A Wedding Day Reminder

Daily Reading: Proverbs 10

Scripture Focus: A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother. (Proverbs 10.1)

Devotional Thought:  On the day I wrote this devotional article, my daughter was getting married. A few days later, my niece was to tie the knot.  I thought it providential that twelve of the proverbs found in today's chapter have to do with speech.  Wisdom in speech is essential in marriage and actually for all relationships!

If Solomon were writing these proverbs on speech today, you can bet he would have thrown in writing, emailing, texting, tweeting and whatever else we do to communicate.  And it’s not all just in the words we use.  A shrug here and a rolling of the eyes there communicate as much or more than mere words.  But even so, a smile here and an embrace there can do much good. Have you ever noticed how a true smile is emphasized by a twinkle in the eye?  I love seeing people smile with their eyes. 

There are twelve verses in Proverbs 10 about speaking.  All of them include warnings against negative speech, while seven of them extol the virtues of positive speech.  Solomon knew the human experience - that we all must fight against the tendency toward negativity in our communication.  Solomon understood the damage a tongue could cause and focused against the misuse of it.  To overcome the negative, we must intentionally focus on the positive.

So, whether to newlyweds, already-weds, never-weds, I offer this simple advice - something you probably already know, but won't hurt you to hear again:  Speak softly and gently to your spouse.  Don't be "a foolish son [who] is a sorrow to his" family.  Let them see that twinkling smile in your eyes daily…that same twinkle that you showed on your wedding day. 

John Wade

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for the gift of speech.  Our words can bring healing and hope and happiness.  But they also have the potential to bring sickness and sorrow and sadness.  Help me, this day, to use my words to build up those around me.  Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 7.1-5

1 O LORD my God, in you do I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers and deliver me,

2 lest like a lion they tear my soul apart, rending it in pieces, with none to deliver.

3 O LORD my God, if I have done this, if there is wrong in my hands,

4 if I have repaid my friend with evil or plundered my enemy without cause,

5 let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it, and let him trample my life to the ground and lay my glory in the dust. Selah