Day 185

2 Kings 23:31-25:30; Acts 22:17-23:10; Psalm 2:1-12; Proverb 18:13

Wisdom and Understanding

If you are anything like me, then these passages hit home quickly. As I think about how sometimes I don’t truly listen to my wife before I blurt out my thought, I find myself looking like a jerk for not considering her point of view or needs. (A majority of the time, she is right.) I look at the news of today, and I want to quickly respond with my opinion, sometimes even before all the facts are available. Do we find ourselves truly listening to people? Do we find ourselves able to be objective and not subjective? How does our lack of respect and inflated self-worth affect our witness?

Look back to Proverbs 18:2 and the Bible says, “A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion” (ESV). The writer of Proverbs 18 obviously wanted us to know the dangers of not listening before speaking and how our words can lead to our ruin.

My favorite example of someone taking a moment before speaking/reacting is Jesus in John 8:2-11. Read the passage and think about how Jesus takes a moment, a moment that shows His wisdom and understanding, before He speaks a simple phrase that carries such magnitude. How loved are we that Jesus takes these moments with us as well! Take a moment before you speak and see how God uses your words for His glory!

Jordan Stevenson

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