SATURDAY, August 12
Reflect
The writer of this proverb ends the passage with a warning against pride and planning evil. It’s a strong warning for us to check out motives and our actions.
I don’t think any of us intentionally plan on doing evil. But how often, if our motives go unchecked, do we slip into things like feeling prideful, jealous, or envious? And if we let those feelings go unchecked, we may soon find ourselves being judgmental towards our neighbour, or even wishing them to fail.
Like I said before, I don’t think any of us would intentionally want to get to that point, but it’s easy to see how if we let these thoughts and feelings fester, this is what it turns into. Verse 31 says, “For as churning the milk produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife.”
What’s the solution? The author says, “clap your hand over your mouth.” They’re saying, stop these thoughts and ideas immediately. Deal with the feelings you’re having in a way that stops that progression.
Apply
What thoughts or feelings are you experiencing that may be coming out of an unhealthy place? How can you check those today?
Pastor Dave
Pray
- Pray that God’s Spirit would work powerfully and effectively in all the various activities taking place on our church calendar this weekend.
- Pray for our Young Adults & Worship Arts Pastor, Daunavan Buyer and for his intern Austin Voss, the Sunday Service Producer.
- Pray for our Adult Ministries Assistant, Greg Garbutt.