My Daily Pause

Author: Butch Adams

  • Proverbs 8:1-11 – Wisdom’s Call to Listen

    Proverbs 8:1-11 – Wisdom’s Call to Listen

     1 Wisdom calls to you like someone shouting;
    understanding raises her voice.
    2 On the hilltops along the road
    and at the crossroads, she stands calling.
    3 Beside the city gates,
    at the entrances into the city, she calls out:
    4 “Listen, everyone, I’m calling out to you;
    I am shouting to all people.
    5 You who are uneducated, seek wisdom.
    You who are foolish, get understanding.
    6 Listen, because I have important things to say,
    and what I tell you is right.
    7 What I say is true,
    I refuse to speak evil.
    8 Everything I say is honest;
    nothing I say is crooked or false.
    9 People with good sense know what I say is true;
    and those with knowledge know my words are right.
    10 Choose my teachings instead of silver,
    and knowledge rather than the finest gold.
    11 Wisdom is more precious than rubies.
    Nothing you could want is equal to it. –     Proverbs 8:1-11 NCV

    As you read Proverbs 8 today, listen to the voice of a personified wisdom, especially in these verses. She represents herself in this chapter from two positions: by implying the knowledge of Divine and human things and as an attribute of God displayed in His wonderful creation. Notice too, that she does it loud and without shame demanding all to listen.

  • Proverbs 7:21-23 – Giving In to Temptation

    21 By her clever words she made him give in;
    by her pleasing words she led him into doing wrong.
    22 All at once he followed her,
    like an ox led to the butcher,
    like a deer caught in a trap
    23 and shot through the liver with an arrow.
    Like a bird caught in a trap,
    he didn’t know what he did would kill him.     – Proverbs 7:21-23 NCV

    Proverbs 7 is again a warning to avoid the adulteress. The spiritual desolation this sin leaves is described in these verses.

  • Proverbs 6:1-5 – Cosigning Debts

    Proverbs 6:1-5 – Cosigning Debts

    1 My child, be careful about giving a guarantee for somebody else’s loan,
    about promising to pay what someone else owes.
    2 You might get trapped by what you say;
    you might be caught by your own words.
    3 My child, if you have done this and are under your neighbor’s control,
    here is how to get free.
    Don’t be proud. Go to your neighbor
    and beg to be free from your promise.
    4 Don’t go to sleep
    or even rest your eyes,
    5 but free yourself like a deer running from a hunter,
    like a bird flying away from a trapper.     – Proverbs 6:1-5 NCV

    Among the number of verses about handling money in Proverbs, this bit of advice is the same as every financial planner worth his CFP credentials would give. Never cosign a loan unless you plan to pay it off yourself.

  • Proverbs 5:15-19 – Cherish Marriage

    Proverbs 5:15-19 – Cherish Marriage

    The entire chapter of Proverbs 5 is a warning against adultery. As you your read it you can break it down into the following sub sections:

    • A description of the ungodly woman (Proverbs 5:3-6)
    • Avoid her (Proverbs 5:7-8)
    • What happens to her partners (Proverbs 5:9-14)
    • Cherish love with marriage (Proverbs 5:15-19)
    • A sin against God (Proverbs 5:20-23)

    Of particular beauty is the reminder to live within the bounds of a godly marriage:

    15 Be faithful to your own wife,
    just as you drink water from your own well.
    16 Don’t pour your water in the streets;
    don’t give your love to just any woman.
    17 These things are yours alone
    and shouldn’t be shared with strangers.
    18 Be happy with the wife you married when you were young.
    She gives you joy, as your fountain gives you water.
    19 She is as lovely and graceful as a deer.
    Let her love always make you happy;
    let her love always hold you captive. – Proverbs 5:15-19 NCV

  • Proverbs 2:1-8 – Finding God

     1 My child, listen to what I say 
           and remember what I command you.
     2 Listen carefully to wisdom; 
           set your mind on understanding.
     3 Cry out for wisdom, 
           and beg for understanding.
     4 Search for it like silver, 
           and hunt for it like hidden treasure.
     5 Then you will understand respect for the Lord, 
           and you will find that you know God.
     6 Only the Lord gives wisdom; 
           he gives knowledge and understanding.
     7 He stores up wisdom for those who are honest. 
           Like a shield he protects the innocent.
     8 He makes sure that justice is done, 
           and he protects those who are loyal to him. –      Proverbs 2:1-8 NCV

    Proverbs 2 lists five fruits of wisdom. This first paragraph promises that we will find God in our quest for wisdom.

    Read about the second fruit here

    Read about the third fruit here

    We are expected to search for it in the same way men search for riches. Notice that the Bible teaches that while God makes available what we need, he doesn’t hand it to us. Manna for the Israelites needed to be gathered, the walls of Jericho had to be marched around and salvation is given conditionally (Mark 16:16, Matthew 7:21). In the same way we come to know God through our search for knowledge in the Scriptures.

  • Proverbs 1:1-7 – The Importance of Proverbs

    Proverbs 1:1-7 – The Importance of Proverbs

    1 These are the wise words of Solomon son of David, king of Israel.
    2 They teach wisdom and self-control;
    they will help you understand wise words.
    3 They will teach you how to be wise and self-controlled
    and will teach you to do what is honest and fair and right.
    4 They make the uneducated wise
    and give knowledge and sense to the young.
    5 Wise people can also listen and learn;
    even they can find good advice in these words.
    6 Then anyone can understand wise words and stories,
    the words of the wise and their riddles.

    7 Knowledge begins with respect for the Lord,
    but fools hate wisdom and discipline.

    I learned of an old technique for better living, better business and better relationships that I have been trying to develop into a habit. The technique is to read the chapter of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month and reflect on one or more of the principles given for that day. The idea is that these ageless bits of wisdom can still be used today and will make one a more godly person.

    The opening lines of the book tells us just how important these words are.