortune pursues the sinner, but prosperity is the reward of the righteous.”
Good luck – bad luck…the world looks at it like we have no control over what we get. But many times it’s the foolish and reckless decisions we make prior that decide that final outcome. Luck has nothing to do with it when it comes to living a Godly life full of wisdom, prudence, and self-control.
Proverbs 29:23 ” A man’s pride brings him low…”
The other day I saw a poster with this on it…” If God has shut the door, why do we keep banging on it?” I pondered this for quite a while, knowing I’ve been guilty many times. We know that we know the Lord has slammed shut a door, but our foolish pride refuses to listen or realize that God knows best.
Instead we’ll stand pathetically at the door, hammering away, insisting the Lord was wrong. Pride deludes us into thinking we have more wisdom than God. When a door gets shut, we need to be thankful and at peace, knowing He wants only the very best for us.
Proverbs 27: 9 ” Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one’s friend springs from his earnest counsel.”
As you go through life, you’ll probably only have a few…they are rare finds and more precious as time goes by…they’re those special friends that you can always depend on. A close friend you can bounce ideas off, confess your failings, and ask stupid questions…all knowing that you will receive thoughtful, sincere, and wise advise. Such friends are few, and worth much.
Proverbs 10:24 ” What the wicked dreads will overtake him; what the righteous desire will be granted.”
God’s favor is on the righteous, but the wicked are continually fearful of what may befall them…for deep inside, they know what they do is wrong. The requests of the righteous are fulfilled…the anguish of the wicked is also paid back.
Proverbs 15: 3 ” The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.”
As Job lamented in Chapter 10, verse 4, “We see as only a mortal can see.” We shudder when we see horrific acts of violence played out across the world by evil people…We wonder out-loud how God can be turning a blind eye to all these atrocities. But God is not apathetically watching from afar as the wicked spread calamity and pain…rather, God is executing His judgment on all – the wicked and the good. And all will be called into account.
Proverbs 15: 33 ” The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor.”
Being part of the Lord’s boot camp teaches you discipline and discernment. But with new-found wisdom comes the tendency for us to be very impressed…with ourselves! God won’t use someone who’s arrogant and prideful. He wants rather a person whose contrite, modest, and humble…a person fully aware of where their wisdom comes from, and just Who is working through them. It’s then that God will esteem them before men.
Proverbs 15:1 ” A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
The moment after angry words have been lobbed our way, we have two choices to make…either return fire with a mean and unkind volley of words ourselves, or take on the attitude of a servant and defuse the situation with kindness instead. The first choice is so easy to do and more of a knee-jerk reaction to hostility. While the second is much harder, and requires us to stay in control of both our emotions and tongue.
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