Friday, October 9, 2026
Scripture Readings
- Primary Reading: Proverbs 14-15
Key Verse
Proverbs 14:35 — “The king’s favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.”
Devotional Thought
A wise woman builds her house, Solomon tells us, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands. That single verse from Proverbs 14 sets the tone for everything that follows: our words, our tempers, our choices either raise walls or pull them down. Consider what this requires of us today. The mouth of the foolish holds a rod of pride, but the lips of the wise preserve them. A soft answer turns away wrath, while grievous words stir up anger. The tongue of the wise uses knowledge aright, and a wholesome tongue is a tree of life. How many homes, how many friendships, have been dismantled not by catastrophe but by a sharp reply, a proud retort, a lie told to save face?
Notice how often this passage weighs the heart against the appearance. Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful, and the end of that mirth is heaviness. All the days of the afflicted are evil, but he that is of a merry heart has a continual feast. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a stalled ox and hatred therewith. Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith. The world measures a man by his barns; God looks at the heart, for His eyes are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. Hell and destruction lie open before Him; how much more the hearts of the children of men?
And so the fear of the LORD runs through these chapters like a fountain of life. In it is strong confidence, and His children shall have a place of refuge. The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom, and before honour is humility. That is why a wise man fears and departs from evil, while the fool rages and is confident. That is why he that is slow to wrath is of great understanding, and a sound heart is the life of the flesh. Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.
As October settles over us and the days shorten, the leaves fall and the harvest is gathered in, the season itself preaches the same lesson. What we have built with patient, humble, honest words will stand; what we have torn down with pride will lie in ruins. A true witness delivers souls. A word spoken in due season, how good it is. May we be builders of our houses, keepers of our tongues, and men and women who walk in the fear of the Lord.
Reflection
- Where in your home or among your neighbors have your words been tearing down what you meant to build, and what soft answer might begin the repair today?
- When you examine your own heart honestly before the God whose eyes are in every place, are you walking in the fear of the LORD that gives strong confidence, or in the self-confidence of the fool who rages?
Prayer
Our Father, Thou whose eyes are in every place, beholding the evil and the good, search our hearts and know our ways. Forgive the proud tongue that has torn down our own houses, and the grievous words that have stirred up anger. Teach us the soft answer, the wholesome tongue that is a tree of life, the word spoken in due season. Grant us the fear of the LORD, which is a fountain of life and strong confidence, that we may depart from evil and find refuge in Thee. Let humility go before our honour, and let our homes flourish as tabernacles of the upright; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.