My Daily Pause

Gossip hurts a lot

Gossips can’t keep secrets,
so avoid people who talk too much. – Proverbs 20:19 NCV

This was Paul’s advice as well (Ephesians 4:29-31).

When we work to avoid being the source of chatter, gossip, idle talk, we avoid leading others astray.

Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
– Proverbs 19:11

Solomon must have been thinking of his father when he wrote this. No matter how much Saul chased him, David said he would not attack God’s anointed.

Godly people do not carry a chip on their shoulder nor do they take insults and injustices to heart.

James advised Christians to be slow to speak, slow to anger because the anger of man does not produce godly righteousness. (James 1:19-20)

Disaster pursues sinners, but the righteous are rewarded with good.
– Proverbs 13:21

At first glance, this passage does very little to comfort the faithful Christian when they are amid life’s challenges. And what about the unrepentant sinners enjoying celebrity status on TV?

A study of Job reveals life isn’t as black and white as this proverb leads us to believe. A righteously lived life will have some bad events and a sinner’s life will have good events.

Maybe the trick is to remember what the divine author has in mind for us. (James 5:7)

Spend time with the wise and you will become wise, but the friends of fools will
suffer. – Proverbs 13:20 NCV

Financial books teach that one’s wealth settles in to within 20% of his five closest friends. Business books teach us the same thing about how influential we can be.

What if we applied Solomon’s words to our spirituality?

Whether we do it on purpose or not, the company we keep affects our relationship with God.

Also see 1 Corinthians 15:33

The ESV version of Hebrews 11:6 says God “rewards those who seek him.”

It was rendered as “diligently seek him” in the KJV. (Hebrews 11:6 KJV)

But if you look up the word in Strong’s, (g1567) it also suggests the word “Demand” as part of the definition.

What would change if we were to demand to know more about God rather than merely seek him?