Today’s scripture: Proverbs 14:1-9 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Julie “Ant” Walsh):
Did you know that those fortune cookies you receive at the end of a Chinese meal did not originate in China? That’s right. Stories vary, but there seems to be a general consensus that they became popular in California, then spread their way throughout the U.S. and on into Britain, Mexico, Italy, and France.
To me, the scripture passages found in the book of Proverbs are a lot like fortune cookies, each imparting some little nugget of wisdom. Sometimes we feel amazed that this “magic cookie” seems to read right on cue. Other times we scratch our heads wondering how it could possibly apply to our lives.
In this set of proverbs, a lot of comparisons are made between the wise and the foolish. The wise are portrayed as upright, strong, thoughtful, knowledgeable, fruitful, protected, and maintain respect or “fear” of the Lord. On the other hand, the foolish are destructive, prideful, deceptive, disregard counsel, lack insight, and deny God.
While it may be helpful to carefully scrutinize this list, I doubt any of us would proclaim to be foolish. We want to be regarded as wise. As followers of Christ, we can acknowledge that we are imperfect people covered by grace; however, as we aspire to become more Christ-like, we can determine which traits of the wise we may not consistently demonstrate.
Today, I invite you to crack one of these fortune cookies open by selecting one of the nine verses that most resonates with you or convicts your spirit. Write it down and tape it to your computer screen, your cell phone case, or your bathroom mirror. Contemplate on these words daily over the next week and ask yourself these questions:
- In what specific ways have I been the fool?
- What will it take to forgive myself of these missteps?
- How would it look to live as a wise person in this particular area?
- What changes will I make today to practice wisdom?
Prayer for the day: God, I want to make wise decisions and live in a consistent Christ-like manner. Help me to reflect on this scripture daily so that I may internalize the lessons and use it as a model practice for living.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.