Gold Nugget
Verse 13: He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
Commentary
It is natural for us to hid our faults. As a matter of fact, we are very thorough when it comes to how we portray ourselves. We go to extremes to hide our weaknesses and even further to hide our sins. Likewise, we go through just as much effort to accent our strengths or even the illusion of strength in an area that we may actually be weak in. We are so consumed with this need to convince people of who we think we are or who we want to be that it keeps anyone from truly knowing who we are. Even ourselves.
Have you ever known someone who is so honest with who they are that they seem even to have no shame? Like the guy who will ask how to spell a word that surely any educated person should know. Does he not know that the word has a simple spelling? Shouldn't he be embarrassed to reveal his apparent weakness? Well, I know people like that and I want to be more like them. I don't want to necessarily have their weakness; I do however, want to have the strength they posses. Where we can see their weakness, we can also see their humility. I admire and respect people with humility. Especially those who are humble about their weaknesses in the flesh. I am encouraged when someone is open about a sin and confesses it for help and repents.
As mentioned, we are so consumed with presenting ourselves as we want to be seen, that no one really knows who we are. In the process, we make ourselves unchangeable. We stunt our own growth (He who covers his sins will not prosper). I want to be able to benefit from God's mercy that is present through confessing and forsaking (But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy).
Have you ever known someone who is so honest with who they are that they seem even to have no shame? Like the guy who will ask how to spell a word that surely any educated person should know. Does he not know that the word has a simple spelling? Shouldn't he be embarrassed to reveal his apparent weakness? Well, I know people like that and I want to be more like them. I don't want to necessarily have their weakness; I do however, want to have the strength they posses. Where we can see their weakness, we can also see their humility. I admire and respect people with humility. Especially those who are humble about their weaknesses in the flesh. I am encouraged when someone is open about a sin and confesses it for help and repents.
As mentioned, we are so consumed with presenting ourselves as we want to be seen, that no one really knows who we are. In the process, we make ourselves unchangeable. We stunt our own growth (He who covers his sins will not prosper). I want to be able to benefit from God's mercy that is present through confessing and forsaking (But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy).
Prayer
Lord, as mentioned yesterday, when you open up the door for me to have people that can bond with me spiritually, I want to pour my heart into the relationship. I need someone of spiritual maturity that I confess my faults with. Someone who can pray with me and stand with me. Help me Lord, to know how deadly it is for me to keep sin hidden in my life. I want and need to be purged from the impurities of this world. Amen
Lord, as mentioned yesterday, when you open up the door for me to have people that can bond with me spiritually, I want to pour my heart into the relationship. I need someone of spiritual maturity that I confess my faults with. Someone who can pray with me and stand with me. Help me Lord, to know how deadly it is for me to keep sin hidden in my life. I want and need to be purged from the impurities of this world. Amen
If you are reading this devotional in an e-mail and would like to post a comment, click on this link http://proverbfortoday.org/
This is one of my favorite verses that has helped me to shut my mouth and listen to the Lord. I really appreciate your comments, even though I'm not an Iron Man but an Iron Woman! I would hasten to add that as often as not, the one the Lord was using to "sharpen" me was a non-believer, usually in the work place.
ReplyDeleteTrue, very true. It is often that our shapening comes from places that we may or may not feel is worthy of our heeding, but truth should always be adhered to. Iron knoweth no gender! Men and women alike need to be sharpened.
ReplyDeleteVerse 13 stood out to me also. I would have chosen it as a gold nugget, for these words have pulled at my heart strings! Freddie Rodriguez
ReplyDelete