Pray:
My beloved King, You have laid out a way to life. Let me follow in the way of wisdom and righteousness.
Read:
Proverbs 15:1-33
Reflect:
What is the fruit of honest lips?
Internationally, such gestures as handshakes, arm waves, and foot movements can all be misinterpreted. The only universally recognized positive "body language" is a smile, a "cheerful face." Here is its source--"a happy heart" (13). Whoever has one experiences "a continual feast" (15). Such cheerfulness brings joy and strength to others (30).
Clues to maintaining a "positive mental attitude" are indicated here: the knowledge that everyone's life is an open book to God (3,11); the certainty that he hears our prayers (8,29); a healthy "fear of the Lord" that produces wisdom to know how to handle life's challenges (22-24,33). "Keep calm and carry on," we might say, adding, "Lighten up! God is in control."
Typically, the darker side is also portrayed--heartache and lifelong wretchedness (13,15). Sometimes such misery is self-inflicted: the cardiogram of the fool's heart (7) reveals a resistance to advice (1-9), summoning "stern discipline" (10). However, life is rarely that straightforward. There's always "the dark night of the soul," which may linger long after I have examined my heart, confessing my sin. What then?
Apply:
Ask God where your lips are bringing health and where they are bringing harm. Take some time to journal and seek God.
Pray:
Lord, let me speak words that bring healing, life, and knowledge. Let me speak the words that You desire to speak.
