17 A man of quick temper acts foolishly,
and a man of evil devices is hated…
29 Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,
but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly. 30 A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh,
but envy makes the bones rot.
REFLECTION:
Some people are born with impatience. This is not a bad thing. God made each of us different from others in order to show his special grace in each of us. The Apostle John was called the “Son of Thunder”. He was a man with strong personality and short temper, but he was edified by the Lord to become a humble and gentle disciple who spread the love of the Lord and pleased the Lord throughout his life. However, we should understand that whether we are born with strong tempers or soft tempers, we should not get angry easily, anger will destroy the relationship between people, and it will make us take actions beyond repentance, causing harm, bitterness, and sin. However, anger itself is not always wrong. It is a reasonable response to be angry at seeing injustice and sin. The Lord Jesus was also angry when He saw the temple as a place for business. When you want to get angry, first find out the reason for your anger. Are you angry because of seeing evil and injustice, or are you angry because of selfishness? You should ask God to help you control your irritable temperament, manage your emotions with wisdom, and overcome selfish anger with humility and repentance.
PRAYER:
Ask God to enlighten you so that you can understand how serious the damage caused by selfish anger is. Ask God to give you wisdom, whether you are born with a quick temper or slow temper, you can manage your emotions well in all daily affairs; treat others with integrity and humility, neither arrogant nor cowardly.
4 The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied…
11 Wealth gained hastily will dwindle,
but whoever gathers little by little will increase it…
22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous. 23 The fallow ground of the poor would yield much food,
but it is swept away through injustice. 24 Whoever spares the rod hates his son,
but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him. 25 The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite,
but the belly of the wicked suffers want.
REFLECTION:
This passage again admonishes the great difference between laziness and hard work, sinners and righteous people. Lazy sinners try to get something for nothing, and the wealth they have obtained by fraud will eventually be completely wiped out under God’s righteous judgment. Only by diligence and integrity, and obeying God’s words, can we be prosperous in the long run. Not only will we accumulate treasures in heaven, God will also provide abundant supplies for everything needed on earth. In this world full of sin and injustice, the poor and the righteous are often hurt by the sinners and the wicked. As children of God, we should be hardworking and upright, and we should also bravely oppose all injustice. Our struggle may not help for the time being, but God is pleased with us to do this, and God’s justice will eventually prevail, and God will redress for all those who are oppressed.
It is not easy for parents who love their children to discipline their children, but it is indispensable. The greatest responsibility God has given to parents is to nurture and guide their children. Parents who lack discipline for their children will also have their love greatly compromised because they do not pay attention to the cultivation of their children’s virtues. Disciplining children can protect them from disasters in the future. Children who lack discipline can’t tell right from wrong when they grow up, and don’t know what to do with their own life direction. This passage reminds us not to be afraid to discipline your children. This is an act of love. But remember, your punishment is not to make your children obey your authority, but to lead them to fear God and seek God’s wisdom.
PRAYER:
Pray for God to give you a hardworking, upright, and courageous heart. You can work diligently on everything you do with your hands; when experiencing injustice, you will not fear the power and redress the injustice for the oppressed and the poor, and seek God’s justice; ask God to make you wise to not spoil your children while loving them, and understand that disciplining your children and making them obey God’s words is the best love for them.
1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but he who hates reproof is stupid. 2 A good man obtains favor from the Lord,
but a man of evil devices he condemns. 3 No one is established by wickedness,
but the root of the righteous will never be moved. 4 An excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.
REFLECTION:
If you refuse to study, even if you have been in school for a few years, you will learn very little; however, if you are willing to be taught, you will be successful in your studies. The same is true when we accept God’s discipline. If we are humble and gentle, we can receive heavenly wisdom. On the contrary, if we are proud and hardened and ignore God’s discipline, we will make the same mistakes repeatedly and even worsen fall in the same place many times. Reflect if you have made the same mistakes repeatedly in some things?
“Established” (v3) means to get the help of God and achieve long-term success. Only those with integrity have real success. Their success pleases God and can stand the test of time. The wicked may achieve temporary “success” by trickery, but their lives and careers will eventually decay like duckweed without roots. Relying on cheating may be sufficient to pass the exam, relying on tax evasion may be sufficient to get away from paying a large amount of tax, relying on the harsh exploitation of subordinates may be sufficient to win a temporary victory in the commercial competition. In fact, these so-called “successes” are only temporary opportunistic tricks, and they are temporary benefits at the expense of one’s integrity. In the long run, this is not only not a success, but an ignorant act that harmed one’s life. Those who deceive will become more and more dishonest, those who hurt people will become more ruthless and cruel, and evil behaviour will only make people do more evil, and eventually become as stupid and deceitful as beasts. God is pleased with us to achieve true success, which is achieved for a long time with integrity and honesty in the grace of God.
PRAYER:
Pray for God to give you a heart that is willing to be taught, to receive God’s grace in your weaknesses and transgressions, and never to fall in the same place. Pray for God to establish you so that you can maintain integrity and honesty in all things. Everything you think and do can withstand God’s examination and can please God.
