Today's Verse: Proverbs 16:19

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

What is your source of significance? This proverb challenges us to view the world upside down to the rest of culture. Humility and association with the lowly and oppressed are valued by God. Abusive power and arrogance are not. God didn't just give us this proverb, he sent us his Son to demonstrate it. Now if we can only learn to live it. Ah! But Jesus does give us the opportunity to demonstrate it when he says, “Follow me!” (cf. John 13)

My Prayer...

Father, I do recognize my weakness and vulnerability to temptation, to the lure of my culture's facades, and to the pressure to be like the "popular crowd." Thank you for Jesus, who had power but displayed humility, who had position but identified with the abandoned, forgotten, and rejected. Please use me to be a difference-maker in my world by including those who are left out, forgotten, and disenfranchised. In Jesus name. Amen.

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

2 Related Resources by Heartlight

Illustration

Illustration of Proverbs 16:19 — Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Tuesday, August 23, 2005

A daily devotional featuring wise counsel found in Scripture.
"Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil."
Features the apostle Paul's writings turned into daily, powerful prayers.
"Dear Father, Keep all your preachers from using words of flattery, any cloak of greed, or from seeking glory for themselves, even though they have..."
A daily passage of Scripture emphasizing praise to our God.
"Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our..."
A daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
"[Jesus:] "I tell you the truth, all sin and blasphemy can be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. This is a sin with..."

About This Devotional

Today's Verse is a free daily devotional that includes a Bible verse, thought and prayer.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.