September 3 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading:

Proverbs 18:1-13

¹Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.
²A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.
³When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach.
⁴The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.
⁵It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.
⁶A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.
⁷A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.
⁸The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
⁹He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.
¹⁰The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
¹¹The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.
¹²Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.
¹³He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.

Devotional:

Sometimes we act as though communication is something that has only recently been discovered! Communication is said to be the great need in personal relationships. There is a stress upon the need to listen, to find out what makes the other person tick. We are urged really to get to know one another, and to be willing to express our own needs to others through our words and our actions.

It is surely true that this is a great need. It is surely true that a lack of adequate communication causes many of our interpersonal problems.

However, the value of good communication is not something that has recently been discovered! All the Scriptures stress it. We saw it in Genesis. Now we see it in the Book of Proverbs. In this brief section alone note the emphasis upon proper and adequate communication.

A foolish person does not want to understand. He only wants to speak his own mind. He fails to listen because he is too busy talking about his own concerns or thinking what he is to say next! He says things that stir up anger. His tongue causes much trouble. In fact, it brings about his own destruction. The words of a whisperer are taken in and stored away deep inside men's minds and consciences. It is folly to give an answer before one hears!

In training children, the use of the Book of Proverbs is highly beneficial. It is dangerous for the parent to present his own ideas as truth. To be able to point to objective truth, God's truth, and to teach God's very words is wonderful. How helpful it is for a child to grow up with the Proverbs in his heart! Much trouble would be avoided if men learned this wisdom: 'He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him' (18:13), or 'A fool does not delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own mind' (18:2, NASB).