Today’s Scripture Reading

⁶Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence,
and do not claim a place among his great men;
⁷ it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,”
than for him to humiliate you before his nobles.
What you have seen with your eyes
⁸ do not bring hastily to court,
for what will you do in the end
if your neighbor puts you to shame?
⁹ If you take your neighbor to court,
do not betray another’s confidence,
¹⁰ or the onewho hears it may shame you
and the charge against you will stand.
¹¹ Like apples of gold in settings of silver
is a ruling rightly given.
¹² Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold
is the rebuke of a wise judge to a listening ear.
¹³ Like a snow-cooled drink at harvest time
is a trustworthy messenger to the one who sends him;
he refreshes the spirit of his master.
¹⁴ Like clouds and wind without rain
is one who boasts of gifts never given.
¹⁵ Through patience a ruler can be persuaded,
and a gentle tongue can break a bone.

PRO.25.6-15

Today’s Devotional Reading

Apples of Gold

In the 1950s, Mary grew up knowing she was different from other kids…and she hated it. Because she had a cleft palate, she had learned to steel herself against the jokes and stares of children who teased her about her misshapen lip, crooked nose and garbled speech. Mary was convinced that no one outside her family could ever love her…until she entered Mrs. Leonard’s class. Mrs. Leonard had a warm smile, a round face and beautiful brown hair. All of the children liked Mrs. Leonard, but Mary grew to love her.

In those days, teachers administered a hearing test in the classroom. Unfortunately, Mary not only had a speech impediment due to her cleft palate, she was also partially deaf in one ear. Determined not to let the children have something else to tease her about, she thought of a way to cheat on the hearing test: She could pass the “whisper test” by covering her bad ear and turning her good ear toward her teacher. On the day of the dreaded hearing test, surely God put seven words in Mrs. Leonard’s mouth that changed Mary’s life forever. When it was time for Mary’s “whisper test,” she clearly heard the words: “I wish you were my little girl.”

Solomon called these kinds of words “apples of gold in settings of silver.” They are words that can erase years of pain and sorrow. They are words filled with love and acceptance. They are words that are priceless to those who hear them.

If someone listened in on your conversations, would their lives be changed for better or worse? Would they hear you speaking about the character flaws of others as if they were physical defects or would they hear that you consider others as beautiful in God’s eyes? Ask yourself if your words build up or tear down. Do your words push others away from you or draw others near? Most important, do they draw others to God?

It’s never too late to dispense apples of gold in settings of silver. Seek someone who is downcast and whisper a word of encouragement. You never know who needs to hear the words, “I wish you were my friend.”

Today’s devotional reading is pulled from: NIV Women’s Devotional Bible