Category Archives: Proverbs

If you plan to do evil, you will be lost; if you plan to do good, you will receive unfailing love and faithfulness.

Proverbs 14:22

Dear God, usually we think of this verse as being about our outward focused plans. Do I do good or evil in my community? Family? Work? But I think it is more aptly applied to our internal lives. Do I practice good and wise self care?

As I’m traveling right now, I am faced with a myriad of decisions all of the time. How will I eat? What will I watch on TV when I’m by myself? What will I read on my phone? Will I pray to you and spend time in Scripture while I’m here?

I talked about this idea of self care a couple of days ago. I’ve had trips in my life when I didn’t “plan to do good.” I’ve had times when I’m at home when I planned to do evil. My dad refers to it in battling addiction as healing his imagination. He would imagine himself enjoying his addiction to alcohol 40 years ago, and then he would follow through on that “plan.” But when he broke free and developed a new plan under your healing power, grace, and hope, he planned to do good and the path he has walked has been much more constructive and brought him life he didn’t know before.

Father, help me to embrace good self care. Give me your strength to me mindful of everything I consume and that I plan to do. Help me to be purposeful about not only my inward life, but about the choices I make as to how to enter and interact with the world around me.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.

Proverbs 17:9

Dear God, this wisdom is obvious, but so true. And we forget it so easily. I see it in my family, at work, on Facebook, in politics…

Thankfully, I don’t see it in you. When you forgive me you separate my sins from me as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). And that’s Old Testament—before Jesus death and resurrection. You figured out a way to make that Old Testament sacrifice permanent through Jesus and now the love we have for each other “prospers” because forgiveness is a key ingredient.

Father, be glorified in my life. Model forgiveness through me. Reveal to me the people whom I have not forgiven. Teach me to love like you love. And help me to be your ambassador of this area and model it to others.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

Proverbs 19:21 You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.

Dear God, ain’t this truth? It’s foolish not to make plans, but holding them loosely is a very good idea because I have no idea what you are planning. 

I think one of the big things that we forget to factor in is that we never plan for negative things to happen, but you sometimes need to allow negative things for either our good or the good of someone else. For example, I would never have wanted the miscarriage that we experienced (and I still don’t know what all was involved in why you allowed that), but the pain of that event changed my wife and me forever. It made us more humble and grateful parents when our children were born. It made us more sensitive and loving when we hear of others who experience the same thing. You redeemed the pain and made us better people. 

Father, help me to hold my plans loosely. I certainly have all kinds of things that I hope and wish for, but I also know enough to know that I do not know the plans you have for me, my family, my community, and my world. I guess my real prayer is that you simply use me and help me to not let my own plans get in the way of your plans. 

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen 

Proverbs 27:1 Don’t brag about tomorrow, since you don’t know what the day will bring.

Dear God, I think this is a word of wisdom that comes with age. It comes with the experience of thinking, Oh, nothing can possibly go wrong, and then having it all go terribly wrong. It is the businessman who feels bulletproof with enough cash in the bank one day and his is fighting off bankruptcy the next because of a crash in the market. It is the parent who is bragging on their children one day and then terrified for their lives the next. It is the person planning their retirement one day and then fighting terminal cancer the next. 

So I guess the real lesson is that we need to be better about appreciating the moment we are in while always preparing our lamps to have enough oil while we await the bridegroom. We need to be vigilant. Even now, I am on an extravagant vacation, but there is a part of it that is unsettling to me because 1.) I don’t normally live this way and 2.) I know there is a lot of suffering going on in the world and it feels weird to completely detach myself from it and indulge myself. 

Father, I have moved beyond judging good fortune or bad fortune in relation to your favor with me. I know that they work quite independently from each other. So help me to just be the person today that you need me to be. Love others through me. Teach me through others. Use my life to make the world a better place.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen