November 20
PROVERBS 19
6 Many seek the favor of a generous man,
and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts.
7 All a poor man’s brothers hate him;
how much more do his friends go far from him!
He pursues them with words, but does not have them.
8 Whoever gets sense loves his own soul;
he who keeps understanding will discover good.
9 A false witness will not go unpunished,
and he who breathes out lies will perish.
10 It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury,
much less for a slave to rule over princes.
– Proverbs 19:6-10
PROVERBS 19 THE WISE GETS TO THE HEART OF THINGS
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
Those who are wise are able to seek deeper things in life
They are not shallow and easily deceived by lies
The righteous man is hungry for truth and seeks wisdom
They pursue to understand so they can live in freedom
Whoever digs deeper into the word of the Lord
They will find good and be able to overcome the world.
In verse 8, Solomon points out the importance of seeking wisdom and getting into the heart of things. He says that when we do this, we manifest love for our own self. When we take for granted all the gifts that God has given us, we are not able to see our full potential. When we just seek knowledge for the sake of acquiring it without knowing what we are made of and why we are here in this world, it is no good for us. But if we take to heart what the will of God is, we will benefit from it because we will be able to use all our gifts for his plan and purpose for us. Some people just do things out of habit or automated responses. They do not seek and examine their hearts and therefore live meaningless or shallow lives.
REFLECTION
• Why is it important to get to the heart of things?
