Mar 12 2022

The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

Each of us has a circle of influence consisting of people from our families, churches, schools, professions, and social lives. These are all people we may potentially influence—in a good way or a not-so-good way. Our actions have the potential to bring out the best or worst not only in us, but also others.

In Ecclesiastes, King Solomon shows us the difference between being wise and living foolishly. The contrast between wisdom and foolishness isn't the same as being a genius versus having a low IQ. In the Bible, a wise person's entire life is based on God. The person lives solely to glorify God in word and deed, whereas a foolish person makes up his or her own mind about what is good or bad. Those who are foolish may be moral people or live a life filled with sin, but they do not live dependent on God.

This verse specifically addresses our speech and how we communicate with others. A foolish person's speech is the polar opposite of a wise person's way of communicating. Wise words are gracious, kind, and beneficial to others. Foolish words hurt others and consume the fool.

We can gain wisdom in our lives by obeying God's commands, spending time with Him in prayer, and learning from faithful followers of Jesus. The same can be said about investing time with fools. We will assume their character flaws and become more foolish.

Let's choose to be aware of our impact on others. Our prayer should be that God would guide and direct us by His incredible wisdom.

God, I realize my words have power. When I communicate with others, I want my speech to reflect your wisdom. Forgive me for the times when I have spoken carelessly. Please make me aware of anyone I may have hurt with my words. If I have been offended by something that someone else has said, then give me the grace to forgive them and the peace to move on. In Jesus' name, amen.

Mar 11 2022

For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. :

The actions of a newborn baby are relatively repetitive—eat, sleep, dirty a diaper; eat, sleep, dirty a diaper over and over and over. Infants follow the same pattern, day after day, while their bodies and brains are developing. Eventually, after solely relying on an adult for everything, they can roll over and sit up.

It takes time for a baby to grow. If they are encouraged to sit up before their neck is strong, they will be unsuccessful. But at the right time, their bodies have matured enough to hold up their head.

At one point, we were powerless, without strength, and incapable of repairing our broken relationships with God. But in due time, God sent Jesus to save us in our ungodly state.

What we could not do on our own, God accomplished for us because He truly loves us. No matter what we've done, His love still remains. It can be difficult to grasp the idea of unconditional love because we do not extend or receive it from others in our human experience. And this love was given to us while we were still sinners. Before we said we were sorry, God loved us.

We can be grateful that God made a way to reach us when we were hopelessly lost in our sin. Because of this great gift we have received, we should willingly and joyfully share it with others.

Jesus, how can I ever thank you enough for saving me when I didn't deserve it? I was lost in my sin and living in hopelessness. But you still came and died for me. I am so grateful that you provided a way for me to have a relationship with the Father. Help me to be thankful every day. In your name, amen.


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