Wisdom for the Day - Standing Strong

Send us Fan Mail Mrs. Farmer  16  She goes to inspect a field and buys it;      with her earnings she plants a vineyard. 17  She is energetic and strong,      a hard worker. The ideal woman in Proverbs is portrayed as a shrewd businesswoman, not someone waiting in submission. She recognizes a good opportunity, invests household resources, and works hard to turn the property into a productive viney...

Send us Fan Mail Ship Chef  14  She is like a merchant’s ship,      bringing her food from afar. 15  She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household      and plan the day’s work for her servant girls. The ideal woman described in Proverbs is someone who is exceptionally skilled at overseeing activities and organizing complex tasks, whether for a large household or a business. Not ev...

Send us Fan Mail New Sweaters 12  She brings him good, not harm,      all the days of her life. 13  She finds wool and flax      and busily spins it. When the Good Woman proverbs were written, it was understood that a man’s role was to seek prosperity for his household. His identity was tied to how large and successful his household was. But here we see that in a balanced family, the wife is an eq...

Send us Fan Mail Super Woman  10   Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?      She is more precious than rubies. 11  Her husband can trust her,      and she will greatly enrich his life. Proverbs 31:10-31 form an acrostic, with each verse starting with each letter of the Hebrew alphabet, in order. Starting today and through the end of Proverbs, we’re introduced to a remarkable woman often refer...

Send us Fan Mail Speak Up 8  Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves;      ensure justice for those being crushed. 9  Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless,      and see that they get justice. In this passage from Proverbs, we see again that God cares deeply for those who cannot help themselves. Those with power—whether kings or anyone with influence or wealth—are given a divine duty...

Send us Fan Mail Drunk 6  Alcohol is for the dying,      and wine for those in bitter distress. 7  Let them drink to forget their poverty      and remember their troubles no more. Verses 6 and 7 can be tricky to interpret. One common understanding is that strong drink might be permissible to help those who are terminally ill cope with pain, much like how we use certain medications today. Psalm 104...

Send us Fan Mail Drink Drank  4  It is not for kings, O Lemuel, to guzzle wine.      Rulers should not crave alcohol. 5  For if they drink, they may forget the law      and not give justice to the oppressed. All leaders, from kings to those in smaller roles, have a special responsibility to ensure justice for all their followers. Anything that impairs a leader’s judgment—whether it's alcohol,...

Send us Fan Mail Women? 1 The sayings of King Lemuel contain this message, which his mother taught him. 2  O my son, O son of my womb,      O son of my vows, 3  do not waste your strength on women,      on those who ruin kings. This proverb isn’t telling young men to avoid all women. Instead, it’s a warning against relationships with multiple women and against lustful or promiscuous behavior. It’s...

Send us Fan Mail Nose Butter  32  If you have been a fool by being proud or plotting evil,      cover your mouth in shame. 33  As the beating of cream yields butter      and striking the nose causes bleeding,      so stirring up anger causes quarrels. I’ve mentioned this before, but it’s worth repeating: check out the Book of James, Chapter 3. It talks about how hard it is to control what we say....

Send us Fan Mail Three Other Things  29  There are three things that walk with stately stride—      no, four that strut about: 30  the lion, king of animals, who won’t turn aside for anything, 31      the strutting rooster,      the male goat,      a king as he leads his army. This proverb puzzled me too. Usually, when it says "there are three things… four which are stately," you expect...

Send us Fan Mail Wise Critters  24  There are four things on earth that are small but unusually wise: 25  Ants—they aren’t strong,      but they store up food all summer. 26  Hyraxes—they aren’t powerful,      but they make their homes among the rocks. 27  Locusts—they have no king,      but they march in formation. 28  Lizards—they are easy to catch,      but they are found even in kings’ palaces...

Send us Fan Mail Dictators 21  There are three things that make the earth tremble—      no, four it cannot endure: 22  a slave who becomes a king,      an overbearing fool who prospers, 23      a bitter woman who finally gets a husband,      a servant girl who supplants her mistress. Hitler is perhaps the most infamous example of a servant-turned-ruler who became unbearable for the world. Another...

Send us Fan Mail Eww, Gross 20  An adulterous woman consumes a man,      then wipes her mouth and says, “What’s wrong with that?” The proverb reminds us that we are capable of rationalizing our actions. Somehow we all are able to justify doing things that are blatantly and obviously wicked.  Let me ask you: An earlier proverb spoke of how two true friends serve to sharpen each other. True friends...

Send us Fan Mail A.I. Love 18  There are three things that amaze me—      no, four things that I don’t understand: 19  how an eagle glides through the sky,      how a snake slithers on a rock,      how a ship navigates the ocean,      how a man loves a woman. Last week, I heard two AI experts mention that while AI can mimic how people talk when they’re in love, it’s only rearranging words based on...

Send us Fan Mail Never Satisfied There are three things that are never satisfied—      no, four that never say, “Enough!”: 16  the grave,      the barren womb,      the thirsty desert,      the blazing fire. 17  The eye that mocks a father      and despises a mother’s instructions  will be plucked out by ravens of the valley      and eaten by vultures. Agur offers riddles about things that are nev...

Send us Fan Mail Vampires and Leeches 13  They look proudly around,      casting disdainful glances. 14  They have teeth like swords      and fangs like knives.  They devour the poor from the earth      and the needy from among humanity. 15  The leech has two suckers      that cry out, “More, more!” Yesterday, Agur spoke of two types of depraved people: those who harm slaves and those who dishonor...

Send us Fan Mail Slander-less 10  Never slander a worker to the employer,     or the person will curse you, and you will pay for it. 11  Some people curse their father      and do not thank their mother. 12  They are pure in their own eyes,      but they are filthy and unwashed. The first proverb warns against slandering a servant and abusing him verbally. It's important to consider his power...

Send us Fan Mail No Genie 7  O God, I beg two favors from you;      let me have them before I die. 8  First, help me never to tell a lie.      Second, give me neither poverty nor riches!      Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. 9  For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?”      And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name. Agur asks for two things from...

Send us Fan Mail Don't Add 5  Every word of God proves true.      He is a shield to all who come to him for protection. 6  Do not add to his words,      or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar. Agur praises God for His word, which offers protection to those who trust in Him. But we can only rely on God's word if we truly know what it says. There’s a warning against altering God’s w...

Send us Fan Mail Basic Homeboy 4  Who but God goes up to heaven and comes back down?      Who holds the wind in his fists?  Who wraps up the oceans in his cloak?      Who has created the whole wide world?  What is his name—and his son’s name?      Tell me if you know! Yesterday, Agur, a simple and humble man, admitted he wasn’t well-versed in wisdom. But today, he asks some straightforward yet pro...

Send us Fan Mail Rick Son of Richard  1 The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh contain this message. I am weary, O God;      I am weary and worn out, O God. 2  I am too stupid to be human,      and I lack common sense. 3  I have not mastered human wisdom,      nor do I know the Holy One. Chapter Thirty of Proverbs introduces Agur as the narrator. While we don’t know much about him, his words suggest tha...

Send us Fan Mail Fear and Unjust 25  Fearing people is a dangerous trap,      but trusting the Lord means safety. 26  Many seek the ruler’s favor,      but justice comes from the Lord. 27  The righteous despise the unjust;      the wicked despise the godly. The first proverb shows that the opposite of faith isn’t doubt, but fear. Reflecting on today’s politics, Verse 26 is a reminder that despite...

Send us Fan Mail Angry Thief 22  An angry person starts fights;      a hot-tempered person commits all kinds of sin. 23  Pride ends in humiliation,      while humility brings honor. 24  If you assist a thief, you only hurt yourself.      You are sworn to tell the truth, but you dare not testify. The first proverb is a Duh! Verse 23 can be paraphrased by Jesus’ Blessed are the meek, for they shall...

Send us Fan Mail Pampered Servant 19  Words alone will not discipline a servant;      the words may be understood, but they are not heeded. 20  There is more hope for a fool      than for someone who speaks without thinking. 21  A servant pampered from childhood      will become a rebel. The first proverb speaks about a servant who obeys only out of fear. This is the attitude of a reluctant servan...

Send us Fan Mail Wicked Sin 16  When the wicked are in authority, sin flourishes,      but the godly will live to see their downfall. 17  Discipline your children, and they will give you peace of mind      and will make your heart glad. 18  When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild.      But whoever obeys the law is joyful. The first proverb reminds us that while it may seem like ev...