Receive what you give

Your life is being edified when you edify others. Even if there were no retributions for your actions, just the pleasure of doing good is a retribution in itself. Your life was made by God and to live according to God. Every time you deviate from that purpose, you and others will suffer. You were made for a good purpose. Don’t waste your life. You have only one.

Curses on those who drive a hard bargain!

   Blessings on all who play fair and square!

27 The one who seeks good finds delight;

   the student of evil becomes evil.

28 A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump;

   a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree.

29 Exploit or abuse your family, and end up with a fistful of air;

   common sense tells you it’s a stupid way to live.

30 A good life is a fruit-bearing tree;

   a violent life destroys souls.

31 If good people barely make it,

   what’s in store for the bad!

(Prov.11:26-31 MSG)

Prayer: Help me to be fair and compassionate, to seek good, and live a God-shaped life. I want to bear fruits that bless others. I want to multiply in others the blessings You have given me. You gave me so much, much more than what I expected, much more than I could humanly handle, I had and still am counting on You to help me manage it, to build other people’s life and to glorify Your name.

Exterior or interior?

Physical beauty and personal charisma is nothing when your heart is empty. You have to work in your inner person. The exterior appearance is temporary and often deceiving. While appearance could, initially, drive some people toward or away from you; long lasting relationships had to do with what you are at the core, your attitudes, your maturity, your real you.

Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout

   is a beautiful face on an empty head.

23 The desires of good people lead straight to the best,

   but wicked ambition ends in angry frustration.

24 The world of the generous gets larger and larger;

   the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.

25 The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed;

   those who help others are helped.

(Prov.11:22-25 MSG)

Prayer: Help me avoid vanity and focus in being generous and bless others abundantly. I want to take the focus from my own self and put it in other people. Let me be unselfish and compassionate. I enjoy that, You enjoy that and others will benefit from that too.

Help yourself or hurt yourself

The present Bible text teaches us of the social impact of our decisions. I am not the only one enjoying or suffering the consequences of my actions. God rewards integrity. Unite yourself with God’s loyal people, the people that seek His wisdom and His life.

When you’re kind to others, you help yourself;

   when you’re cruel to others, you hurt yourself.

18 Bad work gets paid with a bad check;

   good work gets solid pay.

19 Take your stand with God’s loyal community and live,

   or chase after phantoms of evil and die.

20 God can’t stand deceivers,

   but oh how he relishes integrity.

21 Count on this: The wicked won’t get off scot-free,

   and God’s loyal people will triumph.

(Prov.11:17-21 MSG)

Prayer: Help me love others as I love myself. I want to stand in integrity being loyal to You. Help me to understand Your principles and live by them.

To be of great influence

Your way of life affects others. Every decision you make will make you and others enjoy or pay the consequences. You can be a blessing to your city, to your neighborhood, your co-workers, friends and family. It depends on what direction you want your life to go. Open your mind. God wants to guide you. Let Him.

When right-living people bless the city, it flourishes;

   evil talk turns it into a ghost town in no time.

12 Mean-spirited slander is heartless;

   quiet discretion accompanies good sense.

13 A gadabout gossip can’t be trusted with a secret,

   but someone of integrity won’t violate a confidence.

14 Without good direction, people lose their way;

   the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances.

15 Whoever makes deals with strangers is sure to get burned;

   if you keep a cool head, you’ll avoid rash bargains.

16 A woman of gentle grace gets respect,

   but men of rough violence grab for loot.

(Prov.11:11-16 MSG)

Prayer: I want to bless the city, the neighborhood, friends and coworkers. I want the glory of God to affect every person and area where I go. I want to be someone that can be trusted. Help me to listen to wise counsel, to be gentle and graceful. Only you can transform me like that. I worship You my God.

Like a trip

Life is like a trip. It can be enjoyable and smooth or hard and congested regardless of the circumstances we are involved in. God teaches us how to travel well. We shouldn’t ignore His guidance. We should study it and live by it. It makes more sense to obey Him than anything else. “Good character is the best insurance”.

Moral character makes for smooth traveling;

   an evil life is a hard life.

6 Good character is the best insurance;

   crooks get trapped in their sinful lust.

7 When the wicked die, that’s it—

   the story’s over, end of hope.

8 A good person is saved from much trouble;

   a bad person runs straight into it.

9 The loose tongue of the godless spreads destruction;

   the common sense of the godly preserves them.

10 When it goes well for good people, the whole town cheers;

   when it goes badly for bad people, the town celebrates.

(Prov.11:5-10 MSG)

Prayer: Thanks for saving me from much trouble by teaching me a good life. Thanks for common sense. Thanks for good people in my life that guided me with sound counsel and modeling a good life for me.

Life-giving well

Adam and Eve were friends with God until they disobeyed Him. Then they hid from God. They were ashamed of what they recognized as something wrong. To live a transparent and peaceful life you need to be honest and live in the light of God. His ways will give you the wisdom and insight you need. Your mouth can also become a life-giving well if you receive His life in you.

An evasive eye is a sign of trouble ahead,

   but an open, face-to-face meeting results in peace.

11 The mouth of a good person is a deep, life-giving well,

   but the mouth of the wicked is a dark cave of abuse.

12 Hatred starts fights,

   but love pulls a quilt over the bickering.

13 You’ll find wisdom on the lips of a person of insight,

   but the shortsighted needs a slap in the face.

14 The wise accumulate knowledge—a true treasure;

   know-it-alls talk too much—a sheer waste.

(Prov.10:10-14 MSG)

Prayer: I want to be transparent, to have nothing in need to be hidden. Give me a mouth that is like a life-giving well. A treasure of wisdom and insight to give away generously.

The wise and the shifty

According to today’s text, If you are wise you are not sluggard. you use every opportunity to prepare yourself for the future. You are good and honest. You are humble and take orders. You live confident and peaceful. Your life is a blessing to others.

In the other hand, if you are shifty you are wicked, and make stupid decisions “go fishing during harvest”. You use abusive worth. You don’t contribute much to others and leave a bad smell in life. Your actions will finally catch you.

Make hay while the sun shines—that’s smart;

   go fishing during harvest—that’s stupid.

6 Blessings accrue on a good and honest life,

   but the mouth of the wicked is a dark cave of abuse.

7 A good and honest life is a blessed memorial;

   a wicked life leaves a rotten stench.

8 A wise heart takes orders;

   an empty head will come unglued.

9 Honesty lives confident and carefree,

   but Shifty is sure to be exposed.

(Prov.10:5-9 MSG)

Prayer: Help me, God, to make a good use of every opportunity You put in front of me. Help me to be wise and prepare myself for the future. Help me to build with honesty, humility and wisdom. I want You to be involved in every step I take. I love You. You are my God.

Cheating

In the busyness of an African marketplace, a woman sold me some cookies and while I was walking away I recounted my money to realize that she gave me more change than she should. She made a mistake to her disadvantage. After I gave her money back I heard her commenting to a friend: “it is good to be white”. I felt good for doing the right thing, but, sad because she got it totally wrong. It looks like she didn’t know enough corrupted white people. Honesty has nothing to do with race, it has all to do with God’s influence in your life. My natural tendency would have been to enjoy the extra money and to think only on my own benefit. But God don’t allow me to be happy while abusing or taking advantage of others. He allows me to be happy doing the right thing.

God hates cheating in the marketplace;

   he loves it when business is aboveboard.

2 The stuck-up fall flat on their faces,

   but down-to-earth people stand firm.

3 The integrity of the honest keeps them on track;

   the deviousness of crooks brings them to ruin.

4 A thick bankroll is no help when life falls apart,

   but a principled life can stand up to the worst.

(Prov.11:1-4 MSG)

Prayer: Thanks for showing me the beauty of an honest and principled life. I wouldn’t get there by myself. I am naturally selfish I tend to make things worse when on my own. But Your presence makes all the difference. My life is a testimony of the truth of Your word.

Fear of God.

Unlike most fears that paralyzes you, the Fear-of-God enables you to live a better life, it protects you from evil. It helps you to think more clearly, make decisions that makes more sense. It protects you from enslaving sinful tendencies. 

What makes all the difference is God himself. Because of His eternal wisdom, unlimited power and love. Because He never changes His criteria, He is faithful, He is not in chaos nor inconsistent, He is somebody you can trust 100%. The Fear-of-God builds you up, makes you mature and healthy. It is the beginning of real wisdom.

The Fear-of-God expands your life;

   a wicked life is a puny life.

28 The aspirations of good people end in celebration;

   the ambitions of bad people crash.

29 God is solid backing to a well-lived life,

   but he calls into question a shabby performance.

30 Good people last—they can’t be moved;

   the wicked are here today, gone tomorrow.

31 A good person’s mouth is a clear fountain of wisdom;

   a foul mouth is a stagnant swamp.

32 The speech of a good person clears the air;

   the words of the wicked pollute it.

(Prov.10:27-32 MSG)

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for allowing me to experience the Fear-of-God. My life is so much better now. I was able to understand things I would never grasp without the Fear-of-God. I can celebrate now, see it as a well-lived life, You helped me to endure, You gave me peace in the worst of situations. You gave me wisdom I would never consider my own. I am eternally grateful.

Firm on rock foundation

“Nothing we do can improve on God”- what a simple declaration, but how full of meaning. Many times you consider God’s presence in your lives as “one more thing” you need, how foolish! Of course, there are many good things you can do, but nothing is worth it without God’s presence, guidance and blessing. God’s presence in your life makes all the difference. He deserves nothing less than the first place in your life.  

God’s blessing makes life rich;

   nothing we do can improve on God.

23 An empty-head thinks mischief is fun,

   but a mindful person relishes wisdom.

24 The nightmares of the wicked come true;

   what the good people desire, they get.

25 When the storm is over, there’s nothing left of the wicked;

   good people, firm on their rock foundation, aren’t even fazed.

26 A lazy employee will give you nothing but trouble;

   it’s vinegar in the mouth, smoke in the eyes.

(Prov.10:22-26 MSG)

Prayer: Free me from know-it-all mentality. I don’t want to be blinded by self-centered stubbornness. I want to depend on Your wisdom for all my decisions. Let me seek a strong foundation, mindfulness, good desires, Your blessings and wisdom in everything I do.

To be rich

Material wealth is a metaphor of the spiritual world. A good person is investing toward a meaningful life. An evil person only has sin which is like poverty in the material world. For material wealth you have to discipline yourself, have a long vision, and work toward your goal. It is the same for your spiritual maturity, you need to discipline yourself, take in correction, measure your words, so when you open your mouth it will worth listen to you. Material wealth last only a few years, but Spiritual wealth endures for eternity.

The wealth of the rich is their bastion;

   the poverty of the indigent is their ruin.

16 The wage of a good person is exuberant life;

   an evil person ends up with nothing but sin.

17 The road to life is a disciplined life;

   ignore correction and you’re lost for good.

18 Liars secretly hoard hatred;

   fools openly spread slander.

19 The more talk, the less truth;

   the wise measure their words.

20 The speech of a good person is worth waiting for;

   the blabber of the wicked is worthless.

21 The talk of a good person is rich fare for many,

   but chatterboxes die of an empty heart.

(Prov.10:15-21 MSG)

Prayer: You are my treasure. You are my God. When I found You I got everything I needed. But now I need to grow, to mature, help me God. Help me to discipline myself, to conform to Your image. To become more and more like You. To be able to honor and praise You with my life.

Are you teachable?

One the biggest barriers to acquire wisdom is thinking that you already have enough wisdom, that you-know-it-all, that you don’t need anybody to teach you anything. The worst blindness is when you don’t want to see. The weight of maintaining a mask on you is heavy. You need freedom. You need transformation. Being honest is a start. Then you open yourself, you receive a good heart from God, you become teachable, able to grow and bless others; able to built instead of destroy.

A wise heart takes orders; an empty head will come unglued. Honesty lives confident and carefree, but Shifty is sure to be exposed. An evasive eye is a sign of trouble ahead, but an open, face-to-face meeting results in peace. The mouth of a good person is a deep, life-giving well, but the mouth of the wicked is a dark cave of abuse. Hatred starts fights, but love pulls a quilt over the bickering. You’ll find wisdom on the lips of a person of insight, but the shortsighted needs a slap in the face. The wise accumulate knowledge—a true treasure; know-it-alls talk too much—a sheer waste.

(Proverbs 10:8-14 MSG)

Prayer: Let me take orders. I want to be teachable. I don't want to be stubborn and blind. Let me be honest, not evasive or false. Let my mouth become a life-giving well to build up and not to destroy or discourage people around me. Let me acquire wisdom and insight. Help me to be quiet, to listen and not to pretend that I-know-it-all. Oh Lord, I still need to learn a lot! Give me a teachable heart.

Good and honest

Everybody desires a good and honest life, at least at some moments of reflection. Then you get distracted, seduced, out of focus; and you find yourself busy, building and doing everything but a good and honest life. There is a big need for wisdom, God’s wisdom. Without it you will not get the good and honest life you would like to have. God is ready to give it to you. You just need to open up to Him. You need to obey and receive what He has in store for You. Watch for opportunities as He lies them in front of you, and watch your mouth from which can flow blessings or abuse as you choose. Good and honest life is not just a result of your own making, it is the result of leting God intervene in your life.

Wise son, glad father;

   stupid son, sad mother.

2 Ill-gotten gain gets you nowhere;

   an honest life is immortal.

3 God won’t starve an honest soul,

   but he frustrates the appetites of the wicked.

4 Sloth makes you poor;

   diligence brings wealth.

5 Make hay while the sun shines—that’s smart;

   go fishing during harvest—that’s stupid.

6 Blessings accrue on a good and honest life,

   but the mouth of the wicked is a dark cave of abuse.

7 A good and honest life is a blessed memorial;

   a wicked life leaves a rotten stench.

(Prov.10:1-7 MSG)

Prayer: Thanks for Your blessing. Help me to live a good and honest life. My heart is open to You and You alone. Waiting, hoping, envisioning, preparing for obedience. I know Your ways are the best ways. I want to internalize them, make it my own, obey them and enjoy them. I love You my God.