Proverbs1
Fatherly Advice
The book of Proverbs is our Heavenly Father’s parental nagging. The ongoing conversation between father and son, a king and a prince. Whereby He repeats what He desires for His children to know! These are His expectations as our Father. Words of caution, no, warning, that can help us lead holy lives in peace with God our Father and our siblings (all His other children regardless of race, creed, color, sex, or ideology)! This builds a tapestry of character.
Tapestry
There are themes running through the Proverbs. Words and phrases repeated over and over. Friends, wisdom, understanding, knowledge, contention, poverty, fools, prudence, discretion, righteousness, and the list goes on. These theme threads weave a tapestry of character. The character of Jesus, who lived a sinless life! Proverbs 17 is about character in relationships.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Jesus treated ALL people with dignity and respect and verse 5 tells us why: within every person is the very image of God! (Genesis 1:27). When our actions and words speak love, it shows the world we have wisdom and understand God loves man!
To exemplify Christ’s love is to cover the sins of others, not expose them. Giving gifts: Christ gave something to everyone He met! Being impartial: He never showed favoritism by justifying evil or condemning the just. Service: Jesus helped others in their hard times. Focus: Our Savior ALWAYS listened and spoke only after fully hearing not only the words but the unspoken needs. Jesus continues to do this through the work of His Holy Spirit in His Bride, the church: you and me. This is vital to our tapestry of character.
LIVE IT OUT LOUD!
Character in relationships is vital for peace! Luke 6:27-35 is how Jesus taught it. He took all the proverbs He learned as a child, lived it, and then in the way of the Rabbis’, taught it in a way to remind all the hearers of all they knew from scripture on relationships!
The question is are we “walking in the dust of Jesus?” Are we imitating His holiness even when others are driving us crazy in a world gone completely mad? If we want our world to be different, we MUST have the mind of Christ. Philippians 2:5-7
As you read Proverbs notice the times it speaks of a friend, neighbors, strangers, brothers, servants, and those who are wise, wicked, or foolish. Then think, “what would my Jesus do?”
Father in Heaven,
Your Word is rich and real. It speaks wisdom, truth, and convicts like a judge. More and more I am convicted that I am a woman of unclean lips and this alone reflects I am not yet like Jesus. Help me grow. I want to see Your image in everyone I meet. May there be no condemnation, no judgment, no excusing or justifying evil (especially my own). “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, oh LORD, my Strength and my Redeemer.” Psalm 19:14. Then, I will have within me a tapestry of character: The character of Christ.
Oh Lord let this be so!
Yvonne Jones
