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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion Sunday, February 22, 2004 Pillars of Wisdom |
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Frontline Devotion for
Sunday, February 22, 2004, by Don Kress
Text for the Day: Proverbs
22
Today is another “writer’s choice” day, for which there is no assigned text and
the writer gets to select a personal favorite. I’ve elected to focus this
devotion on the book of Proverbs. I have, however, selected a particular
chapter, and I’ll explain the reason for that a bit further into this lesson.
Imagine being able to sit in an intimate meeting with one of the wisest, richest
men in history and learn his secrets of success! That’s what the book of
Proverbs allows us to do. In Proverbs, Solomon, the pinnacle of Israel’s wise
men and the book’s principal contributor, uses a combination of poetry,
parables, short stories and wise maxims to provide the common sense and divine
perspective necessary for God’s people in handling the issues of everyday life.
Although the world has changed immensely since Solomon’s time, human nature
has changed very little if at all. Solomon’s observations and counsel are as
pertinent and useful today as they were when they were written almost
three-thousand years ago.
The key word in Proverbs is “wisdom.” Hebrew writings called Proverbs “Sepher
Hokhmah,” the “Book of Wisdom.”
Selwyn Hughes, a Welsh theologian who writes
and speaks extensively on aspects of Christian life dealing with marriage,
relationships, and personal development, has identified in Proverbs “seven
pillars of wisdom – essential components of the Judeo-Christian faith upon which
our whole system of beliefs stands.” Hughes’ pillars are: trust, integrity,
generosity, diligence, watchfulness with words, friendship, and personal purity.
As you read through the book of Proverbs, see how many of Solomon’s pearls of
wisdom fall into one of these seven dominant themes. As you handle the issues
of everyday living, how many of these pillars of wisdom do you put into daily
practice?
I’ve chosen chapter 22 as today’s text because today is the twenty-second day of
the month. Have you ever picked up your Bible with the thought of spending some
time reading scripture, but not having any idea about what passage to read? May
I suggest that when this happens to you, you pick the chapter in Proverbs that
corresponds to that day of the month? Since there are 31 chapters in Proverbs,
it’s a perfect match with the calendar. And, no matter how many times I read
any given chapter of Proverbs, I always discover some new insight.
When I read chapter 22 recently, I was drawn to verse 11, which led me to
contemplate the pillar of friendship. Several years ago a Christian magazine
offered a prize for the best definition of friendship. Of the thousands of
entries submitted, the first prize winner was this: “A friend is the one who
comes in when the whole world has gone out.” Having recently been hospitalized
and recovering from a severe bout with pneumonia, I have been humbled by the
prayers, visits, phone calls, cards, emails, and deliveries of flowers,
balloons, gift baskets, and food that have been showered upon me by friends –
some expected and some unexpected. As I’ve contemplated these overwhelming
outpourings of friendship, I’ve developed a better understanding of the nature
of friendship, and I’ve thought about the opportunities to express friendship to
another that I’ve let go by. I’ve also gained better insight into the nature of
the perfect friendship we experience with our Savior. What a friend we have in
Jesus! Yes, friendship certainly is one of the pillars that help us handle the
issues of everyday life!!
Prayer: Father, help me to use the book of Proverbs to gain divine wisdom.
As I meditate on its pillars of wisdom, may Your Holy Spirit guide me in
incorporating these principles into my daily practice. Lord Jesus, thank You
for friends, and thank You for being my best friend. Teach me that being a
friend is more important than having a friend. This I ask in Your precious
Name. Amen.
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