Devotional Day 13

Here are two in one day, crazy right?? Both in Proverbs 27, which is an amazing chapter in the Bible.

#1 - Proverbs 27:6

Beware of a person who only says good things to you. We are all suckers for "yes men." It feels great to have people around us who are constantly telling is how wonderful we are, how beautiful, how clever, how unique. But be warned. If this is all you are hearing from your friends, you have a problem. Not one of us is perfect, flawless, in need of no correction. We would like to think so sometimes, but it simply isn't so. And we need to have friends who will sometimes give it to us straight. It will hurt, there is no doubt about that. But a wound from a friend who loves you, a friend who knows that you need to endure a little pain and blood to get rid of that festering splinter in your soul, is better than a thousand kisses from someone who doesn't care enough about you to bother. Which do you want: a quick scalpel of love, leading to healing, or a "kiss to make it better" that leaves the problem, just waiting for worse trouble later on?

How can you help your friends deal with their problems in a way that shows that you are doing it out of love? How can you make sure that you are actually motivated by love, and not selfishness?

#2 - Proverbs 27:17

There is almost nothing more annoying (or dangerous) than a dull tool. It is when we are hacking away at something with a dull knife that we are most likely to cut ourselves. It really isn't difficult to keep tools sharp. The problem we have is that we tend to get careless and lazy. We just don't bother with anything else, right? Did you ever think about the fact that your spirit and intellect are a lot like a tool with a sharp blade? We can grow dull, and therefore, useless or dangerous in the same way that a tool can. And we are often too careless or lazy to do anything about it. That is where friends come in. God has told us that we can sharpen each other, in the same way that iron can sharpen iron. If we gather friends who are interested in pursuing God, and if we are interested in the same thing, we will sharpen each other spiritually and intellectually. One will say, "I learned this great thing, let me share it with you." Another says, "I think your position is missing something. Have you thought about this?" We learn from each other, and hone one another's blades. We can become shining, sharp, and useful tools for our Master.

Where do you fell dull today? How can you be sharpened in this area?

Devotional Day 12

Proverbs 27:9

Friendship isn't just for the joyride, for surface fun and keeping everything smooth and shiny. Friendship has a purpose. A real friendship is characterized by a spirit of helpfulness, in which each person seeks to do good to the other. Did you take in this verse? The pleasantness of friends" doesn't come from just "being nice" and not making any waves, or bringing up unpleasant subjects. No. It comes from earnest counsel. That means talking about real issues, and doing life deeply. That means a real friend is one that will talk to you about what really matters. Think about your favorite smell, whether it is roses on a hot summer day, or bread baking, or new car upholstery, or fresh rain, or the lotion your mother used. Think about the "joy of the heart" that those scents bring. Do you have a friend whose earnest counsel brings joy to your heart?

Who are your "pleasant" friends? Remember to pray for them, and encourage them, as they encourage you.