Month: April 2021

Scripture Readings Proverbs 15:32Jeremiah 49–50Acts 7Psalms 110 Verse Focus (Proverbs 15:32) Those who disregard discipline despise themselves,     but the one who heeds correction gains understanding. Meditation Our verse focus today, Proverbs 15:32, says, in the NRSV, “Those who ignore instruction despise themselves, but those who heed admonition gain understanding.” We have studied proverbs similar to this one before, so we are familiar with the principle that those who pay attention to rebuke or correction or discipline will gain wisdom, be honored, and show the way to life (Proverbs 6:23; Proverbs 10:17; Proverbs 13:18). What’s fascinating about this particular proverb is what…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 15:28Jeremiah 47–48Acts 6Psalms 109 Verse Focus (Proverbs 15:28) The heart of the righteous weighs its answers,     but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil. Meditation Proverbs 15:28 says, in the NIV, “The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.” In the NRSV, the verse says, “The mind of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil.” As we have seen before, the Hebrew word being translated as “heart” or “mind” is leb. It can mean the heart, the mind, the inner person, or…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 15:26Jeremiah 45–46Acts 5Psalms 108 Verse Focus (Proverbs 15:26) The LORD detests the thoughts of the wicked,     but gracious words are pure in his sight. Meditation Proverbs 15:26 is one of those proverbs that can vary a bit when it is translated into English because the Hebrew words don’t fully match their English counterparts. As the NIV translates the verse, it says, “The LORD detests the thoughts of the wicked, but gracious words are pure in his sight.” The NRSV says, “Evil plans are an abomination to the LORD, but gracious words are pure.” The biggest difference is in…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 15:23Jeremiah 43–44Acts 4Psalms 107 Verse Focus (Proverbs 15:23) A person finds joy in giving an apt reply—     and how good is a timely word! Meditation Have you ever been haunted by thinking up the perfect answer when it is too late? The conversation is already past — it may be days later, even. But as you mull things over in your mind, it comes to you. That’s what I should have said! you think. Today’s proverb celebrates the timely word. As Proverbs 15:23 says, “A person finds joy in giving an apt reply — and how good is…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 15:22Jeremiah 41–42Acts 3Psalms 106 Verse Focus (Proverbs 15:22) Plans fail for lack of counsel,     but with many advisers they succeed. Meditation I love Proverbs 15:22! “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” Talk about wisdom! It’s not that you have to accept the advice of all these different counselors, but as you speak to different people, you will hear different perspectives. And your plans will get stronger and stronger as you consider things that might not have occurred to you. Of course, in the very early stages of a plan, it can be…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 15:18Jeremiah 39–40Acts 2Psalms 105 Verse Focus (Proverbs 15:18) A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict,     but the one who is patient calms a quarrel. Meditation Today’s verse focus is Proverbs 15:18. The NIV says, “A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.” I like how the verse is translated in the Christian Standard Bible (CSB) because it is very close to the original Hebrew wording. The first half of the proverb is identical to the NIV, but the second half reads, “But one slow to anger calms strife.” Does it make a…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 15:17Jeremiah 37–38Acts 1Psalms 104 Verse Focus (Proverbs 15:17) Better a small serving of vegetables with love     than a fattened calf with hatred. Meditation Today’s verse focus is a companion to the one we read yesterday. Proverbs 15:17 tells us, in the NRSV, “Better is a dinner of vegetables where love is than a fatted ox and hatred with it.” It is a more specific image than yesterday’s proverb that told us that “a little with the fear of the LORD” was better than “great wealth with turmoil.” Here, we have an image almost of poverty — the family…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 15:16Jeremiah 35–36Philippians 3–4Psalms 103 Verse Focus (Proverbs 15:16) Better a little with the fear of the LORD     than great wealth with turmoil. Meditation Proverbs 15:16 tells us, “Better is a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble with it.” My experience with “great wealth” is limited to movies and television, but immediately I think of all the storylines that have dealt with the kinds of problems facing the ultra rich. The writers of such shows like to show us that being rich is not as wonderful as we think it might be. Children…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 15:15Jeremiah 33–34Philippians 1–2Psalms 102 Verse Focus (Proverbs 15:15) All the days of the oppressed are wretched,     but the cheerful heart has a continual feast. Meditation Today’s verse focus is Proverbs 15:15, saying, in the NRSV, “All the days of the poor are hard, but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.” Yesterday we talked a little bit about creating a cheerful heart though gratitude and rejoicing. Here, we are told that the cheerful heart has a “continual feast.” In one meaning, I understand the feast to refer to the source of the cheerfulness — the reasons for gratitude…

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Scripture Readings Proverbs 15:13Jeremiah 31–32Ephesians 5–6Psalms 101 Verse Focus (Proverbs 15:13) A happy heart makes the face cheerful,     but heartache crushes the spirit. Meditation Proverbs 15:13 says, in the NRSV, “A glad heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken.” This is so obviously true, it makes me wonder what purpose there is in telling us this. I realize I’m assuming that we have no control over whether or not we have a glad heart or one filled with sorrow. That assumption is why I feel puzzled over this proverb. And while it’s true that…

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