Proverbs__18

Scripture

Proverbs 18: 21

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Observation

King Solomon continues his words of wisdom with highlighting the power of tongue. He speaks about knowledge and wisdom and tandem, however in talking about the tongue he gives practical ways to exercise both of these characteristics.

 

Understanding

You ever said something and then immediately regretted it? My dad says “well that didn’t go the way I thought” is going to be on his tombstone, but my mine will say “oops, didn’t mean it like that.” When we can just quickly apologize and move on, we don’t really hold ourselves to that high of a standard with our words. Because we convince ourselves that the issue is easily fixable, but in reality our words have the power of life and death as King Solomon points out. Think about it this way: if you said something to someone, that as its coming out you know you’ll regret, and then they keel over and die upon hearing it, you would most definitely watch your tongue.

I have been learning this process the difficult way in my workplace. What I say to one person is then disseminated to several other unintended ears and I then have to be held accountable for what I say (good or bad). So I recently have been speaking life to my workplace and my coworkers, I imagine I am giving them a boost of energy or happiness rather than them keeling over. Although small, our tongues have the power to alter the course of our destiny. In the right context this can transform people, neighborhoods, communities, cities, countries, and even the world. The tongue yields the most powerful and dangerous tool known to mankind: words. I implore youth consider this: do you use your words to kill or give life?

 

Life Application

The best place to start in filling your with life-giving words is actually knowing life-giving words. That begins with reading encouragement daily, and that begins in God’s Word. I also want to challenge you guys to speak life over places that you detest or don’t like at the moment, you’ll be surprised how your outcomes and outlooks shift when your words do.

Colossians 4:6

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to respond to everyone.

Let’s be life-givers this week!

-Allison Khan

Proverbs___17

Scripture

Proverbs 17:12 NIV-

“Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool bent on folly.”

Observation-What does it say?

King Solomon continues with sharing his wisdom in Proverbs. “Solomon wrote it with his descendants and the young men in Israel in mind (biblestudy.org-Who wrote the book of Proverbs?).”

Understanding-What does it mean?

The Bible is serious about choosing the way of the wise instead of a fool. So serious in fact that it says it’s better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool bent on folly. 

Have you ever heard the term, you don’t want to see mama bear come out? As a mom to 2 kids, the protective nature of a mother to her child is extreme and I didn’t understand that until I became a mother. I’m not proud of this, but I’ve lost self control and yelled at a couple people (in positions of authority) because I felt my kids were being wrongfully attacked. It's not wise to make a protective mama angry. 

My husband also used to work as a meter reader and he told me that the most vicious dogs were the female dogs who were protecting their pups. He would always have to find alternative ways to read those house meters because you were just asking to get bit if you entered their territory. 

As scary as a protective mama bear is, it’s not as scary as a fool bent on folly. For example, Scripture says that a fool gives full vent to his anger (Proverbs 29:11 NIV), so essentially, a fool’s anger is worse than a mama bear protecting her cubs. That same Scripture says that the WISE bring calm in the end. 

Life Application

Keep company with those who are wise, instead of those who continue to have a bent towards foolishness.

We must be careful with the company we keep and who we allow to influence our lives. Also, we must be aware of whether we are the ones acting like a fool. It's important to make the necessary changes and learn from our mistakes. We don’t want to be the person that the Bible instructs others to run from. 

Dear Lord, You appointed King Solomon to write the Proverbs to offer wise counsel, not foolish counsel. It is clear that You make many distinctions between wise and foolish choices and the consequences of each. I pray that we would always seek to live our lives wisely so that others would be drawn to You instead of away from You. Amen. 

-Michelle Gaddi

Acts__11

Scripture

Acts 11:12

The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them.

Observation - What does it say?

Immediately following his mysterious vision from God, the three men sent by Cornelius came to the house where Peter was staying. He heard the Holy Spirit speak to him, commanding him to go with these men. So he did.

Understanding - What does it mean?

What stood out to me was the intimate relationship Peter had with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit spoke to him. Plainly. Clearly. Scripture doesn’t say, “Peter thought it might have been the Spirit speaking to him.” It was a matter of fact, because Peter had come to discern His voice.

And, the second side of the coin here is that Peter didn’t just hear, he obeyed. Jews didn’t associate with Gentiles, much less journey with them and step foot in their home. This would seem like an absurd thing for God to ask him to do. Yet, he didn’t question God and went.

Life Application 

Hear and obey.

I long to hear God’s voice more clearly. And, when God speaks I want to steward his voice well by obeying. How many times have I asked God to bless me to hear his voice, and yet how many times has he spoken clearly and, because of fear or what he was asking seemed too hard, I hesitated and ultimately disobeyed?

God, forgive me for the times you have spoken and I didn't obey! May your voice become more clear to me and grant me the faith to trust you, even when what you say doesn’t seem to make sense or to be what I would prefer. Make me like David, a man who will do everything you have in mind for me to do. In Jesus’ name, amen.

- Levi Thompson