20 My son, be attentive to my words;
incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Let them not escape from your sight;
keep them within your heart. 22 For they are life to those who find them,
and healing to all their flesh. 23 Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for from it flow the springs of life. 24 Put away from you crooked speech,
and put devious talk far from you. 25 Let your eyes look directly forward,
and your gaze be straight before you. 26 Ponder the path of your feet;
then all your ways will be sure. 27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
turn your foot away from evil.
REFLECTION:
Our heart refers to all our feelings about life and the world, which contains our worldview, outlook on life, and values. The heart governs our way of life, determines how we live this life, and where we will eventually reach. Solomon commanded us to keep our hearts in the Word of God, above all else; we should walk in the path God has appointed for us, without distractions, and not be tempted by the vanity of the world. Solomon also told us that the keeping of the heart includes words, eyes, and steps. As taught in Psalm 1, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2). Think about whether your heart is exclusively looking to God and being protected by God. Do you have a good conscience and faith, and maintain integrity in the three aspects: words, eyes, and steps?
PRAYER:
Come to God humbly. Ask God to enlighten and cleanse your heart, and remove the darkness and filth in your heart; ask God to protect and teach you, so that you can speak upright, have bright eyes, and keep your feet safe, so that you can live a life of holiness and consecration. Stay away from evil and bear a good testimony for God!
1 My son, do not forget my teaching,
but let your heart keep my commandments, 2 for length of days and years of life
and peace they will add to you.
3 Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;
bind them around your neck;
write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 So you will find favor and good success
in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths. 7 Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. 8 It will be healing to your flesh
and refreshment to your bones.
9 Honor the Lord with your wealth
and with the firstfruits of all your produce; 10 then your barns will be filled with plenty,
and your vats will be bursting with wine.
11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline
or be weary of his reproof, 12 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,
as a father the son in whom he delights.
REFLECTION:
Loving kindness and honesty are both important virtues. Not only do they need to be in the heart, they also require action to show them. A loving person not only feels love, but also loves honestly and seriously. Faithful people not only believe in the truth, but also strive for justice for others. Thoughts and words are not enough to show whether we are truly loving and honest. Only in our lives and behaviors can it be reflected. Only in this way can we please God and gain true intelligence. Think of your top priority, what do you think is the most valuable? In what ways are you still unclear about God’s will? What advice and admonition does God have for you? In everything you do, have you accepted God as the master and dedicated your firstfruits, that is, your best, to God? If you still have a gap, ask God to give you the confidence and strength to do this.
The righteous are not always prosperous, because God will admonish and discipline us through adversity. For many people, discipline often has a negative meaning, but God does not punish us for liking us to suffer, but because He loves us and cares for our growth. He knows that in order to make us strong and good in virtue, we must use His loving discipline to enable us to distinguish right from wrong. When we are disciplined by God, it is sometimes difficult to immediately understand His intentions, until we look back at the situation in the future to understand. Let us not think that we are wise, feel unfair when we are in adversity, and complain to God. Trusting and obeying God in everything is true wisdom.
PRAYER:
Pray for God to make you understand that His thoughts are far higher than yours, and His wisdom is far greater than yours. If you are caught in temporary injustice or suffering, ask God to give you greater trust in Him and do not complain to Him. Ask God to supervise and teach you like a father admonishes his beloved children, so that you can walk in His way throughout your life, with love and honesty in everything you do.
1 My son, if you receive my words
and treasure up my commandments with you, 2 making your ear attentive to wisdom
and inclining your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for insight
and raise your voice for understanding, 4 if you seek it like silver
and search for it as for hidden treasures, 5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; 7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 guarding the paths of justice
and watching over the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice
and equity, every good path;
REFLECTION:
Solomon tells us in this chapter that wisdom is not only bestowed by God, but also depends on people’s dedicated pursuit. The beginning of wisdom is God and His revealed words recorded in the Bible. It is the source of our true “knowledge and wisdom”. We should understand that wisdom is God’s gift to us, and it is only given to those who strive to pursue it. God’s Word is hidden from those who think they are wise, but are actually rebellious and foolish; while it is open to those who are humble, upright, and pure in behavior. Although the path to wisdom can only be found through hard work, once we embark on this path, we will find that God will guide us to move on, so that those of us who sincerely seek wisdom will benefit in all aspects.
At the same time, we should also understand that just as a journey of a thousand miles is not an overnight effort, the growth of wisdom also has a process. To walk on this path of wisdom, we must first trust and honour God, and at the same time know that it is the Bible that shows us God’s wisdom, and we learn from it by reading the Bible every day. In life, we must practice integrity and justice throughout our lives, and ask God to save us from temptation and evil. If we sin and fall, we must confess our sins and repent in time, and learn from the lesson that we should never sin again. Reflect for yourself: Am I trying to walk on this path of seeking wisdom? Does my wisdom grow day by day?
PRAYER:
Come to God humbly. Ask God to give you confidence and strength, so that you can walk on the path of seeking God’s wisdom throughout your life. Ask God to lead you to put your faith in concrete actions; keep reading the Bible and praying every day; and practise daily devotion, so that your wisdom will grow day by day through continuous spiritual discipline.
