The One Year Wisdom for Women Devotional: 365 Devotions through the Proverbs

January 1   January 2   January 3   January 4   January 5   January 6   January 7   January 8   January 9   January 10   January 11   January 12   January 13   January 14   January 15   January 16   January 17   January 18   January 19   January 20   January 21   January 22   January 23   January 24   January 25   January 26   January 27   January 28   January 29   January 30   January 31

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January 1

Fresh Start

For attaining wisdom and discipline;

for understanding words of insight

for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life,

doing what is right and just and fair;

for giving prudence to the simple,

knowledge and discretion to the young—

let the wise listen and add to their learning,

and let the discerning get guidance.

PROVERBS 1:2-5 (NIV)

January 1: the very first day of a brand-new year. Picture with me this year laying out before you like a blanket of clean white snow. As yet, there are no mistakes, no new regrets, no fresh wounds to mar your path. This is the perfect time to let the past go and start afresh. As we begin in Proverbs 1, above, Solomon explains the purpose and life-changing effect the Proverbs can have.

But if you look around you, the pressures and influences to go in the wrong direction are strong—very strong. People are making foolish choices. Morality and integrity are ridiculed. God is mocked, the Bible neglected. Hosea said, They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind (Hosea 8:7, NIV).

Therefore, we must choose. W. C. Fields once said, Remember, a dead fish can float downstream, but it takes a live fish to go against the flow. So choose wisdom! God has not left us to chart our course alone. He’s given us his Word. Let me invite you to pick up a One Year Bible. It lays out a very doable reading schedule. It is simple and yet life changing. So today will you open your Bible to the first chapter of the book of Proverbs and begin this year as a journey to becoming a Woman of Wisdom?

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Will you take a moment right now to personally picture this new year as a field of fresh snow? Now picture a ray of light marking the path. God has a promise to help you start your year right. He says, Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come (Jeremiah 33:3). Will you pray right now? As you pray, be aware and excited that God hears and is waiting to help.

One Year Bible Reading

Genesis 1:1–2:25; Matthew 1:1–2:12; Psalm 1:1-6; Proverbs 1:1-6

January 2

Godly Reverence

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,

but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

PROVERBS 1:7 (NIV)

The fear of the Lord. On our journey to becoming women of wisdom, it is vital that we truly understand what it is to fear the Lord. First of all we must know what it isn’t. To fear the Lord is not the same as being afraid of him like he is mean or selfish or harsh or cruel. Nothing could be further from the truth.

To fear God is to know that he is righteous and he hates wickedness. God is holy. God hates sin because it enslaves us and destroys our lives. Sin separates us from his love. Jesus said, God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved (John 3:17, NKJV).

So what is it to have a proper fear of God? It is to have a deep reverence for him. It is to be in awe of him because he is awe-some. It is to understand that he is the God of the universe, and we are not. He is the Creator, the King Eternal, the Only Wise God. When we respect him for who he is and live under both his authority and his love, there is no sweeter, safer, more peaceful way to live. This is truly wisdom.

A holy fear of a holy God—it does our souls good to have such an awe-inspiring reverence. Tonight, look up at the stars and know they all can fit in the palm of his hand. As the song proclaims, Our God is an awesome God; he reigns from heaven above with wisdom, power, and love. Our God is an awesome God (song lyrics by Rich Mullins).

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

There are two kinds of people in this world. There are Big God-ers and there are Little God-ers. David, Daniel, Moses, and Mary believed that God can move giants and mountains and men. Do you? Or do you live with a greater fear of men than you do of God almighty? Now the important question is, Will you choose to embrace him not just as an awesome God but as your awesome God?

One Year Bible Reading

Genesis 3:1–4:26; Matthew 2:13–3:6; Psalm 2:1-12; Proverbs 1:7-9

January 3

Peer Pressure

My [child], if sinners entice you,

Do not consent.

If they say, Come with us, . . .

Keep your foot from their path.

PROVERBS 1:10-11, 15 (NKJV)

This is a warning. Be on guard. Don’t be influenced or pressured into doing something you know is wrong. Sin has a powerful lure all by itself, but when others try to pull us in, it can become even more powerful. Does this happen? All the time. Sometimes sin comes in the back door through friends—the wrong kind of friends.

I’m going to list some of the ways that we sometimes yield when we have friends who influence us to do things that aren’t the best. Do you have a friend who shops till she drops? When you’re together you, too, shop too much. You spend too much money, and you buy things you don’t need.

Complaining. Do you have a friend you complain with every time you are together? Both of you feel free to complain about your husbands, relatives, friends, people at church.

Do you have friends who compromise? Do they entice you to compromise by recommending R movies or trashy books? Do they invite you to join them for a drink at the bar? Or—warning!—do you have anyone in your life who is flirting with you, stirring you up to unhealthy desires?

Dear sisters, two things: (1) Pay attention to the red flags of danger. Do not have a friend who entices you to sin. And (2) be careful about the type of friend you are. A godly friend is a good friend

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

What’s wrong with ungodly friends? Didn’t Jesus intentionally spend time with sinners? Yes, he did. But his intentions were entirely different than just letting his hair down and fitting in. He brought light and truth into every atmosphere. He loved sinners and they knew it. He was grieved by the emptiness and pain he saw on their faces. Darkness did not drag him down; instead, he used light to lift them up.

Let’s Pray

Lord, seal my heart against compromise so I can be a vessel of your light in a lost and dying world.

One Year Bible Reading

Genesis 5:1–7:24; Matthew 3:7–4:11; Psalm 3:1-8; Proverbs 1:10-19

January 4

Wisdom Calls!

As we read the proverb for today, picture wisdom as a woman—a woman like a mother standing on firm, solid, safe ground. She is calling out to those she cares deeply about. She knows, as every loving, wise, godly mother knows, that if they do not choose the higher ground of wisdom, they will be swept away by foolish, dangerous choices. So listen and picture the voice of God’s wisdom calling out to you in today’s Wisdom for Women.

Wisdom calls aloud outside;

She raises her voice in the open squares. . . .

She speaks her words:

"How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?

For scorners delight in their scorning,

And fools hate knowledge.

Turn at my rebuke;

Surely I will pour out my spirit on you;

I will make my words known to you."

PROVERBS 1:20-23 (NKJV)

Did you hear both the warning and the promise? Right now I feel an urgency. This year may be indeed the most complicated and challenging year we have ever faced. There are dangerous changes brewing in our world. Do not let circumstances, or others, or the ungodly world around you pressure you into making wrong choices. Do not let the lines between right and wrong become fuzzy to you just because they are blurry to others. Choose wisdom!

If you do, God himself promises that he will pour out his Spirit upon you and make his words known to you. Choose wisdom!

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

What is the antidote for the toxic and demeaning role models that are broadcast to us as women everywhere we look? God’s Word! God’s Word teaches us that women have a place of honor. We can be amazing influences for good. When God’s Word is in you, you realize that the false images and values shown in the media are just cheap substitutes.

Look at the One Year Bible Reading list on this page. It gives you a simple, easy-to-follow guide. Try it. God’s Word is God’s love letter, God’s truth, and God’s light for your life. God’s wisdom is calling, Will you listen? Will you follow?

One Year Bible Reading

Genesis 8:1–10:32; Matthew 4:12-25; Psalm 4:1-8; Proverbs 1:20-23

January 5

A Sober Warning

Since you rejected me [wisdom] when I called

and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand,

since you ignored all my advice

and would not accept my rebuke,

I in turn will laugh at your disaster;

I will mock when calamity overtakes you—

when calamity overtakes you like a storm,

when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,

when distress and trouble overwhelm you.

Then they will call to me but I will not answer;

they will look for me but will not find me.

PROVERBS 1:24-28 (NIV)

Today’s proverb is very serious and, I hope, a sobering warning.

God’s mercy, his love, his kindness to call us out of darkness is amazing. He will send conviction to our souls over and over with great compassion and patience, but if we repeatedly disobey, if we harden our hearts, he will refuse his grace. There will come a time when it is too late.

A few years ago I needed to catch a plane, but I was careless. I got a late start to the airport and hit traffic. It was my own fault. When I got to the gate, the door had closed. Too late. The plane took off without me. But I guarantee you the next time I was to fly, I got up early, and the plane arrived late. So if you are listening, if you have turned your back on wisdom in the past, it’s time to learn from your mistakes. Don’t repeat them. Don’t be careless with your life and don’t be careless with your soul.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Some people don’t like to hear or heed warnings. The captain of the Titanic was one of them. The morning before the disaster, the sky was blue and the sea calm. So he canceled the scheduled lifeboat drill. No need; the Titanic was unsinkable. He received—and ignored—seven iceberg warnings, until it was too late.

If God has sent a flashing light of warning or conviction in your heart, listen. Life has icebergs ahead. Slow down, change course, and allow him to navigate you back to safety.

One Year Bible Reading

Genesis 11:1–13:4; Matthew 5:1-26; Psalm 5:1-12; Proverbs 1:24-28

January 6

Truth or Consequences

Because they hated knowledge

And did not choose the fear of the LORD,

They would have none of my [wisdom’s] counsel

And despised my every rebuke.

Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way,

And be filled to the full with their own fancies.

For the turning away of the simple will slay them,

And the complacency of fools will destroy them.

PROVERBS 1:29-32 (NKJV)

Today’s Wisdom for Women talks about consequences. It’s been said that sometimes the best way to convince someone he’s wrong is to let him have his way. Or, as James MacDonald puts it, Choose to sin, choose to suffer.

Galatians 6:7-8 explains it very clearly. Listen to what it says: Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life (NKJV).

Okay then, let’s look at your life like a garden. Every farmer knows that at every stage he makes choices. In the spring he can choose to plant tomatoes. He knows that if he plants tomatoes he won’t get potatoes. He can choose to pull the weeds when they are small. He can choose to water, and fertilize, and kill every pest that threatens his crop. But he also knows that his choices add up, and one day he will have tomatoes to eat and plenty to share with others.

All this to say: don’t reject the Lord’s wisdom in your life. That’s foolish. Call out to the Lord for the wisdom you need today in all of your choices. They will bear fruit as a blessing today and a blessing tomorrow.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Although this proverb applies to all of us, this is an important message that moms especially need to hear. Those little toddlers to teenagers under your care today will be the decision makers and parents of the next generation. Like a good gardener, will you be diligent to plant the good seeds of integrity, purity, humility, kindness, thankfulness, and godliness in your children’s hearts and minds? Plant the seeds and pull the weeds!

One Year Bible Reading

Genesis 13:5–15:21; Matthew 5:27-48; Psalm 6:1-10; Proverbs 1:29-33

January 7

Insight and Understanding

My [child], if you accept my words

and store up my commands within you,

turning your ear to wisdom

and applying your heart to understanding—

indeed, if you call out for insight

and cry aloud for understanding,

and if you look for it as for silver

and search for it as for hidden treasure,

then you will understand the fear of the LORD

and find the knowledge of God.

PROVERBS 2:1-5 (NIV)

As we begin, let me ask you a personal question. Please be honest in your answer. How important is the Bible to you—really? If you say it is important and yet you live day to day like it is less important than your hobbies or your favorite TV show, you’re kidding yourself. Worse yet, you are missing out on the most wonderful, interesting, and life-changing experience there is: digging into the treasure chest of the living Word of God. So listen very carefully to today’s Wisdom for Women.

If you would like to go deeper in learning and growing in God’s Word, good. I love it when someone wants to know how. Let me invite you to my website. It’s called BibleBusStop.com. There are lots of helps there to get you started.

And then when you do read, read prayerfully. As you read, read like you are searching to know God himself. Stop and pray often. Interact with God, using your reading time to discover more than just information. Truly, this is your Father God–child time. Picture it as a journey, a journey to the very heart of God.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

The gaining of insight is a key topic of our proverb today. So, what exactly is insight? Why do we need it? And how do we get it?

Insight is the ability to see and understand clearly the inner nature of things.

We need insight because things are not always as they appear. As moms, we need insight to read what is troubling our children. We need insight when something is amiss in our marriages. We need insight when a friendship is broken.

How do we get insight? Call out! We need to take God at his Word: Ask and you will receive (John 16:24, NIV).

One Year Bible Reading

Genesis 16:1–18:15; Matthew 6:1-24; Psalm 7:1-17; Proverbs 2:1-5

January 8

Shielded

The LORD gives wisdom;

From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;

He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;

He is a shield to those who walk uprightly;

He guards the paths of justice,

And preserves the way of His saints.

PROVERBS 2:6-8 (NKJV)

The Lord does have a special relationship with those who love him and seek him, who walk in his ways and desire what he desires. God never promises that we’ll have trouble-free lives, but he does promise that we’ll never face anything that comes our way alone. Sometimes we forget that all we have to do is ask God for wisdom when life gets complicated, when we’re confused, or when we’re making a hard decision. Jesus said, Ask and you will receive (John 16:24, NIV).

The Twenty-third Psalm is a great psalm of comfort and hope. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want (Psalm 23:1, NKJV). As you read the entire psalm, it’s more than just sweet sentiments. It’s a list, a strong list of promises that cover every need and every phase of life from being hungry to dying.

Think of the phrase thy rod and thy staff they comfort me (Psalm 23:4, KJV). Both the rod and staff are tools to protect us, not just from predators but also from ourselves. We, like sheep, are prone to wander. A good shepherd needs to firmly strike a stubborn sheep, but for those sheep who love to stay near him, a little tap is all that’s needed.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Let’s personally grab hold of the promise in today’s proverb: He is a shield to those who walk uprightly. The fiery darts of fear, discouragement, criticism, and temptations are aimed at us. But God is telling us that when we choose to stay close to him, he personally shields us. No, he does not put us in a holy bubble. But he does stand with us and for us. We are not alone.

Let’s Pray

Lord, sometimes I do feel overwhelmed and outnumbered. Sometimes evil does seem stronger than good and right. Help me to trust that you are near, holding your shield over my heart.

One Year Bible Reading

Genesis 18:16–19:38; Matthew 6:25–7:14; Psalm 8:1-9; Proverbs 2:6-15

January 9

Fireproof!

Wisdom will save you from the immoral [man],

from the flattery of the adulterous [man].

[He] has abandoned [his wife]

and ignores the covenant [he] made before God.

Entering [his] house leads to death;

it is the road to hell.

The [woman] who visits [him] is doomed.

[She] will never reach the paths of life.

PROVERBS 2:16-19

Today’s Wisdom for Women is a sober and vivid heart-to-heart talk. It was written as from a father talking to a son, telling him that getting tangled up with an immoral woman will ruin his life. But I have taken the liberty of switching it as a warning to women about the dangers of yielding to an immoral man. The principles are exactly the same.

Ladies, right now I have a burdened heart regarding this. I could tell you hundreds of stories of broken families, wounded children, scars, and shame that women feel for the rest of their lives because they left the guard off their heart and played with the fire of sinful sex outside of marriage. Don’t do that. If someone at the office, an old boyfriend, a stranger on the Internet, or someone else’s husband starts flirting with you, that’s a red flag. Some men think flattery will get them everywhere. Slam the door on that. It is far easier to stop something that never got started than to reel in lust turned loose.

So be wise, and you’ll never regret being foolish. Amen? Amen!

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

How can you fireproof your heart from the pitfalls of sexual temptation?

Avoid trashy movies, magazines, and atmospheres. They ignite sparks of trashy thoughts, emotions, and images.

Loneliness and isolation make you emotionally vulnerable. Get connected and involved in serving. Serving will fill your emotional cup and brings you joy.

Pray! Ask the Lord to stir your heart to fall freshly in love with him. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires (Psalm 37:4).

One Year Bible Reading

Genesis 20:1–22:24; Matthew 7:15-29; Psalm 9:1-12; Proverbs 2:16-22

January 10

Trust

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

And lean not on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He shall direct your paths.

PROVERBS 3:5-6 (NKJV)

There is a great hymn with the words Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.

A few years ago I was in New York City and decided to take a bus tour. As we passed the Brooklyn Bridge, the guide told us a fascinating story. When the bridge first opened, thousands came to cross over, but a few weeks later, a woman who was walking up the steps tripped and screamed. The scream triggered a panic that the bridge was ready to collapse. In the panic and crush, twelve people were killed. The fear of a collapse remained in people’s minds, and few trusted the bridge. It sat virtually unused. Then P. T. Barnum was asked to take twenty-one of his elephants across the bridge. Under that massive weight, the bridge held up, and confidence was restored.

So let me ask you, have you ever fully put your full trust, your full weight—heart, soul, and mind—into the promises of God? Let me tell you, there is no greater thrill, joy, and reward. This verse will never be truly yours until you do that. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. He will direct your paths . . . because he promised.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Trust in the LORD with all your heart. Among the roadblocks to faith and trust are our emotions. Can we trust them? No! Emotions can spin us down into anxiety, fear, and depression.

Trust is a choice, an act of intentional obedience to God himself. Will you consciously and intentionally surrender a specific area of concern into his safekeeping right now?

Let’s Pray

Lord, I lift this burden up to you. Please forgive me for the many times I have worried and tried to work it out with my own understanding. Today I want to trust you completely and see you unfold your perfect plan.

One Year Bible Reading

Genesis 23:1–24:51; Matthew 8:1-17; Psalm 9:13-20; Proverbs 3:1-6

January 11

Be Teachable

Do not be wise in your own eyes;

fear the LORD and shun evil.

This will bring health to your body

and nourishment to your bones.

PROVERBS 3:7-8 (NIV)

Do not be wise in your own eyes. Let me repeat this for us, ladies. Do not be wise in your own eyes. Pivotal phrase: your own. Okay, repeat that phrase with me. Shun evil like you would shun a bad snake. The results are given in verse 8.

Backing this up to the first part, don’t . . . Don’t be a wise guy. Don’t be so full of yourself that you get stuck in thinking that you are always right. This implies that everyone else is always wrong. That’s annoying to others, and it’s short-sighted and foolish on our part.

So don’t think you can’t learn and grow. Don’t think you don’t need to. Be teachable. Be receptive. Be hungry to learn—first of all, from God himself, but then also from others. Make all of life and every day your classroom.

Some of the most godly, mature people I know read God’s Word like an eager child, hanging on to every word. Their hearts are open. And they love to glean from others. They are always asking others, What have you been learning from the Lord recently? Tell me. Let me learn too.

My friends, don’t you love people like that? But most of all, don’t you want to be someone like that? You do? Me too!

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

What if someone asked you, What good thing have you learned lately? I hope your answer would go deeper than a new health tip or a new recipe for cupcakes.

Have you relied upon a promise of God lately? If not, do! You will learn he is faithful. And you will end up with an amazing God story.

Have you taken notes as you read a story in the Bible lately? Matthew 8:23-27 describes the day a storm hit while the disciples were out at sea. Their boat was sinking and they thought they would die. Why don’t you read it for yourself and see what you learn and how it applies to your storms?

One Year Bible Reading

Genesis 24:52–26:12; Matthew 8:18-34; Psalm 10:1-15; Proverbs 3:7-8

January 12

Honor the Lord

Honor the LORD with your wealth,

with the firstfruits of all your crops;

then your barns will be filled to overflowing.

PROVERBS 3:9-10 (NIV)

This is both a challenge and a wonderful invitation. The first part of this formula for blessing is honor the Lord. Let me tell you: every single thing that we do for the Lord needs to start there, or else it’s just meaningless performance of duty.

To honor the Lord is to always remember God is more than worthy of honor. He is the King of majesty. He is God almighty. He is the God of comfort and love. The Lord is honorable. It is our great privilege that he would allow us to bring him anything. After all, he is the giver of all things that we have to give. Never forget that.

And so when you write out a check to give, be joyful, because the Lord loves a cheerful giver. But more than your money or your things, may I ask you to give the Lord of glory the firstfruits of yourself. Give him your first hour in the morning, meeting with him, letting him lay out your priorities for the day. Honor him with the way you keep your commitments, with the way you treat people, with the way you serve, with the way you work at your job. If you’re a Sunday school teacher, pour your heart into those kids. If you’re a greeter at church, welcome people as if they truly are entering the house of God and you’re the doorkeeper.

So if you want a rich, overflowing life, live your entire life with this principle: Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men (Colossians 3:23, NKJV).

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Is there an area of your life where you have failed to honor the Lord? Have you wondered why your life seems barren and fruitless? Will you take God at his word? Will you ask him today to show you a need you can fill? Give it a try! You will see that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

One Year Bible Reading

Genesis 26:17–27:46; Matthew 9:1-17; Psalm 10:16-18; Proverbs 3:9-10

January 13

The Lord Disciplines

My child, don’t ignore it when the LORD disciplines you,

and don’t be discouraged when he corrects you.

For the LORD corrects those he loves,

just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.

PROVERBS 3:11-12

J. Vernon McGee said, God is going to chasten you as you go along through life if you are his child. . . . That is a good evidence that you belong to him. . . . Chastening is not punishing. . . . The criminal is to be punished; the child is to be corrected.

So let’s consider the Lord’s discipline in our lives. Here it is directly connected with God’s love and even his sweet delight. Think about this. For a parent it is easy to be delighted in a child who is delightful, but have you ever seen a little girl who is a brat? She is spoiled. She is selfish. She throws tantrums when she does not get her way. Have you ever seen a big girl like that? It’s not pretty, really.

That behavior is a direct result of a stubborn bent that did not have or did not yield to correction. Ladies, dear sisters, this is not our destiny. You do have a Father who loves you very much. He loves you enough to discipline you when you need it.

So if conviction comes, if the Holy Spirit has been speaking to your heart about a bad habit or bad attitude, yield. Because whom the Lord loves, he disciplines.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Can you look back on your life and remember times that you have stubbornly chosen your own way, to your own harm? I can. My mother told me that one time I stood in the corner for hours just because I wouldn’t say I was sorry. One time I sat at the table until bedtime because I wouldn’t eat my peas. Childish stubbornness is childish. God wants us to grow up and out of these childish ways.

Let’s Pray

Lord, show me when I have allowed my selfishness or pride to box me in. Soften my stubborn heart and help me to yield and listen to you.

One Year Bible Reading

Genesis 28:1–29:35; Matthew 9:18-38; Psalm 11:1-7; Proverbs 3:11-12

January 14

Better Than Gold

Blessed are those who find wisdom,

those who gain understanding,

for [wisdom] is more profitable than silver

and yields better returns than gold.

She is more precious than rubies;

nothing you desire can compare with her.

PROVERBS 3:13-15 (NIV)

Take a minute and stand back with me. Let’s take a really good, long, hard look at the world. Let’s look at the diminishing value of material things. This is a great time for a reality check. The stock market has fallen; housing values, fallen. If you buy a new car, it is worth less the minute you drive it off the lot. Last year’s top fashions look hokey today. Reality check: even things like our health and the way we look deteriorate as we get older. Diminishing returns.

First John says this world is passing away, and so if you’re a child of God, you—we all—need to stop living like this is all there is and like this is all that is important. Don’t pretend that you don’t do that. They say you can look at someone’s checkbook and Day-Timer, and you will be able to tell what is really important to her. What do yours say?

Jesus has some really important things to say about this. If you are listening, let him give you his reality check: Matthew 6:19-21. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. . . . For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (NKJV).

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

God’s wisdom, his love, and his peace are all things that the world isn’t selling and money can’t buy. God calls us back to the things that matter. He calls us back to him: Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food. Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you (Isaiah 55:2-3).

One Year Bible Reading

Genesis 30:1–31:16; Matthew 10:1-23; Psalm 12:1-8; Proverbs 3:13-15

January 15

Pleasant Ways

Long life is in [wisdom’s] right hand;

in her left hand are riches and honor.

Her ways are pleasant ways,

and all her paths are peace.

She is a tree of life to those who embrace her;

those who lay hold of her will be blessed.

PROVERBS 3:16-18 (NIV)

The central phrase that grabs my attention is this: Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace.

This is a good way to live. It is pleasant—pleasant for yourself and pleasant for others who are around you. This reminds me that it is not wise to be impatient; it is not wise to be rude or harsh or critical of others. It is wise to be a peacemaker; it is wise to be kind.

Being wise is more than just being smart or skillful at life.

James gives us an excellent and clear description of godly wisdom that shows that it is both practical and wonderful. The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy (James 3:17, NKJV).

And so, in conclusion, dear ladies, choose wisdom—because all her ways are pleasant ways and all her paths are peace.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Some people view wisdom as a dusty old thing, antiquated, good only for old people with nothing much to do. No! Wisdom opens wonderful doors and takes you on journeys where few travel. Wisdom fills your heart with the pure, simple, exhilarating joy that comes when you just do the right thing. Wisdom from above is full of mercy, for instance. So, just for the joy of it, try this out: Is there someone in your world who does not deserve mercy? Someone who has been cranky or rude? Will you choose to show mercy?

Let’s Pray

Lord, please give me a tender heart to forgive. Help me say one pleasant word or do one kind deed. I know you love the difficult people in my life; help me to love them too.

One Year Bible Reading

Genesis 31:17–32:12; Matthew 10:24–11:6; Psalm 13:1-6; Proverbs 3:16-18

January 16

Look Up!

By wisdom the LORD founded the earth;

by understanding he created the heavens.

By his knowledge the deep fountains of the earth burst forth,

and the dew settles beneath the night sky.

PROVERBS 3:19-20

I grew up in a nominal Christian home. We believed in God, but we lived like he was far away and unconcerned. When I was eighteen, one of the first college classes I took was Philosophy of World Religions. I was drawn to spiritual things but had a lot of questions. Some of the questions were What is the meaning of life? and Where did we come from? The first day of class, the professor held up a Bible and asked if anyone believed in that book. I weakly raised my hand, not because I had ever read it, but because somehow I felt it must be important. With a tone of authority he said, It is my stated goal that at the end of this class no one will believe in the Bible, because life is all about you; you are the center of the universe. Well, as an eighteen-year-old, I already lived like life was all about me. He was singing my song. So at the end of the semester I dropped out of college, left home, and traveled to the tropics of Mexico to find myself.

Two years and many travels later, I had found myself, but didn’t like what I found. I was disillusioned, confused, and empty. Walking along the beach one evening, I was overwhelmed with the power and beauty of a tropical sunset. Falling to my knees I cried out to God, God I know that you are real, and I do not know you. I didn’t know that the Bible says, The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship (Psalm 19:1). But that night, surrounded by such majesty, I experienced both an awe and a hunger to know the one who created it all.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Has it been a while since you cried out to God, not asking him to do something for you, but to know him? Has it been a while since you went outside and looked up at the beauty of a starry night? God heard my voice that glorious night, and he will indeed hear you.

One Year Bible Reading

Genesis 32:13–34:31; Matthew 11:7-30; Psalm 14:1-7; Proverbs 3:19-20

January 17

Have No Fear

Have no fear of sudden disaster

or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,

for the LORD will be your confidence

and will keep your foot from being snared.

PROVERBS 3:25-26 (NIV)

Have no fear. Many right now are living in constant fear. We are—no doubt about it—living in unstable times. I wish I could say, Don’t worry—be happy! There is nothing to worry about, but that would be naive.

What I can tell you is this: don’t worry—trust God. In times like this, we do have a safe harbor for our souls. The LORD [himself] will be your confidence.

Let me suggest something. In the One Year Bible tomorrow we start reading the incredible story of Joseph (in Genesis 37). It is the perfect illustration of our proverb today. Why don’t you take the time to read it too?

Disaster—it did come into Joseph’s life through a series of unfair circumstances, but he was not ruined, for the Lord was his confidence.

Joseph’s foot was not snared by the jealousy of his brothers, not snared when he lost his home and was sent to slavery. His foot was not snared when he was tempted by Potiphar’s wife and thrown into prison. And the final wonderful test upon tests: by the grace of God, Joseph’s foot was not snared when his brothers became needy for food and he was in a position to send them away hungry. Truly, what man meant for evil, God used for great good. Good job, Joseph!

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Do you feel you are barely hanging on? Sometimes I feel like a half-drowned cat washed up on the shore. You too? But then I remember: the tender mercies of the Lord, they fail not. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning (Lamentations 3:23). Will you take a moment right now to still your heart? Picture the burdens that are weighting you down. Will you lift them up to our merciful and kind Father in heaven? Will you rest your heart with confidence in him? Peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of God.

One Year Bible Reading

Genesis 35:1–36:43; Matthew 12:1-21; Psalm 15:1-5; Proverbs 3:21-26

January 18

I Can Do Something

Do not withhold good from those who deserve it,

when it is in your power to act.

Do not say to your neighbor,

Come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow—

when you now have it with you.

PROVERBS 3:27-28 (NIV)

The New Testament companion to this proverb is found in James 2:15-16, which says, Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? (NIV).

Good question: What good? I love that God cares about all of this. I think of some of the missed opportunities in the Bible. I think of the innkeeper who turned away Mary when she was about to give birth to the Son of God. I think about the people in Noah’s day who saw him build that huge boat with just his sons. They could have helped.

And so we are encouraged to not miss the many opportunities around us. Okay, let me just throw out some things to pray about. Do you have elderly neighbors? Why don’t you ask, next time you go to the store, if they need anything? Do you know a single mom? Why don’t you ask if her son or her daughter needs new tennis shoes? Do you know someone who is sick? What if you made some extra soup or an extra casserole this week and took it over to them? Do you know of a family whose dad has lost his job? What if you filled a grocery bag with cereal and milk and eggs and peanut butter? Jesus said, Inasmuch as you did to one of the least of these My brethren, you did to Me (Matthew 25:40, NKJV).

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do.

—EDWARD EVERETT HALE

Let’s Pray

Lord, please show me one thing I can do today to meet a need or lift a burden.

One Year Bible Reading

Genesis 37:1–38:30; Matthew 12:22-45; Psalm 16:1-11; Proverbs 3:27-32

January 19

Grace to the Humble

The LORD’s curse is on the house of the wicked,

but he blesses the home of the righteous.

He mocks proud mockers

but gives grace to the humble.

The wise inherit honor,

but fools he holds up to shame.

PROVERBS 3:33-35 (NIV)

Grace to the humble. That’s our topic today. Many of us theoretically would like to be humble, but then we realize that to be humble might take the process of being humbled.

But let’s listen to what 1 Peter 5:5 tells us: All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble’ (NIV).

Here we see humility is a choice, and the context is in relationships. Pride and stubbornness build walls, but humility can melt them.

Let’s apply this first to marriage. Has your husband disappointed you? Have you then in your frustration struck back with words or actions? Now you have a standoff. No one wants to budge. Ladies, when families fight, nobody wins. You be the first to say the kind word. You be the first to say, I’m sorry. Mark my words. No matter how your husband responds, God will bless you because he promised that he would give grace to the humble. It’s been said, Humility isn’t thinking meanly of yourself. It’s merely not thinking of yourself at all.

So let’s humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God because he guarantees that he, God himself, will lift us up.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

I’ll be perfectly honest: it’s hard for me to humble myself when I think I am right or the other person is wrong. But God has taught me little steps that help me every time. (1) Try to step in the other person’s shoes to see his side. How does he feel? (2) Ask yourself, Have I been thoughtless or unkind? It is humbling, because I always see how I could have or should have done things better. (3) Take it to God; then (4) God himself will give you the next step.

One Year Bible Reading

Genesis 39:1–41:16; Matthew 12:46–13:23; Psalm 17:1-15; Proverbs 3:33-35

January 20

Fatherly Advice

My children, listen to me. Listen to your father’s instruction.

Pay attention and grow wise,

for I am giving you good guidance.

Don’t turn away from my teaching. . . .

My father told me,

"Take my words to heart.

Follow my instructions and you will live.

Learn to be wise, and develop good judgment.

Don’t forget or turn away from my words.

Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you.

Love her,