Daily Encouragement

MAY 11, 2008 - Wisdom Personified

Meditation on Proverbs 8

This chapter reveals the excellence of wisdom. Wisdom is not something to keep in secret. Wisdom wants to share. From verse 22-36, Wisdom is personified. Wisdom has been established from everlasting.(v.23) The eternal wisdom is in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. (I Cor 1:30) The following passage tells us that the Lord Jesus (wisdom) was involved in the creation of the heaven and the world. The Son and the Father rejoiced with each other among the Trinity.(v.30) Those who listen to the Lord Jesus will be blessed and find life. (v.32-35)

Those who hate Him love death.

May you all have Wisdom who gives you true wisdom.

MAY 12, 2008 - The Contrast Between Wisdom And Folly

Meditation on proverbs 9

This chapter brings out the contrast between godly wisdom (v.1-6) and the way of folly (v.13-18). In between, we can learn the practical way to deal with the wise and the fool. (v.7-9) Also we learn about the benefits of wisdom. (v.10-12)

Verse 10 is often quoted by many. It says that "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight." (ESV) The first step of learning true wisdom is to have a reverencing awe of God by submitting to Him. I like the Chinese translation of the later part of this verse: To know the most Holy One is smart.

One scholar has pointed out that "to fear the LORD" is similar to receiving Christ Jesus as one's Lord and Savor in the New Testament.

It is the most important and wisest thing in our lives. For Jesus is the only true Lord due to the fact that He was raised from the dead. By submitting totally your life to Him you will be saved from sin and eternal separation from God. (Romans 10:9)

When you have Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savor, you enter into the wise way of life.

MAY 13, 2008 - The Discipline For A Careless Heart

Meditation on Proverbs 10

Beginning from this chapter, King Solomon seemed to give words of wisdom in a way that does not seem to be in any order generally speaking. But they are just as important as the other Words. Each verse deserves our thorough meditation and application in our lives.

Today let us just think over verse 13: "On the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks understanding."(NASB) It is easy to understand the first part of the verse. But the word, "rod" in the second part of the verse needs further examination. Some of us apply this sentence to the discipline of children at home and link this verse with Proverbs 13:24, "He who withholds his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently." The Hebrew word of "rod" for these two verses is "shebet". It can mean a scepter. It denotes authority. It is also the same word used in Psalm 23:4, "Your rod and your staff, they comfort me."

Therefore when a parent disciplines a child, he or she needs to do it authoritatively. And the rod can rather be a mean for comfort to the child because it offers correction and security in knowing that the parent cares. If the rod is used simply to create a strong pain for the child, it may not convey the sense of comforting and caring at all. The word for understanding at the end of verse 13 literally means "heart" in Hebrew. He who lacks the heart needs discipline. A normal child who is always careless and thoughtless deserves strong rebuke and a firm pat on the back that he must correct his attitude before it is too late.

Sometimes God does this for His children too. We may sense it.

MAY 14, 2008 - Fruitful Reward

Meditation on Proverbs 11: 30-31, "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise wins souls. If the righteous will be rewarded in the earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner!" (NASB)

Combining verse 30 with the understanding of the New Testament, those who have received the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ will proceed from Him an internal impulse to produce fruit.

The fruit is the tree of life. That means their words and actions exert a quickening, refreshing, happy influence upon others. (Commentary by Keil-Delitzsch) Through these means, the wise and the righteous come together and become the winners of souls. Or put in Jesus’s language they become fishers of men. Jesus is able to help you to pass on your influence upon others so they can also receive life from Him. Are you wise enough to cooperate with Him?

Throughout Proverbs 11, we find many different rewards for the righteous. These promises are that they will be rewarded on earth. Since this is a fact, we can deduce that the wicked men will receive their shameful punishment too.

MAY 15, 2008 - Controlling Our Tongue

Meditation on Proverbs 12

In this chapter of twenty eight verses, there are eleven verses that have to do with our tongue. Our words can help others greatly or hurt them terribly. Our words can also bring damage or blessings to ourselves.

There were times I wished I didn't say what I said and there were times I wished I can say something to comfort my friend or to avert a terrible situation.

A Chinese proverb says that one sentence can make the country prosper or destroy a nation. I wish many of our pundits or commentators today would not use filthy and hateful words to put down others purposely. We may express our deep dissatisfaction momentary. But we are not going to create harmony, healing, joy, salvation, and a listening ear as the wise man said in the proverbs.

May we pray today that God will cleanse our lips and give all of us a wise tongue.

MAY 16, 2008 - Saving

Meditation on Proverbs 13:22, "A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children and the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous." (NASB)

Solomon must have been taught by his father, King David that "The earth is the LORD'S and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it." If God has the final control of all the wealth and riches in our world, then He can dictate from His sovereign will who gets to keep which part of it.

Therefore Solomon said that in God's providence, a good man can transmit what he saves to his posterity. But a sinner's wealth is held in store for the righteous instead. This is further explained in Ecclesiastes 2:26, "For to a person who is good in His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that He may give to one who is good in God's sight...."

No matter how hard you are saving today, you cannot be sure your children will get it unless you are good in God's eyes. And no matter how little money you have kept, God has stored something for you who are righteous in His sight.

MAY 17, 2008 - Who Are You Close To?

Meditation on Proverbs 14:6-7, "The mocker seeks wisdom and find none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning. Stay away from a foolish man, for you will not find knowledge in his lips." (NIV)

The wise man says that a mocker or a scoffer can't get wisdom, thought he seeks it. A person's attitude manifested through his expression can tell you whether he will be a godly person or not. We are admonished to stay away from a person who mocks and thinks there is no God (Psalm 14:1). When we use discernment in choosing our close friends, we will get the result of learning more in life. Good knowledge will come easily through those who love the Lord and His Word.

That does not mean that we should not reach out to people and make friends for Christ's sake. But it does mean that we need to evaluate who are we closely associated with and for what purpose.