SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 15:18-33

OBSERVATION/APPLICATION

1. The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil. [28] In this reading three references are made to how our words can heal or hurt, help or hinder our life [18,23,28]. If we respond from our sinful self, without processing our thoughts and feelings with the Lord, we will only make matters worse. Words filtered and carefully weighed with the Lord can actually make bad situations better, for two reasons: first, because we are not responding out of sin, and second, because the Lord Himself helps those who seek to honour and follow Him [25,25,29].
2. Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. [22] Accountability and encouragement are both good reasons to seek the counsel of others (see vv.31,32]. But another good reason is our greater collective wisdom, when our blind spots are compensated for by others. Pride stands in the way of seeking advice from others, either too confident in ourselves, or too ashamed to show our imperfections to others. Not only should we talk things through with Jesus, it is also wise to consult with other Jesus followers.
3. The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor. [33] A healthy respect for God puts my life in perspective, and reminds me of my humble place in the universe, and my absolute dependence on Him. Those who dare to challenge, ignore or reject God by elevating themselves, relying on themselves, will soon discover that they are spitting in the wind… it will come back to haunt them. The sad irony is that the very things we do to seek honour (elevating ourselves, relying on ourselves) are the things that result in shame and defeat. Just ask Adam and Eve.

PRAYER:
Lord, humble my heart that I may rely on the wisdom of You and others, and that the words I speak are wisdom from You, and not my own gushing folly.