1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction;
pay attention and gain understanding.
2 I give you sound learning,
so do not forsake my teaching.
3 When I was a boy in my father’s house,
still tender, and an only child of my mother,
4 he taught me and said,
“Lay hold of my words with all your heart;
keep my commands and you will live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding;
do not forget my words or swerve from them.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
love her, and she will watch over you.
7 Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.
Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you;
embrace her, and she will honor you.
9 She will set a garland of grace on your head
and present you with a crown of splendor.”
10 Listen, my son, accept what I say,
and the years of your life will be many.
11 I guide you in the way of wisdom
and lead you along straight paths.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
guard it well, for it is your life.
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
or walk in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
turn from it and go on your way.
16 For they cannot sleep till they do evil;
they are robbed of slumber till they make someone fall.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know what makes them stumble.
20 My son, pay attention to what I say;
listen closely to my words.
21 Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them
and health to a man’s whole body.
23 Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life.
24 Put away perversity from your mouth;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead,
fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Make level paths for your feet
and take only ways that are firm.
27 Do not swerve to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil.
Thoughts:
Verses 23-24 is striking me hard today. I’ve been with angry parents, co-workers from different departments, and frustrated students. I know that I could say something horrible about them and gossip about how they treated me wrong, but God is really giving me a challenge. He is asking that I put away perversity from my mouth and to keep corrupt talk from from my lips.
Gossiping is a hard thing to stop. I’m not going to lie, but before I would gossip like no other. It was very sad. Although people might hurt me with words or action, it doesn’t make it right for me to devalue who they are. I understand that there will be times where I would need to defend myself and not be walked around, but for the most part, the frustrations must go to God and ask him to keep me from bitterness.
I guess this could go further than the people I encounter at work. At work, it’s easier for me to let go and move on. I just have issues with people that were once my friends. I am still working out on a couple of those issues, but for the most part I have a heavy bitterness against them. One, I feel that I was not a valuable person in their lives even though I gave my hardest. Two, I guess I really don’t like them.
It’s horrible. Reading this is making me cringe, but the facts are that I dislike these people. They hurt me emotionally and believed talked bad about me. I know that even though I have these excuses..and can even be looked at as justifiable, but God is asking me to stop.
Prayer:
God,
I thank you for the friends you have given me and surrounded me with loving people. Lord, you knew how lonely and fragile I was and you really answered my prayers. I have not trusted you, but really doubted. Forgive me for not trusting upon you more.
Lord, may you continually teach my heart to stop from corrupt talk. I ask that you help me really to be an encouragement to others and to show compassion. It’s hard at work, but let me be firm in what is acceptable, but loving to those who might simply be frustrated with their money situation.
God, help me to forgive those who did me wrong. I also pray that even if I don’t receive an apology, that you will help me to still show love to them if I ever see them again.
God, it’s tough, but you can pull me through.
I love you.
Annie
