Best Laid Plans

For Friday, March 3, 2006
Proverbs 16:1

The plans of the heart belong to man,
but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

The mystery of how this truth takes place is deep, beyond our understanding. Our question is not how this can be, but why are we being told. What is God conveying to us?

If you are rebelling against God; if you are plotting against him, then know that your best laid plans are but serving his will. Joseph's brothers evil intentions were used to bring deliverance unknowingly for their families years later. Pharaoh's hardened heart against the Israelites only served to magnify the saving power of their God. Rehoboam's rejection of wise counsel led to the split of Israel, yet it happened in fulfillment of God's own words. Shake your hand as you will against the God in heaven; you cannot defy his ultimate, mysterious counsels.

If you are the victim of unjust actions, know that, if you are in Christ, God uses all things for your good and for his glory. You do not need to understand the "why"; and, indeed, you will get caught in a never-ending tangle of trying to interpret every episode of your life. We do not have the capability within ourselves to understand the deepest counsels of God. But we do have the capability to trust our heavenly Father who knows the number of hairs on our head. And we have all reason to trust him, seeing how he planned and carried forth the most myterious, most wondrous plan of all - our redemption through Jesus Christ.

Let the rulers of this earth make all their plans; let the enemies of God shake their fists all they want. What will take place is what God will use for his glory and for the good of his people ultimately. Don't worry about the plans laid against you in court or at the office or among your neighbors. Whatever anyone intends for evil, God intends (and will see that it happens) for good.

Fear and Humility

For Thursday, March 2, 2006
Proverbs 15:33

The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,
and humility comes before honor.

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge" (1:7). Listening to and reading the words of wise men and women will make you wiser. The keener you observe and learn from the experts in their fields, the more you will grown in knowledge and the more skillful you will become. But until you understand what it is to fear the Lord, you will never achieve true wisdom. Without fear of the Lord, you will never know true humility; and without fear and humility you will never know what it is to be honored by the Lord.

How you react to the above statement indicates whether you are on the road to wisdom or not. If you are troubled by the concept of fearing the Lord, then you either are young spiritually, not yet able to grasp the concept; or you are off the road of wisdom altogether, equating fear with being afraid of a mean entity. The truth is that the fear of the Lord has close semblances to being afraid of one who is terrifying, because God is holy, all-powerful, a judge who will bring judgment against the unrighteous. And yet, the fear of the Lord is a delight to those who have grasped it, and they have grasped it because they have come into a true understanding of the God who is holy/terrifying and merciful/loving beyond degree.

Before such a God one joyfully is humble. And we humbly receive instruction from his Word through his Holy Spirit, rejoicing in the holiness and mercy revealed in his Son. If you react negatively to what was said above, pray for the Spirit to open your eyes and your heart to know true wisdom that brings with it true joy.

Despising Oneself

For Wednesday, March 1, 2006
Proverbs 15:32

Whoever ignores instruction despises himself,
but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.

This proverb states what every teacher has said sometime to his students, "If you don't study/if you cheat, you are only hurting yourself." The fool thinks he is cleverly getting away with something by "outfoxing" the teacher or the system, not realizing that he is only keeping himself ignorant, and indeed is falling behind others who are gaining knowledge. He also is losing out on sharpening his ability to listen well and to think clearly. In short, he is acting like a person who despises himself, who is keeping himself from advancing.

The second part of the proverb indicates that the instruction includes the concept of addressing error. This is why the fool so despises instruction; he cannot bear the idea of being in the wrong, or really, of being wrong in the eyes of others. And so again, he loses out to the one who willingly listens to reproof and gains further intelligence.

How well will you listen today? If a student, will you pay attention in class and not begrudge having a "hard" teacher who won't go easy on you and demand high standards? If a worker, will you pay attention to the instruction, even the reproof, given by a supervisor and not be defensive? As a Christian, will you listen to your minister preaching the Word, to your teachers teaching the Bible? Will you listen to your sister or brother admonishing you with Scripture? Will you listen to the Holy Spirit teaching you through the special revelation of Scripture and through the general revelation of creation and life's experiences? No lesson and no experience is wasted if you will head the instruction and reproof of the Holy Spirit.

Listening Ear

For Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Proverbs 15:31

The ear that listens to life-giving reproof
will dwell among the wise.

Here is the key to wisdom - simple as most deep truths are. One grows in wisdom as one is able to listen well and heed correction. All scientists know that the road to knowledge is paved with mistakes and then learning from those mistakes. So it is with wisdom. We are all born sinful; all born ignorant; what distinguishes the person who grows in wisdom from the one who grows in folly is this disposition to hearing and valuing reproof.

Most people would agree with the assessment, but, nevertheless, still fail to listen. Here are some reasons why we will not listen.

1. We choose what we will hear. Sin and pride keep us from hearing. We will listen to reproof about some sin, but refuse to consider what are our deepest sins and blindspots because of pride and desire to cling to particular sins.

2. We choose whom we will accept reproof from. Some of the best reproof comes from our enemies who are not reluctant to point out our faults, but we will not listen knowing they do not seek our good. Some good reproof comes from fools, who occasionally may be on the mark. A wise person knows how to sift the wheat from the chaft and thus benefit from the fool. But our real sin comes in refusing to listen to certain people out of pride - the husband who will not listen to his wife because he is suppose to be the head; the teacher who will not listen to her students because she should know best; the "expert" who will not listen to his critics because "what do they know."

Of course, the greatest life-giving reproof is the giving of the gospel to those who are perishing. Ironically, God has chosen the weak and the foolish to be his messengers of the most profound truth. He has chosen us. We who are so poor at times to hear good reproof are called upon to deliver life-giving reproof to our neighbors. Let us be mindful as we deliver what is reproof to the world - calling them to confess their sin - that we are no different from they. We also would reject what we hear except for the grace of God to open our ears and hearts to the truth. Pray that God would open the ears of our neighbors and continue to open our ears to receive the ongoing, life-giving reproof for ourselves.

Healthy Practices

For Monday, February 27, 2006
Proverbs 15:30

The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
and good news refreshes the bones.

This proverb gives two practices that make for good health. The first is a cheerful look. We speak of the "gleam in the eyes." It is the look that expresses happiness, approval, love, fun. It is the look of approval that the young student hopes for in the teacher as she looks over his essay, or that the child hopes for in his parents’ eyes as they read the card he made. It is the loving look a couple gives to one another that assures each other of secure love. It is that brightening of the eyes of your friend or loved one, because you came into sight. Or perhaps it is the look of forgiveness and reconciliation after a period of tension. Cheerful looks – bright eyes – have good effects on the heart.

For the bones, good news is very helpful. What is the "good news"? Like the look, it can be many things. Perhaps it is the long-awaited letter from a loved one; perhaps the good news of being accepted to college, or getting the job offer, or having one’s proposal for an idea accepted. It may be the good news that the cancer is gone or that one’s team won the championship. Whatever it is, good news has a powerful way of removing stress and making us feel better.

The simple, yet profound principle is that joy is a powerful, if not the most powerful, ingredient to a healthful life. Joyful people tend to live longer and healthier while being productive than gloomy people do. The "cheerful look" and the "good news" are not trivial forms of entertainment; they are not devices to blind us and deafen us from sad and bad realities. They are, rather, the nurturing elements that sustain us through the sufferings of this world. The best of men and women who have devoted themselves to working for justice and ministering to the suffering need the cheerful looks and good news from others to keep them going. The child, in order to become an adult who can persevere through trials, must along the way be nurtured with bright eyes and encouraging words. Just as a healthy plant must have a measure of light and water to be durable and fruitful, so a person needs a measure of cheerful expressions and good news.

Perhaps you will be the nourishing “vitamin” today in someone’s life with the light of your eyes and the good news of your tongue.