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Strength and dignity…. (devo reflection)

Proverbs 31:25 She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. (NLT)
This verse always makes me think of my dear friend Millie, who battled cancer at the end of her life. I painted a version of this scripture for her in the hopes that the visual reminder might help her cling to this truth during her treatment.
Proverbs 31:25 Strength and dignity are her clothing and her position is strong and secure; And she smiles at the future [knowing that she and her family are prepared]. (AB)
I love looking at the Amplified Bible translation because the verses are often oddly specific in their wording. But the implied idea that we can “laugh at the future,” that we can be confident no matter what life throws at us, that that confidence is born of the sure knowledge of Who holds our future, that is an idea that I can fully get behind.
Proverbs 31:25 Strength and dignity are her clothing, And she smiles at the future. (NASB)
Lord, Thank You for this day and this  scripture. Thank You for the knowledge that You hold my future and that because of that fact, I can face my future unafraid. You know my tendency is fear, Lord, but I do not want to be afraid. Help me. Draw me closer. Amen.
Proverbs 31:25 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. (NIV)
Have a blessed day.
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My daily portion…. (devo reflection)

Proverbs 30:7 “Two things I ask of you, Lord; do not refuse me before I die.
I joke that God made me a worrier so that I would never forget how much I need Him every single day. Honestly, I have embraced that attitude—that my propensity for worry helps me lean into God because I absolutely know I cannot do this life alone.
Proverbs 30:8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.
These verses remind me of that idea. The speaker asks for enough—not too much that he forgets his need of God nor too little so that he feels forced to dishonor God to satisfy human need. “[G]ive me only my daily bread.”
Proverbs 30:9a Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’….
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for my daily portion, for the fact that I know You will provide exactly what I need each day. Help me to lean into You, to rest in You, to trust You, to shine Your light, knowing that my daily portion comes from You. Draw me closer. Amen.
Proverbs 30:9b …Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.
Have a blessed day.
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Listening to hear…. (devo reflection)

Proverbs 29:20 There is more hope for a fool than for someone who speaks without thinking. (NLT)
There is a passage about listening that I often share with students. It says, essentially, that most people don’t listen to hear, they listen to respond. Take a moment and read that again. Let it sink in.
Proverbs 29:20 Do you see a [conceited] man who speaks quickly [offering his opinions or answering without thinking]? There is more hope for a [thickheaded] fool than for him. (AB)
If we are listening to respond, we are already formulating answers while the speaker is still speaking. If we listen to hear, then we are listening to what’s said and what’s not said, the implications, the tone. If we are listening to hear, responding isn’t even necessary.
Proverbs 29:20 There is more hope for a fool than for someone who speaks without thinking. (CEV)
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the reminder that I need to listen to hear and not just to respond. Help me to be a beacon of hope, shining Your light for all. Draw me closer. Amen.
Proverbs 29:20 Have you met a person who is quick to answer? There is more hope for a fool than for him. (GWT)
Have a blessed day.
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This verse is not about me…. (devo reflection)

Proverbs 28:25 Selfish people cause trouble, but you will live a full life if you trust the LORD. (CEV)
Selfish, greedy, proud, arrogant, covetous, and unbelieving are all adjectives used in various translations of this verse. And it is so easy for me to dismiss these adjectives when it comes to myself—No, no. I’m none of these things. This verse is not about me.
Proverbs 28:25 The greedy stir up conflict, but those who trust in the LORD will prosper. (NIV)
But when I really, honestly look at my actions—those times when I get so angry at the way I was treated or the way people acted or the lack of common sense, when my hackles get up and I start yelling and fuming, then I’m the one stirring up conflict, I am that person. Jesus, Help me.
Proverbs 28:25 Greed causes fighting; trusting the LORD leads to prosperity. (NLT)
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for bringing this matter to my attention. I don’t want to be the selfish, greedy, proud, arrogant, covetous, unbelieving person who stirs up trouble in this life. I want to trust in You. I want to be filled with Your peace, which passes all understanding. Help me, Lord. Draw me closer. Amen.
Proverbs 28:25 A greedy man stirs up strife, but the one who trusts in the LORD will be enriched. (ESV)
Have a blessed day.
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Faithfulness and praise…. (devo reflection)

Proverbs 27:21 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but people are tested by their praise. (NIV)
When I first read this verse, I thought it was a spin on “God knows the heart” (Acts 15:8), meaning God sees a person’s faithfulness by how they praise Him in both good times and bad. Something about that idea really resonated with me. That God can see my love and faithfulness even as I struggle through loss and grief, praising Him in the storms and choppy seas, that makes sense to me.
Proverbs 27:21 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold [to separate the impurities of the metal], And each is tested by the praise given to him [and his response to it, whether humble or proud]. (AB)
Of course, commentary says I’m utterly wrong. It says that a man’s estimation of himself can’t be trusted and that a true judgement can be better formed based on what others say about him (or on how he reacts to that praise—with hubris or humility). While I concede the truth of that idea, I still think my interpretation holds up. My faith can be tested/measured by the way I praise—imperfectly, sometimes shakily, but with a deep trust in the abiding love and sovereignty of my Savior. Thank You, Jesus.
Proverbs 27:21 Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but a person is tested by being praised. (NLT)
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for Your word, which is “alive and active, sharper than any two-edge sword” (Heb 4:12). Thank You that I can see how my faith has strengthened and grown by looking at how I praise You. Always. Draw me closer. Amen.
Proverbs 27:21 A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but a man is tested by the praise accorded him. (BSB)
Have a blessed day.
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God’s love as my guide…. (devo reflection)

Proverbs 26:4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him.
Take a moment and read verses 4 and 5. They are directly contradictory to each other. But they bring to mind for me Hebrews 4:12: “…for the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edge sword….”
Proverbs 26:5 Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.
Like most things, these proverbs must be pondered and applied with the love, mercy, and compassion of Jesus. They aren’t one-size-fits-all. They are blind commands. (For the record, the command is to love each other as Jesus loves us—fiercely, compassionately, mercifully, through our mistakes and missteps, offering love instead of judgement. John 15:12) To be successful, I must use God’s love as my guide everyday.
Proverbs 26:6 Sending a message by the hands of a fool is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison.
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the example of Christ. Help me, daily, to love others as You love me—even through my foolishness and messes. Help me to draw closer to You and to shine Your light for all. Amen.
Proverbs 26:7 Like the useless legs of one who is lame is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
Have a blessed day.
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Motives…. (devo reflection)

Proverbs 25:6 Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence, and do not claim a place among his great men….
These verses talk about the fact that it’s better to humble yourself by sitting in a lower place and to be exalted by being invited to sit in a seat of higher honor than to be humiliated by sitting in a place of honor and to be asked to move. While true, the mindset, to me, still does not seem humble. The motives seem suspect. Maybe I’m too cynical?
Proverbs 25:7a …it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,” than for him to humiliate you before his nobles….
Phil 2:3 came strongly to mind as I read Proverbs 25:6: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourself.” The motives here speak more of putting someone else before yourself NOT to keep from being humiliated but to help take care of your neighbor. Totally different motives and much more in line with Jesus.
Proverbs 25:7b-8a …What you have seen with your eyes do not bring hastily to court….
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for knowing my heart and understanding my struggles when it comes to humbling myself before You. Help me to care more about my neighbor than myself. Help me to always put You first. Draw me closer. Amen.
Proverbs 25:8b …for what will you do in the end if your neighbor puts you to shame?
Have a blessed day.
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The grace of mercy…. (devo reflection)

Proverbs 24:17 Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice….
Gloating is easy and incredibly human. If you speed past me on the interstate and then I see you pulled over by police later on, I’m probably going to chuckle, thinking you got what you deserved. Oh but that’s a slippery slope, that idea of rejoicing when someone gets what *I* think they deserve for their actions. It brings to mind my own behaviors and the idea of mercy versus justice.
Proverbs 24:18 …or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them.
When I read this section of scripture today, Luke 23:34 came strongly to mind: Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing….” These soldiers killed the Messiah and cast lots for His clothes. They deserved death, but Jesus gave them mercy. I am called to be like Jesus, which involves putting aside my pride which calls for justice and acting towards others in mercy instead.
Proverbs 24:19 Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked….
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for laying these issues on my heart once again. You know I struggle, Lord. Sometimes I just want folks to get what their rotten behavior deserves, but for myself, I will always want mercy. Help me extend the grace of mercy to others as I wish it extended to me. Amen.
Proverbs 24:20 …for the evildoer has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.
Have a blessed day
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God is working on my heart…. (devo reflection)

Proverbs 23:6 Do not eat the food of a begrudging host, do not crave his delicacies;
My husband is one of the most generous people I know. It is a beautiful gift. But as someone who grew up feeling the worry of scarcity, it took me longer than I care to admit to fully embrace that particular trait. He would give freely, and I would be mentally calculating the cost, worrying over whether we would need that some day ourselves, fretting, etc. It was exhausting.
Proverbs 23:7a …for he is the kind of person who is always thinking about the cost….
Currently, I am in a “get this mess out of my house” phase. It is nowhere near my husband’s altruistic generosity for others, but it has allowed me to step out of my miserly concern and give freely to others things I think they can use or might enjoy, and that has been such a blessing for me. It’s not the same. The motives are very different. But I see how God is working on my heart, remaking me more into His image. Slowly, very slowly.
Proverbs 23:7b …“Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for my generous husband and his care for others. Thank You for working on my heart, Lord, helping me to move past the fear of scarcity and lack so that I can share with others. Help me to become more like You. Draw me closer. Amen.
Proverbs 23:8 You will vomit up the little you have eaten and will have wasted your compliments.
Have a blessed day.
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It’s not about me…. (devo reflection)

Proverbs 22:4 Humility is the fear of the LORD; its wages are riches and honor and life. (NIV)
Far too many people confuse humility and humiliation. They are vastly different. And the connotation of fear in this context does not mean being afraid, it means showing respect and reverence. Commentary succinctly encapsulates this truth as: “Humility is a proper view of self; fear of the Lord is a proper view of God.”
Proverbs 22:4 The reward of humility [that is, having a realistic view of one’s importance] and the [reverent, worshipful] fear of the LORD Is riches, honor, and life. (AB)
It’s not about me. It’s about God. It’s not about my achievements or my work or my reputation. It’s about my precious Savior. It is about living out the embodiment of Gal 2:20 “…not I, but Christ…” in my daily life, dying to self and living for Christ alone. It is beautiful and painful and liberating, and I’m not sure I’ll ever get it completely right on this side of the veil, but I’ll keep trying.
Proverbs 22:4 The pursuers of humility: the awe of LORD JEHOVAH, wealth, honor and Life. (ABiPE)
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the reminder that it’s not about me—never has been, never will be. Help me to check my ego and my pride. Help me to die to self so that I can live solely for You. Draw me closer. Amen.
Proverbs 22:4 Respect and serve the LORD! Your reward will be wealth, a long life, and honor. (CEV)
Have a blessed day.