Family Foundations.

THE BOOK OF PROVERBS: MAY 2020 DEVOTION

An intricate analysis.

Shalom Family,
Thanks for accepting the call to corporately study and share. We will be doing one chapter a day. I encourage as many as can, to read, study, meditate and share a thought/s from your devotion. May the Lord bless our devotions. Key Verse: Proverbs 1:7 The [reverent] fear of the LORD [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of knowledge [its starting point and its essence]; But arrogant fools despise [skillful and godly] wisdom and instruction and self-discipline.

Proverbs 18

Day 18 .
Mon May 18 2020 23:59:59 GMT+0300 (East Africa Time)

Overview

Verses: 24
Theme: Various Wise Sayings
Wise sayings around Friendliness, brotherhood, Speech, wealth and riches, etc. Wisdom for daily living that each and everyone of us encounters.
Highlights
✅ Verse 1 The NKJV version use the phrase A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire...
We have commended many for loving their own company🙃. We even admire them. But there is a limit. Each may have a unique journey in life but your journey will always need the input of another person or other select people. We are products of a man and a woman. We go to school to encounter teachers who give us knowledge. God has raised some to be apostles, teachers, prophets etc for the purpose of equipping the saints. You will always need someone in your life journey 🙏. Selah.
✅ Verse 6 Sometimes we get caught up in expressing our view/s. Sometimes it does not end well🙆‍♂️.
Your mouth becomes a vessel for releasing “blows.” No medal is reserved for anyone who wins an argument except the medal of an inflated ego.😟
✅ Verse 9 Laziness. The NKJV bible uses the word slothful. T
he synonyms include idle, sluggish, inactive, lethargic, indolent etc. Sometimes it seems you are doing something but the speed and skilful application remains wanting. God equates the slothful to the destroyer. It is like 2 people going into a construction site with two incomplete towers that require finishing. If one is pulling down one tower and another is slugging away on the other end, both are considered destroyers. Lord, deliver us from laziness.
✅ Verse 10 This verse is very apt in this season. A
pandemic is on our doorsteps, bringing with it anxiety and worry as a result of looming or already executed job losses, pay cuts and businesses shut. This is the time to look for the tower that offers safety. And it is the name of the Lord. Amen.
✅ Verse 14 Research has shown that a great portion of people who recovery well from sicknesses or tragedies are those that maintain a hopeful spirit! Let hope abide even in this season.
✅ Verse 17 As a marriage counsellor, I have learnt, painfully so in my formative years of doing marriage ministry, that never ever listen to one side. More so, the one who shows up first. Even when people breakup, there is need to exercise wisdom to never listen to one side. Always listen to both sides. Always.
✅ Verse 19 I need to confess that I have lost some relationships. I have lost some brothers in the faith. And I have made an attempt to make peace with some. It is never easy. The writer of this proverb avers that winning an offended brother is harder than taking on a strong city. On the converse, offense is a toxic tool. It keep bringing down relationships and established "cedars" against needful reconciliation.
Review:
Who were your friends 5 years ago? Who are your friends now? What happened to those who fell off? What was your role in the fall off? Are you about to lose some now? What is your role? Is it possible that we are not showing ourselves friendly in some relationships? Are we intentionally developing interpersonal skills?
Selah and Shalom. ✅ Verse 24 This verse summarizes the review of verse 19!

Commentaries

Pauline Karani: Proverbs 18

It is not right to acquit the guilty or deny justice to the innocent.
Pro.18.5.NLT
This verse so speaks volumes to me especially labour the situations going on in our country. May I practice justice and I pray that the LORD changes the judicial system and those working therein to be fair. My hear bleeds for the innocent judged wrongly and the poor who are denied justice
A lazy person is as bad as someone who destroys things. Proverbs 18:9 NLT
Wah this verse simply says it all....
The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense; they imagine it to be a high wall of safety. Proverbs 18:11 NLT This verse reminds me of the times we live in. Being blessed with wealth doesn't make someone invincible! Behind those walls are pain, sorrow, loneliness just like everyone feels. And some may become selfish, greedy, inhuman, conceited etc. Someone may have wealth but still needs a Saviour.
I may add that the rich forget where their wrath came from. Selah. . . We pray for our judiciary.
Ps. Closer home, how do we treat our domestic workers. Have heard people who denied their house helps salaries on flimsy grounds, including suspicion for stealing. . 🤷‍♂️

Ciruu Kiniti: Proverbs 18

It's really enjoyable how the book of Proverbs are connected and building up chapter to chapter.
Fools: yesterday's verse 12 has really demonstrated the challenges faced by fools...if you see V.2 today it shows an individual who is conceited and full of himself.
V 6. In CEV talks of foolish talk... I tried imagining how that looks like and I am pretty sure I've engaged in it and how in V8. Such talk is setting myself up for destruction.
V8. Wamama na sharing...😁😁 That whispering there is being referred to as gossip...but we never ever gossip we share 🙈. I have now trained myself to only say something that I'd be willing to repeat in the other person's presence and even so if it's something negative I will try keep off such topics.
V13. My brain runs very very fast...I am those kind of people if you come talk to me with an issue I've thought of a solution in the first 5 minutes. But I realized that's not helpful to people. Especially when sometimes someone just wants to be heard. So I am nowadays consciously being intentional of conversation or even non verbal communication.
Lastly I believe there's a man out there missing out on obtaining a good thing and favour from God. May his eyes👀👀 be opened Fast 😁

Valerie :Proverbs 18

V2. Seek to be understand before being understood. Dont waste time with people whose main aim is to win an arguement with their opinions rather than try to seek understanding. This especially on social media where someone updates controversial messages so as to get people to like and react and not to understand. Sometimes back I loved having opinion over everything and not to be contradicted. God has been working on me on that such that these days I seek to understand and dig deeper into something before airing my opinion. It has also saved me time from unnecessary arguments that ends up wearing out your mind, Body and emotions.
V24. It's not about the quantity of relationships one has but the quality. It's very hard to keep up many rlrnships especially when theres no distinction between friends and acquaintances. It's very costly and tasking emotionally, financially and also with time. The bdays, bridal showers, babyshowers, baby gender reveal, home visits, night dinners, secret santas, photoshoots, weekend getaway etc and you are in like 4 groups of different friends. You rarely find time for yourself. Financially it's such a constraint and somehow you never really have meaningful relationships on a personal level. This I pray God helps me work on because I have found myself in debts that were so unnecessary and failed people who really needed me trying to keep up with everyone else.

Joyce Obed Proverbs 18

Thanks all for the Proverbs 18 exposition. My life is challenged to apply these practically.
Val... Talk of quantity of relationships.. I really understand.
God helped me to come out of always trying to please people. I just love them and true love entails being candid with them e.g I can't make it, I won't manage to financially support etc. I have enjoyed so much peace. I have come to also reconcile, not all will be my friends for life,, others are acquitances, others come for a season, others are for a purpose. So learning to manage my expectations so that I am not over excited or hurt or even hurt them by expecting too much My key learning point
Proverbs 18:12
Before disaster, the heart of a man is haughty and filled with self-importance: But humility comes before honor.
I have noted that pride and self importance is so subtle that sometimes you see others as proud kumbe you are the one who is proud..<
Been doing some self examination lately on a number of aspects and this being one of the areas. I have seen, this spirit manifests itself in:
1. Disobedience to God's word, guidance and convictions. E. G wake up and pray. No, God you understand I am tired.
2. Negatively criticizing others even when the Holy Spirit has not told you to do so.
3. Judging others after the flesh
4. New age expressions. I have come this far because I did, this. So here are the 10 steps to success e.t.c
5. Seeing the wrongs of others all times and not accepting your own.
Selah

Proverbs 17