For a full description of the (Y3) reading plan, see the “About” page.
- What attributes of God’s character does this passage reveal?
- How does the passage point to Jesus?
- How should the truth of this passage change me?
- How do the events of today’s reading help you better understand the grand narrative of Scripture?
Prov. 25
“Don’t boast about yourself before the king, and don’t stand in the place of the great; for it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here!” than to demote you in plain view of a noble.” (Prov. 25:6-7). That is more than merely wise advice! It is actually a foundational principal of God’s upside-down Kingdom. We know this because Jesus says essentially the same thing in Luke 14. He said it through a parable when he went to eat at the house of a leading Pharisee and noticed the guests picking the best seats for themselves. The bottom line is, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Lk. 14:11). Not just wisdom – this is God’s truth.
Prov. 26
“Like a flitting sparrow or a fluttering swallow, an undeserved curse goes nowhere.” (Prov. 26:2). This is a verse I try to keep in mind when I receive unwarranted insults from people trying to hurt me. It doesn’t matter if they are enemies, people I don’t know, or those who are close to me. Insults only hurt me if I let them. This is really hard when it comes from somebody close – a supposed friend or a family member. Still, unwarranted insults should not affect the way you live. Adjusting your behavior to please such a person doesn’t work because there was nothing to correct. You end up chasing a moving target and, for all practical purposes, pleasing that person becomes your god. Not good!
There is one small catch, though. I think that it’s important to examine every insult to see if it is warranted or not. More to the point, ask God to examine your heart. This requires dropping your pride, because admitting you are wrong is hard. But if we find we have not wronged God – because if we have not wronged Him, we have not wronged others by default – then we are free to let that undeserved curse simply fall to the ground. It is God we should seek to please. So examine your heart with that in mind and let those flitting sparrows flutter where they will.