Month: March 2021

Scripture Readings Proverbs 13:4Exodus 9–10I John 4–5Psalms 70 Verse Focus (Proverbs 13:4) A sluggard’s appetite is never filled,     but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied. Meditation When I read Proverbs 13:4 this morning, it was in another translation than that of the NIV listed above. The wording was different enough that it gave me another slant on what this proverb is trying to tell us. So I looked up various translations to compare. I like the English Standard Version (ESV) because it is very close to the original Hebrew. It says, “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 13:3Exodus 7–8I John 1–3Psalms 69 Verse Focus (Proverbs 13:3) Those who guard their lips preserve their lives,     but those who speak rashly will come to ruin. Meditation Proverbs 13:3 is yet another proverb that looks at the power of the tongue. As the NRSV puts it, “Those who guard their mouths preserve their lives; those who open wide their lips come to ruin.” Only a few days ago we were talking about rash words. Then the contrast was between healing and harm; today the contrast is between self-preservation and ruin. Yet another very good reason to control our…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 12:28Exodus 5–6II Corinthians 12–13Psalms 68 Verse Focus (Proverbs 12:28) In the way of righteousness there is life;     along that path is immortality. Meditation Today’s proverb speaks of life and even immortality for those who walk in the way of righteousness. It is an impressive promise, but is this guaranteed for us? Certainly, we see that this proved literally true for Jesus Christ (at least in terms of his mortal body, since he already had life before he was incarnated)! But are we being promised immortality? I suppose in Jesus Christ, the answer is yes, of course. But in…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 12:25Exodus 3–4II Corinthians 10–11Psalms 67 Verse Focus (Proverbs 12:25) Anxiety weighs down the heart,     but a kind word cheers it up. Meditation Our proverb today, Proverbs 12:25, tells us that “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.” The NRSV translation is very similar, saying, “Anxiety weighs down the human heart, but a good word cheers it up.” I was curious why the NRSV said “good” rather than “kind.” Especially since “kind word” is the translation that I’m most familiar with. So I did a quick comparison of English translations of this proverb. A…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 12:22Exodus 1–2II Corinthians 7–9Psalms 66 Verse Focus (Proverbs 12:22) The LORD detests lying lips,     but he delights in people who are trustworthy. Meditation In the New Revised Standard Version, Proverbs 12:22 says, “Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who act faithfully are his delight.” The NIV expresses it a little differently, saying, “The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.” In fact, this is clearly a case where the Hebrew words convey a broader meaning than our English words — and so there is a fair amount of variety…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 12:18Hosea 13–14II Corinthians 5–6Psalms 65 Verse Focus (Proverbs 12:18) The words of the reckless pierce like swords,     but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Meditation Today’s proverb holds a special place in my heart. As I memorized this verse when I was in high school, the NIV translation said, “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Wow! This was one the first proverbs that really captured me. I memorized it without even intending to — the Scripture was just so powerful it stuck in my mind. Believe it or not,…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 12:16Hosea 11–12II Corinthians 3–4Psalms 64 Verse Focus (Proverbs 12:16) Fools show their annoyance at once,     but the prudent overlook an insult. Meditation If you haven’t done this yourself, then I’m sure you know someone who has responded to an email in haste only to regret it later on. This is the stuff of office legends! Oh, the trauma, the uproar, the scandal… all because someone responded in the heat of the moment and didn’t take time to wait and reflect. This is what I think of when I hear today’s proverb. Proverbs 12:16 says, “Fools show their anger…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 12:15Hosea 9–10II Corinthians 1–2Psalms 63 Verse Focus (Proverbs 12:15) The way of fools seems right to them,     but the wise listen to advice. Meditation Proverbs 12:15 says, “Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to advice.” This proverb seems patently obvious when you picture yourself as the one giving advice to the fool, but it is not quite so easy to see when you’re the one who is the fool. Did any of you think of navigating with maps on a car trip, remembering the days before every phone was a GPS device? Having…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 12:14Hosea 7–8I Corinthians 15–16Psalms 62 Verse Focus (Proverbs 12:14) From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things,     and the work of their hands brings them reward. Meditation Proverbs 12:14 tells us, “From the fruit of the mouth one is filled with good things, and manual labor has its reward (NRSV).” This is an interesting verse. For once, rather than warning us of the dangers of speech, this proverb tells us that good things can come as a result of what you say. It also promises rewards from the work of your hands. In fact,…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 12:11Hosea 5–6I Corinthians 13–14Psalms 61 Verse Focus (Proverbs 12:11) Those who work their land will have abundant food,     but those who chase fantasies have no sense. Meditation Today’s proverb stings a bit. Even though we no longer live in an agrarian society, we understand the difference between buckling down to work versus chasing a dream. I think this is particularly challenging for Americans, because we were brought up on the American dream. Land of opportunity: a chance to make a better life for you and your family. For so many of us, though, this means chasing a career…

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