Intro — Walking in Wisdom
Today’s Reading — The Blessings of Honest Relationships
Scripture:
Proverbs 27
1 Don’t brag about tomorrow! Each day brings its own surprises.
2 Don’t brag about yourself—let others praise you.
3 Stones and sand are heavy, but trouble caused by a fool is heavier still.
4 Anger is cruel and destructive, but jealousy is much worse.
5 A truly good friend will openly correct you.
6 You can trust a friend who corrects you, but kisses from an enemy are nothing but lies.
7 If you have had enough to eat, honey doesn’t taste good, but if you are really hungry, you will eat anything.
8 When you are far from home, you feel like a bird without a nest.
9 The sweet smell of incense can make you feel good, but true friendship is better still.
10 Don’t desert your own friends or your family’s friends. And if you are in trouble, don’t ask a relative for help; a nearby neighbor can help you more than relatives who are far away.
11 My child, be wise and give my heart joy. Then I can answer anyone who criticizes me.
12 When you see trouble coming, don’t be stupid and walk right into it—be smart and hide.
13 You deserve to lose your coat if you loan it to someone to guarantee payment for the debt of a stranger.
14 A loud greeting early in the morning is the same as a curse.
15 A nagging wife is like the dripping of a leaky roof in a rainstorm.
16 Stopping her is like trying to hold the wind or trying to hold oil in your hand.
17 Just as iron sharpens iron, friends sharpen the minds of each other.
18 Take care of a fig tree and you will eat its fruit; look after your master and you will be praised.
19 You see your face in a mirror and your thoughts in the minds of others.
20 Death and the grave are never satisfied, and neither are we.
21 Gold and silver are tested by a furnace, and a person’s reputation is tested by praise.
22 No matter how hard you beat a fool, you can’t pound out the foolishness.
23 You should take good care of your sheep and goats,
24 because wealth and honor don’t last forever.
25 After the grass has dried and the new growth appears and the harvest is over,
26 you can sell lambs and buy clothes,
27 and goats will provide milk for you, your family, and your servants.
Reflection:
Wisdom grows through honest relationships, humble listening, and daily choices. Where is God inviting you to grow today?
Excerpt (for your excerpt field):
Wisdom grows through honest relationships, humble listening, and daily choices. Where is God inviting you to grow today?