Proverbs 16
I would offer that the word love is not a verb, it is a noun. It is not a thing you do. It is the light that you are made of and what you were created to be.
Doing it God’s Way
1 We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer.
2 People may be pure in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their motives.
3 Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.
4 The Lord has made everything for his own purposes, even the wicked for a day of disaster.
5 The Lord detests the proud; they will surely be punished.
6 Unfailing love and faithfulness make atonement for sin. By fearing the Lord, people avoid evil.
7 When people’s lives please the Lord, even their enemies are at peace with them.
8 Better to have little, with godliness, than to be rich and dishonest.
9 We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.
10 The king speaks with divine wisdom; he must never judge unfairly.
11 The Lord demands accurate scales and balances; he sets the standards for fairness.
12 A king detests wrongdoing, for his rule is built on justice.
13 The king is pleased with words from righteous lips; he loves those who speak honestly.
14 The anger of the king is a deadly threat; the wise will try to appease it.
15 When the king smiles, there is life; his favor refreshes like a spring rain.
16 How much better to get wisdom than gold, and good judgment than silver!
17 The path of the virtuous leads away from evil; whoever follows that path is safe.
18 Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.
19 Better to live humbly with the poor than to share plunder with the proud.
20 Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the Lord will be joyful.
21 The wise are known for their understanding, and pleasant words are persuasive.
22 Discretion is a life-giving fountain to those who possess it, but discipline is wasted on fools.
23 From a wise mind comes wise speech; the words of the wise are persuasive.
24 Kind words are like honey- sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.
25 There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.
26 It is good for workers to have an appetite; an empty stomach drives them on.
27 Scoundrels create trouble; their words are a destructive blaze.
28 A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends.
29 Violent people mislead their companions, leading them down a harmful path.
30 With narrowed eyes, people plot evil; with a smirk, they plan their mischief.
31 Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained by living a godly life.
32 Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city.
33 We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall. (NLT)
insights
Proverbs 16:1
Sometimes you can almost hear God laughing in the background when we begin to run our mouths about all of the great plans we have made. Doing it God’s way is always the best plan, but we have this illusion that we are in control.
This website is a grand example of this concept. For several years I slowly built up my presence on the web to build a little niche health and wellness business to supplement my retirement income someday. As I acquired new skills and software, I kept thinking about how it would benefit my business. Then God tells me by the leading of the Spirit that the internet is my mission field. I think to myself, OK, I can keep God at the forefront of my business and it’s all good.
My plans had not changed, until… one Sunday on my way to church I hear His voice in my head saying One Month of Wisdom, and the concept of this website just filled me up! Needless to say my internet business plans were suddenly in the background, and for weeks, every spare moment was lovingly spent creating this little corner of cyberspace just for Him.
Now, 11 years later I am updating and republishing the second edition. I have received untold joy and blessing from its creation and 2022 makeover, and I pray that those who have come here, will come into a deeper, more personal relationship with Him as I have through this work.
I realize now that the core objective of this ministry is to shine light in this “internet village” by doing it God’s way. God will use those who visit to spread the light further, overtaking much darkness it encounters along the way.
Proverbs 16:8
“To you the earth yields her fruit, and you shall not want if you but know how to fill your hands. It is in exchanging the gifts of the earth that you shall find abundance and be satisfied. Yet unless the exchange be in love and kindly justice, it will but lead some to greed and others to hunger.”
Kahlil Gibran
The Prophet – 1923
Proverbs 16:24
It is not enough to not be cruel. Indifference, disinterest, or not making time to show love can be just as damaging. Our health – body, mind, and spirit, is dependent on the presence of conscious active present love in our lives. It is the lack of love that is at the root of everything that separates us from God, and in the presence of love we we find healing. Doing it God’s way is in a sense intentional love.
lynnibug
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