Today's Readings - Deuteronomy 25-26, Luke 1:39–56, Psalm 37:36–40, Proverbs 9:4-6
Devotional
Proverbs defines the life of blessing which comes when we obey God and walk in his ways. Salvation is a gift of God's grace given to those who cannot pay for it or earn it. But blessings come when, by the power of the Spirit dwelling within, we walk in obedience to God. Those who obey God learn that fundamental principle of wisdom, "You reap what you sow." Those who would reap the blessings of God must sow the seeds of obedience and faith. Only when you sow the right seeds do you reap the harvest of blessing God has for you. There are two seeds that I would identify in this passage, two seeds that must be sown to reap the blessings of God. In Proverbs 9, verses 4 through 9 (we are borrowing from tomorrow's reading today) we see two very important seeds that we must sow if we want to reap the harvest of blessing in our lives.
The Seed of Repentance (Proverbs 9:4-6)
You cannot stay where you are and go with God. Think through the scriptures. Every encounter with God required that the person encountering God give up the life they had and receive a new life. Moses was no longer a shepherd after the burning bush. David encountered God on the hillside with his harp and his psalms, and God tapped him on the shoulder to be king. Isaiah “saw the Lord”, then after being cleansed from his sin was saying to God, “Here I am, send me.” Since we are sinful people, going God’s way always requires us to repent of our own.
Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” To him who lacks sense she says,“Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed.Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight.”
Wisdom, here, invites people to eat the food at drink the wine at her feast. But, to come to the feast of wisdom, they must leave their simple ways to walk in a new way, the way of understanding. To walk in wisdom we must submit our wills to God’s, and our ways to his. That means that things will change. You will begin to distinguish right and wrong. You will choose what is right and reject the wrong. You cannot walk in the way of wisdom without letting God make major changes in your life. Sow the seed of repentance.
The Seed of Humility (Proverbs 9:7-9)
Verses 7 through 9 contrast how the wise man and the mocker respond to advice and correction. The mocker insults and abuses anyone who tries to correct him. The wise man receives the rebuke and loves the person for caring enough to try to help him live in even more wisdom. He takes the criticism and becomes even wiser than he was.
Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;
reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
This is a key to wisdom. The wise man realizes that he is not naturally wise, that wisdom is a work of God. He opens himself to the correction of God, and to the correction of the wise. No one should be a slave to other's opinions or be overly sensitive to other's words, but we must be humble and receive advice and correction. We must be humble enough to hear God's Word and receive the correction of the wise. That is a marker of a man or woman of wisdom.
Those who sow the seeds of repentance and humility will reap the blessings of God.
Father, may I sow those seeds of humility and repentance that I might walk in wisdom and experience your blessing!
Think and Pray
What seeds are you sowing in your life as you make choices daily?
Do you choose obedience and godliness?
Do you choose rebellion and the discipline that will bring?
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