Proverbs 31:28-29

Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!” – Proverbs 31:28-29

"In a recent survey of what makes marriages last, one of the main factors was that each participant had a higher opinion of their spouse than the spouse did of themselves. This was part of the goal of the writer of the proverbs 31 woman. A woman could read this passage and wither under the comparison, but to look through the lens of the writer is to stand and bless them."

The person who wrote that totally gets it.  My husband does think highly of me, much higher than I think of myself.  I think very highly of my husband, I don't know how he feels about himself, but I suspect I think higher of him than he does of himself, because I think he's perfect.

I want to be a virtuous woman for God, my husband and my children.  I think I am.  I try.  All my children blessed me yesterday for mother's day.  God blessed me even more.

Proverbs 29:15

To discipline a child produces wisdom, but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child. – Proverbs 29:15

There is lot packed into this proverb. The first is that, left to their own, a child will not go toward wisdom naturally. They must be mentored through boundaries that teach them the wisdom needed to function well with others. The second is that a child who is not lovingly but firmly raised with boundaries brings many uncomfortable and even damaging moments for their parents and those around them. Whether we were raised with many or few of these boundaries, celebrate with your mother the wisdom that she helped you to learn. You will be blessed if you do.

Matthew 7:24-29

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. – Matthew 7:24-29

Ever drive through a subdivision where every house looked exactly the same except for the colors. Every third house is yellow, every other one is white.  But the one in the middle was crumbling and looked like it was falling apart, with large cracks up the sides.  The water seeped below the surface and cracked the foundation and there was no fixing the house without fixing the foundation.

Foundation is important.  Who are you building on?  What are you building on?  I am grateful that I had a good foundation as a child, but what if I didn't have that? I know the wind and rain comes.  I ask myself all the time, what do people do when storms come in their life and they don't have Jesus?  Where do they turn?  

I don't want Jesus just to be my foundation though, I want him to be my walls, my windows, my roof, my doors.  I want  him to be everything, I want to live like he is everything.  I want to be wise.

You know how they say don't pray for patience because you'll get problems to be patient through.  If you pray for wisdom, you'll get problems that test where you turn for wisdom and how you exhibit it.  May my foundation be strong, may I lean upon it for wisdom !

Proverbs 3:5 & 6

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5 & 6 

 

We do get in trouble when we start trying to rationalize what God might want for us.  Examples of Sarah and Hagai, King Saul, even Peter.  When we are looking at him and always offering up that we want to do his will, his will becomes clearer and clearer.  It doesn't remove our free will, but He wants our free will to be His will.  Us to choose him.  I woke up with a song on my heart this morning of Holy, Holy, Holy. and I was thinking of how in Revelation the beasts are flying about always singing, "Holy, Holy, Holy is our God Almighty, who is and was and is to come."  Revelation 4:8

With those words on my heart, Trusting in the Lord and not leaning on my own understanding seems easy. In fact, it seems like I would never wonder and never doubt.  But then, satan loves to have me doubt, question, try to lean on my own understanding.  Which is faulty unless I am looking at him. 

The last few entries have been about wisdom which comes from the experiences we have both those that we learn from overcoming temptations and those we learn from when we fail.  Letting him direct my path and not trying to make my own is the far better route to wisdom.

- Proverbs 2:1-5

My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,

turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding,

and if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,

and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,

then you will understand the fear of the LORD
and find the knowledge of God.

- Proverbs 2:1-5

What a great prophecy.  Since we have to go through a trial that teaches us something to become wise about it.  It is this wisdom that will get you through it.  Turn and listen to wisdom.  Know where it is around you.  Know the steps to take to the treasurer.  They are right there before you and a precious spirit  What a joy this versre gives, and hope.

Penny

Proverbs 1:23

If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you. – Proverbs 1:23

This proverb is referring to the role of wisdom in our lives. It brilliantly captures how we learn: first we don’t know what we don’t know, then we realize that we don’t know, this begins the quest for knowledge, then we actually learn. Responding to correction is the doorway to wisdom pouring it’s heart to us and making it’s thoughts known. To allow correction in our lives is the pathway to wisdom.
Today’s commentary by:
Dave Whitehead, Senior Pastor, GraceNYC.org

I usually try to come up with my own commentary to a verse, but this is almost exactly what I would have written.  We can't hide from rebuke.  We need to own up so that God can use our mistake and make us more like him.  I want to be more like him.  Wisdom in our lives is His blessing.  

Jeremiah 1:4-5

The word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” – Jeremiah 1:4-5

God knows our purpose on this earth before we were ever born. In an age of options the God of creation made us for a specific reason.  Oh and a joy that He does.  I find such peace knowing that He knows for what he has intended me.   If I have given my life over to him, I need not fear, only trust.