The One Year Wisdom for Women Devotional: 365 Devotions through the Proverbs (72 page)

September 30

Moved with Compassion!

     
Rescue those being led away to death;

          
hold back those staggering toward slaughter.

     
If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,”

          
does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?

     
Does not he who guards your life know it?

          
Will he not repay each person according to what he [or she] has done?

This proverb shatters the concept that the best way to live is to not get involved, just mind our own business. When God asked Cain, “Where is your brother,” Cain answered, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (see Genesis 4:9). The answer to that is, he should have been.

The whole message of Jesus’ life is that he did get involved. “When He saw the [people in the marketplace], He was moved with compassion for them, because [he saw that] they were weary and scattered like sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 9:36,
NKJV
). So the question is, do I? Do you? First John 4:17 tells us “as He is, so are we in this world” (
NKJV
). We are called to be his arms to hug the lonely, his hands to lift and help the fallen or weak. We are to be his shoulder to cry on when others need comfort. Sometimes we feel like we shouldn’t even try; the world is so needy. But just because you can’t do everything, don’t let that be your excuse to do nothing.

Philippians 2:4 says, “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (
NKJV
). And Jesus said, “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12,
NKJV
).

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

This is a topic I am very fired up about. Are you sitting on the sidelines while the enemy is ramping up his armies and resources? He is holding nothing back in his war against the truth, the innocent, youth, women, and children. God is rallying his people to make a difference.

Will you volunteer at a pro-life pregnancy center, invite an unchurched child to Sunday school, tutor a dyslexic student, reach out to a troubled teen, send a care package to a missionary? Ideas are flooding my head. Won’t you answer the call to stand in the gap and share his love in a tangible way?

One Year Bible Reading

Isaiah 60:1–62:5; Philippians 1:27–2:18; Psalm 72:1-20; Proverbs 24:11-12

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October 1

Sweet like Honey

     
My son, eat honey because it’s good,

     
And the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste;

     
So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul.

It’s been said, “You are what you eat.” This applies not only to what you take into the body but what you feed your mind and your soul and your spirit. Honey is both sweet and fascinating. It is compared to the sweetness of the knowledge of wisdom. Lest we view this golden substance as ordinary, here are some interesting facts.

• A honeybee makes 154 trips to produce just one teaspoon of honey.
  
• To gather a pound of honey, a bee flies a distance equal to more than three times around the world and visits two million flowers.
  
• Honey has even been found in the Pharaohs’ tombs, still edible after thousands of years.
  

Just like honey, wisdom isn’t developed quickly or with little effort. Maybe that is why so many young or impatient people are not wise. Here’s a good definition of wisdom: wisdom implies “a mature integration of appropriate knowledge and a seasoned ability to filter the inessential from the essential.” To filter the inessential from the essential, that is a rare and valuable skill. James 3:17 describes wisdom’s rich, multidimensional attributes: “The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy” (
NKJV
).

So, ladies, always remember as honey is sweet to the taste, wisdom is sweet, oh, so sweet to the soul.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

James 3 lists gentleness as an attribute of wisdom. Does that surprise you? To be gentle is to be emotionally generous, kind, and patient. Why is that wiser than being overbearing and harsh? Answer: because the world is full of fragile people and delicate situations. Abraham Lincoln once said, “If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend. Therein is a drop of honey that catches his heart.” Abraham Lincoln was not weak, but like our Lord he had great inner strength under the control of compassionate kindness.

Let’s Pray

Lord, gentle me, break me. Make me like you: sweet, compassionate, gentle, and kind.

One Year Bible Reading

Isaiah 62:6–65:25; Philippians 2:19–3:3; Psalm 73:1-28; Proverbs 24:13-14

October 2

Rise Again

     
Do not lie in wait like an outlaw against a righteous man’s house,

          
do not raid his dwelling place;

     
for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again,

          
but the wicked are brought down by calamity.

This could be viewed from two angles. It’s first a warning, but it also includes an encouragement. Warning: if you see someone who is vulnerable or has fallen on hard times, don’t pounce on him or her. Don’t take advantage of anyone, especially a child of God. The Bible says that “the eyes of the L
ORD
are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is his unfailing love” (Psalm 33:18,
NIV
). The selfish opportunist will be held accountable. The Lord sees and will eventually bring that person down.

But now for the encouragement. Dear sisters, many are going through hard times right now. Maybe you are. Maybe you’re out of a job, or your car is broken, or you’re losing your house. Although we wish that the Lord had promised us a life free of struggles and loss, he hasn’t. But he has promised that he will never, ever leave us or forsake us. He has promised us wisdom in the trials, strength in our weakness, and peace that passes all understanding when we pray.

Prayer; what a gift the Lord has given us, that we can pray. Would you stop and pray right now? Listen again to our proverb. “Though a righteous man [or woman], falls seven times, [they] rise again.” So humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, and He will lift you up. I know because I’ve been there.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

When troubles push you down, there is nothing like standing on the promises of God. Hold tight to his words. Psalm 46:1-2 is a powerful promise to have written on your heart. Let it give you courage. Draw upon the comfort it brings. Let the words lift you up and give you hope!

“God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.”

One Year Bible Reading

Isaiah 66:1-24; Philippians 3:4-21; Psalm 74:1-23; Proverbs 24:15-16