Author: londavis@hotmail.com

Our wisdom today is Proverbs 28:26:

“He who trusts in himself is a fool, but one who walks in wisdom will be safe.”

This verse warns us against being too self-reliant. I believe in self-reliance, but we should not lean on our own thinking completely. Unless…

Unless you don’t live near or know anyone who is as smart as you are.
Unless you don’t have smart parents.
Unless you don’t feel you can trust God’s word.

You should trust yourself at least sometimes, but never be the only one you trust. Five hundred years after Solomon shared this wisdom, Socrates said, “Smart people learn from everything and everyone, average people from their experiences, and stupid people already have all the answers.”

That is saying much the same thing. If you are smart, if you are wise, you will learn from everything and everyone. If you are an average Joe, you have to make your own mistakes to learn anything. If you are foolish, you think you already have all the answers and don’t trust anyone else. You don’t even need to trust God.

As a youth, my mother always warned me to be careful of the word “fool.” I understand that, but Solomon said, “He who trusts in himself is a fool.”

Rather than that, be wise and trust God. Know what God tells you to do.

I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.

Our wisdom today is from Proverbs 28:1:

“The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.”

Consider the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3. After eating the forbidden fruit, their first instinct was to hide from God—an impossible feat, yet driven by their overwhelming guilt. This instinct to hide when we’ve done wrong persists in human behavior, illustrating the timeless truth of our proverb.

I personally grappled with this proverb as a child. At ten years old, I desperately wanted a pocket knife, though I mistakenly thought it was illegal to own one. Even so, I saved and bought a knife. One evening, while walking outside, I saw approaching headlights and was sure it was a police car coming for me and my knife. In a rush of fear, I threw the knife into the weeds. It turned out to be just a passing car. Feeling stupid, I went back to search for my beloved knife but never found it. Why did I throw it away? It’s simple: “The wicked flee when no one pursues.” This experience taught me how guilt can provoke irrational actions.

It works that way for all of us.

I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.

Our study today is from Ephesians 4:32: “Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.”

The kindest person I ever knew was my wife, Liz. In 55 years and 160 days, I never heard her curse or scream at anyone. In fact, I never heard her raise her voice.

For those of you who knew her, you might think you could never be like that. But I believe you can. I even believe I can. Maybe not looking back, but from this day forward, you can.

Here are two reasons why:

First, our text doesn’t just suggest kindness and forgiveness as ideals; it calls on us to practice them. God wouldn’t tell us to do something impossible.

Second, God is more concerned with what you do from now on rather than what you did in the past. We are not perfect, just forgiven. We fall down and rise again. Proverbs 24:16 reminds us, “For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up, but the wicked stumble in bad times.”

I love the wisdom of Albert Einstein: “You never fail until you stop trying.”

I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.

Our wisdom for today is taken from Proverbs 25:14: “Like clouds and wind without rain is the man who boasts of gifts never given.”

When my wife’s father, a farmer, passed away, I met a friend of his at the funeral. He spoke of my father-in-law and gave him an unusual compliment. He said, “He’ll pay you.” As a farmer himself, he praised a man who would make a vow and then keep it, no matter what. “He’ll pay you.” In other words, he kept his word, even when it cost him.

God has that same love for those who keep their word, those He can trust to give the gift they promise.

In Psalms 15:1, King David asked, “Who may dwell in your tabernacle?” Three verses later, he answers, “He who vows to his own hurt and does not change.” Another translation says, “He who does not revise a costly oath.”

Solomon put it more directly in Ecclesiastes 5: verse 4, “When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow.”

In times of drought, clouds and wind without rain bring disappointment. You get your hopes up, only to have them dashed. Keep your vow to God and man. When you promise, keep that promise. It is a sign of your character.

I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.

Our wisdom for today comes from Proverbs 25:28:

“Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who does not control his temper.”

At first glance, this might seem puzzling. What does it mean for a city to have its walls broken down? In the times of King Solomon, city walls were essential for protection. Take the story of Jericho, for example. When the Hebrews needed to conquer it, God caused its walls to collapse, making it vulnerable to invasion. Without these walls, Jericho was defenseless.

This proverb uses that imagery to teach a lesson about self-control. A person who cannot manage their temper is like a city with crumbling walls, open to attack and chaos. Just as the walls of Jericho were crucial for its defense, self-control is vital for our personal integrity and safety.

Losing our temper can make us vulnerable. Imagine someone who gets angry quickly and then claims, “I get mad, but I get over it just as quickly.” It’s like attending a gathering, throwing gasoline on everyone, and then walking away, thinking everything is fine. But the damage lingers. The virtuous path is to control your temper, not just for yourself but for the well-being of those around you.

I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.

Our wisdom for today is in Proverbs 25, verse 21.
“If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.”

The Apostle Paul knew this verse well. In Romans 12: verse 20, he wrote,“If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

There is a lesson for us in this verse.
We are not judged by how we treat those whom we love. A person can be judged by how they treat their enemies. A Godly person should be ready to help their enemies. Obviously, it is our hope that we can help them find God. One can never lead a person that they treat as an enemy.

All of this is emphasized by Jesus in Matthew chapter 5. He said, “I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.” (verse 44).

So today, do something good for someone who seems to be your enemy.

I’m Lonnie Davis and these are thoughts worth thinking.

Our wisdom for today comes from Proverbs 22:13:

“The sluggard says, ‘There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!'”

Perhaps, just perhaps, there is a lion in the street. Usually, there is not. Often, the lion-in-the-street response is a way to avoid what we should do.

I love the quote from Benjamin Franklin: “He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.”

You’ve heard so many excuses in your life. Here are a few common ones:

1. “I don’t have enough time.”

We all have the same 24 hours in a day. What you really mean is that you don’t prioritize that action very highly.

2. “I don’t have the skills.”

Well, learn them. Every skill is learned through effort and practice.

3. “It’s too hard.”

Success is not supposed to be easy. The hard work is what makes it worthwhile.

4. “I’ll do it later.”

Probably not. This is often a way to put things off until they are never done.

These and other like them are just lions in the street, imagined obstacles that keep us from moving forward. Let me leave you with this question: What lions are keeping you from doing what you need to do?

I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.

Our words of Devotion come from Lamentations 3: verses 22 and 23.

“His mercies never fail. They are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness!”

Many years ago I heard a song that had a lyric in it that stunned me. It said of God, “Great is your faithfulness.” I always thought about OUR need to be faithful, but never considered that GOD is faithful. Upon researching the words more, I found that is a quote from Lamentations.

If you are like me, you also may have never thought about the faithfulness of God. Of course, we must be faithful because it is required of us, but there is more. God is faithful. That is comforting.

God’s mercies never fail. Every day when we awake, all of God’s goodness toward us is fresh and ready anew. He is always the same in his kindness and mercy toward you.

Because we know that all of this is true, then there is but one question to answer: Do you want to be like God and imitate him in all you do? If so, then you must also be faithful, because He is faithful.

Think about the faithfulness of God.

We want to be like him in our faithfulness.

I’m Lonnie Davis and these are thoughts worth thinking.

Ecclesiastes 7: verses 21 and 22 offers us profound counsel:
“Do not pay attention to every word that is spoken, or you may hear your servant cursing you. For you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.”

This advice is valuable for all of us. Put simply, don’t take everything people say to heart, or you might hear something hurtful. Remember, there have been times when you’ve also spoken unkindly about others.

Expecting to live without hearing any negative comments is unrealistic and will only lead to disappointment. The key takeaway here is to avoid focusing on every criticism directed your way. Think about what a president endures. While elected by millions, there are just as many who voted against him, often braving harsh weather to cast their dissenting vote.

Verse 21 teaches us to rise above criticism because we, too, have been guilty of negative remarks. Don’t get angry with others for doing what you’ve done yourself.

Here’s a simple test I use when driving on a busy street: if I slow down to avoid crowding, someone inevitably cuts into my lane. Before getting upset, I remind myself, “Don’t be angry. You’ve probably done the same thing.”

This passage calls us to focus on what truly matters and to practice forgiveness even before being asked.

I’m Lonnie Davis and these are thoughts worth thinking.

Today’s wisdom comes from Ecclesiastes 7:10:

“Do not say, ‘Why were the old days better than these?’ For it is unwise of you to ask about this.”

The verse does not mean we should never reminisce about the good old days. Reflecting on great experiences can be enjoyable and meaningful. Ecclesiastes is cautioning against constantly declaring that the past was better than the present.

Yes, today might be a hard day, but if you retreat into the past, you won’t address today’s reality.

Spending too much time looking back idealizes the past and distorts your memory. Remember the saying, “Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be.” Another fitting quote is, “Nothing is more responsible for the good old days than a bad memory.”

Here are some reasons why it’s not wise to dwell on the past:

1. It prevents you from dealing with current problems.
2. It makes you think that all your good times are behind you.
3. It stops you from finding today’s lessons, whether good or bad. Remember, history only repeats itself if you don’t learn from it.

Any day can become a “good old day” if you have the faith to see it that way. Today, you can create new memories and connections, like picking up the phone and talking to someone, which you might look back on fondly in the future.

I’m Lonnie Davis and these are thoughts worth thinking.