Today’s scripture: Proverbs 11:3 (NIV) The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.
What might God be saying to me in this scripture?
My thoughts (Theresa Benson):
Being off work recovering from surgery, I’ve had the opportunity to watch a lot of “Dr. Phil.” There’s a saying of his that I like for its simplicity and truth: “You’ve got to name it before you can claim it.”
What this means to me is that before we can really address a problem area of our life, we’ve got to fully acknowledge what the real problem is.
For example: because I’ve been unable to exercise for so long, my pants and shorts are starting to get a little tight. Now, I could decide that it must be because the friends who are helping me do laundry are shrinking them in the dryer. If, while I’m sitting eating ice cream with a friend as a reward for an especially painful doctor’s appointment I tell them (and myself) that my shorts are getting tight because someone keeps shrinking them, I’m not fooling anyone, including myself.
But, if I get quiet for a moment and acknowledge it’s probably because I’m eating more calories than I should because I’m so sedentary right now, I can start addressing the “mystery of the shrinking shorts” and do something practical to change my situation for the better — and it won’t involve keeping my friends away from the clothes dryer.
Looking at the situation honestly will guide me toward right steps to make positive change. Denying it and lying to myself and others — whether the lies are believable or not — will lead me to further disappointment, embarrassment and frustration when I finally have to go buy a new pair of shorts in a larger size.
Without sincerely acknowledging where we are, we can’t map out a plan for where we’re going. It would be like trying to give directions to someone who’s gotten lost on the way to a your house without knowing where they are when they call for help. Telling them to head north two blocks and west three blocks won’t get them any closer to us if they’re on the other side of town to begin with, and may, in fact, put them in harm’s way.
Only once we begin to examine our lives with integrity can we find the guidance we need to succeed.
Thought for the day: So, where am I? Where do I want to be going?
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.