Daily Devotional for January 20, 2016

Proverbs 2:1-8
Good friend, take to heart what I’m telling you;
    collect my counsels and guard them with your life.
Tune your ears to the world of Wisdom;
    set your heart on a life of Understanding.
That’s right—if you make Insight your priority,
    and won’t take no for an answer,
Searching for it like a prospector panning for gold,
    like an adventurer on a treasure hunt,
Believe me, before you know it Fear-of-God will be yours;
    you’ll have come upon the Knowledge of God.
And here’s why: God gives out Wisdom free,
    is plainspoken in Knowledge and Understanding.
He’s a rich mine of Common Sense for those who live well,
    a personal bodyguard to the candid and sincere.
He keeps his eye on all who live honestly,
    and pays special attention to his loyally committed ones.

Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.  Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO.  All rights reserved.
   
I asked my mother’s good friend, Thérèse, to speak at her funeral service.  She is not only an excellent speaker…but as she told me, “I know your mother’s heart.”  She was able to share several stories that ran the gamut of descriptions, from hilarious to heartfelt to insightful.  And one of the latter was about a time that Mother encouraged Thérèse to attend a writing workshop with her in Memphis.  The workshop was about how to write children’s books.

Thérèse explained to Mother that she had never written a book for children – and she really didn’t have any desire to do so.  Mother insisted, “You love books, and children…and you might just have a children’s book in you…so come along anyway.”  Thérèse went with Mother, and she was the only unpublished author in the class. So far, no children’s book has been produced!  But Thérèse made the point that my mother saw something in her…an untapped potential.  She had wisdom and insight...and even though Thérèse has not written a book for children, she indicated that the trip was worthwhile on many levels.

Thérèse noted in her talk that my mother was always interested in others.  As we talked with Mother’s pastor prior to her funeral service, Mother’s husband talked of how she spent a large portion of each day writing cards and notes of encouragement…sending e-mail messages and making telephone calls to check on other people.  She offered care and concern - but also candid and sincere advice.  And because of her Godly wisdom and knowledge, many sought her counsel and company.

I am not suggesting that we all start finding time to write notes, make phone calls and counsel others. This was my mother’s “gift”…her “calling” from God in this season of her life.  But I am proposing that we seek God’s wisdom and understanding…that we make insight – into what He is telling us AND the hearts of others – a top priority.

If we pay attention to what God is showing us…if we listen for His voice and follow His directives…we will have His favor.  If we live honestly and think of others as much as – or more than - we think of ourselves, God will reward us with insight, peace, comfort and confidence that we are on the right track.  We probably won’t take up writing…much less the authorship of books for children…but we might just gain a whole lot more in the bargain.  Isn’t finding out worth the effort?

©2016 Debbie Robus