God’s Wisdom Saves Lives

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Our reading, titled God's Wisdom Saves Lives, was written by Katira Patton. A mail carrier became concerned after seeing one of her customers' mail pile up. The postal worker knew the elderly woman lived alone and usually picked up her mail every day. Making a wise choice, the worker mentioned her concern to one of the woman's neighbors. This neighbor alerted yet another neighbor who had a spare key to the woman's home. Together, they entered their friend's home and found her lying on the floor.

She had fallen four days earlier and couldn't get up or call for help. The postal worker's wisdom, concern, and decision to act likely saved her life. Proverb says, the one who is wise saves lives. The discernment that comes from doing right and living according to God's wisdom can bless not only ourselves, but those we encounter too. The fruit of living out what honors Him and His ways can produce a good and refreshing life. And our fruit also prompts us to care about others and to look out for their well-being. As the writer of Proverbs asserts throughout the book, wisdom is found in reliance on God. Wisdom is considered more precious than rubies and nothing you desire can compare with her. The wisdom God provides is there to guide us throughout our lives.

It might just save a life for eternity. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Proverbs 11 verses 24 through 31. One person gives freely, yet gains even more. Another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper.

Whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. People curse the one who hoards grain, but they prey God's blessing on the one who is willing to sell. Whoever seeks good finds favor, but evil comes to one who searches for it. Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf. Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise saves lives.

If the righteous receive their due on earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner? Let's pray. Heavenly Father, please give us wisdom to follow your path and directions. Help us to be sensitive to your Spirit's leading and to look out for others in need. Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Toni Collyer and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.