WISE WORDS TO BE REMEMBERED:

I chose the heading for this devotion based on Proverbs 20:15- “Wise words are more valuable than much gold and many rubies.”

I’m suspecting there are many in our world who would vehemently disagree with those words. That shows how truly unwise they are.  To think pursuing physical comfort and material wealth (represented by gold and rubies) is the end all is setting that person up for failure and disappointment. But rather than write about the shallowness of pursuing earthly satisfaction, I thought I would highlight a few more of the verses of Proverbs 20 to show why verse 15 is so spot on.  Here are some wise words to remember:

Verse 1: “Wine produces mockers; alcohol leads to brawls. Those led astray by drink cannot be wise.” All of us have seen the devastating results of too much alcohol. An alcohol addiction is serious and must be dealt with. Check out Sober Cycle by Sherry Hoppen for more on this.

Verse 7- “The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them.” Integrity has been defined as “who you are when no one is looking.” Who better to see us  in all our “raw life” away from the adoring crowds than our children? I’m not sure there can be a greater blessing than to see my children follow me as I follow Jesus.

Verse 19- “A gossip goes around telling secrets, so don’t hang around with chatterers.” I heard someone say just last night: “You are who you hang with.” Whether by reputation or guilt by association, being known for being a chatterer is not a badge of honor.

Verse 22- “Don’t say, ‘I will get even for this wrong.’ Wait for the Lord to handle the matter.” Not much to add to that one is there? Elsewhere in the Bible it says, “Vengeance is mine. I will repay says the Lord.”

Verse 29- “The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old.”  (What about no hair? 🙂 ). Seriously, there is something to be said about age and wisdom.

I would encourage you to read Proverbs 20. In fact, a good practice is to read a chapter of Proverbs a day. There are 31 chapters so in one month you can read through the book. I like to highlight a different verse each time I read using a different colored highlighter. Take a moment to read Proverbs 20. Any wise words stick out to you?