Month: March 2021

Scripture Readings Proverbs 14:21Jeremiah 9–10Luke 19Psalms 90 Verse Focus (Proverbs 14:21) It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor,     but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy. Meditation Day 90! One quarter of a year. Hard to believe, huh? Congratulations to all of us! And praise God for His faithfulness in bringing us through thus far!! 🙂 Today’s proverb, Proverbs 14:21, says, “It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor, but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy.” This is not a proverb that I’ve given a lot of thought to recently. Perhaps because I…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 14:16Jeremiah 7–8Luke 18Psalms 89 Verse Focus (Proverbs 14:16) The wise fear the LORD and shun evil,     but a fool is hotheaded and yet feels secure. Meditation Proverbs 14:16 says, in the NIV, “The wise fear the LORD and shun evil, but a fool is hotheaded and yet feels secure.” When I read it earlier today in the NRSV, however, the verse said, “The wise are cautious and turn away from evil, but the fool throws off restraint and is careless.” The first thought that popped into my head on reading this proverb had to do with wearing face…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 14:15Jeremiah 5–6Luke 17Psalms 88 Verse Focus (Proverbs 14:15) The simple believe anything,      but the prudent give thought to their steps. Meditation Today’s verse focus looks at one type of fool — those that are labeled “the simple.” Proverbs 14:15 says, in the NIV, “The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps.” As the NRSV puts it, “The simple believe everything, but the clever consider their steps.” Two days ago we talked about how the prudent give thought to their ways, whereas fools are deceived by their own folly. Here, the prudent give thought…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 14:9Jeremiah 3–4Luke 16Psalms 87 Verse Focus (Proverbs 14:9) Fools mock at making amends for sin,     but goodwill is found among the upright. Meditation As Proverbs 14:9 is translated into English, it appears in a number of different permutations. The NIV says, “Fools mock at making amends for sin, but goodwill is found among the upright.” The NRSV says, “Fools mock at the guilt offering, but the upright enjoy God’s favor.” The NLT says, “Fools make fun of guilt, but the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation.” The NIRV says, “Foolish people laugh at making things right when they…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 14:8Jeremiah 1–2Luke 15Psalms 86 Verse Focus (Proverbs 14:8) The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways,     but the folly of fools is deception. Meditation Our verse focus today contrasts fools against the wise. This is one of the most common comparisons we will see in the book of Proverbs; however, each instance will reveal a slightly different aspect of the difference between folly and wisdom. Proverbs 14:8 says, in the NIV, “The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception.” The NRSV says, “It…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 14:7Exodus 39–40Luke 14Psalms 85 Verse Focus (Proverbs 14:7) Stay away from a fool,     for you will not find knowledge on their lips. Meditation Proverbs 14:7 counsels us to “Stay away from a fool, for you will not find knowledge on their lips.” In some ways, this proverb is telling us something that is very obvious: fools are foolish. They do not have wisdom, they do not have knowledge. But it’s what the proverb implies that I find more fascinating. The proverb implies that the only reason you would want to be with someone is because that person has…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 14:6Exodus 37–38Luke 13Psalms 84 Verse Focus (Proverbs 14:6) The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none,     but knowledge comes easily to the discerning. Meditation Proverbs 14:6 says, “The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.” As I read it this morning in the NRSV, it said, “A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain, but knowledge is easy for one who understands.” I have been thinking about this proverb. Why can’t the mocker or the scoffer find wisdom? It’s not like wisdom is hiding. You might have to search for it — it might take…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 14:3Exodus 35–36Luke 12Psalms 83 Verse Focus (Proverbs 14:3) A fool’s mouth lashes out with pride,     but the lips of the wise protect them. Meditation Today’s verse focus is one that comes across differently depending on the translation you read. As the NRSV puts it, “The talk of fools is a rod for their backs, but the lips of the wise preserve them.” The KJV says, “In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride; but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.” The NIV of 1984 said, “A fool’s talk brings a rod to his…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 13:24Exodus 33–34Luke 11Psalms 82 Verse Focus (Proverbs 13:24) Whoever spares the rod hates their children,     but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them. Meditation Today’s verse focus, Proverbs 13:24, metaphorically speaks of corporal punishment in disciplining children. Some modern theories of parenting consider any kind of spanking or physical discipline to be not only archaic, but actually damaging to young psyches. And, of course, we are too familiar with stories of abuse, of physical punishment that was less about teaching someone than it was about about having someone weaker to use as a punching…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 13:21Exodus 31–32Luke 10Psalms 81 Verse Focus (Proverbs 13:21) Trouble pursues the sinner,     but the righteous are rewarded with good things. Meditation According to the NIV, our verse focus today says, “Trouble pursues the sinner, but the righteous are rewarded with good things.” As I read Proverbs 13:21 this morning in the NRSV, it gave me a slightly different slant, saying, “Misfortune pursues sinners, but prosperity rewards the righteous.” Hmmmm. Prosperity. That sounds pretty nice, huh? So I took a look at a number of different translations. Universally, the different translations contrast sinners against the righteous. Sinners are chased…

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