June 6, 2020

The book of Proverbs is a collection of short sayings in the Old Testament meant to instill wisdom in God’s people. As we read, it is important to remember that a proverb is a statement which is generally true in principle, not a universally true promise. Let’s dig into the Word together and allow the Lord to shape our hearts, our minds, and our lives in his wisdom over the next month!

The majority of Proverbs 20 deals with having good judgment and discernment. The teachings in this chapter deal with a range of topics such as hard work, justice, being a good and wise ruler, and money. The various teachings contained in this chapter work towards a vision of having good judgment!

In verse 5 we see that people’s true intentions and purposes are often difficult to discern, but in order to be wise we must draw it out of them! Immediately following this verse, verses 6 and 7 say this: “Many a man proclaimshis own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find? The righteous man who walks in his integrity-blessed are his children after him!” (emphasis mine). 

The author is teaching us that although many people say their hearts are true, proclaiming their faithfulness, but do so in pretense, disguising ulterior motives. We can and should observe the fruit of their lives in such matters and expose those things!

Even more than that, however, these verses act as a call to God’s people to walk in integrity, in total, radical honesty and authenticity, rather than in hypocrisy. Jesus instructed us to “Let what you say be simply ‘yes’ or ‘no’; anything more than this comes from evil.” (Matthew 5:37). The principle is clear; in reflecting God’s character to the world, His people are meant to live lives of such uprightness and integrity that we don’t even have to say “I promise”; our “yes” or “no” is enough because we can be trusted to that extent!

This is a tremendously difficult calling, and few people actually live this way, yet God expects this from us as His people! No one should ever have to question if we mean what we say, if we are masking some hidden agenda, or if we really are what we present ourselves to be; our integrity and trustworthiness should be such that we have no pretension with anyone!

The gospel frees us to live this way! Because even our biggest regrets and our most heinous sins have been freely, fully, and forever forgiven in Christ, we can live with total honesty in every area of our lives; if we can come just as we are before the Holy God because of what Jesus has done for us, certainly we can come as we truly are before other broken and sinful people!

Let’s examine our lives and our ways, see if we truly live this way, and come to the Lord in confession and repentance! Let’s lead our lives in such radical integrity, genuineness, and authenticity that the truthfulness and faithfulness of God is put on display through us!

Proverbs 20

20 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,
    and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
2 The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion;
    whoever provokes him to anger forfeits his life.
3 It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife,
    but every fool will be quarreling.
4 The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;
    he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
5 The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water,
    but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love,
    but a faithful man who can find?
7 The righteous who walks in his integrity—
    blessed are his children after him!
8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment
    winnows all evil with his eyes.
9 Who can say, “I have made my heart pure;
    I am clean from my sin”?
10 Unequal weights and unequal measures
    are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
11 Even a child makes himself known by his acts,
    by whether his conduct is pure and upright.
12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
    the Lord has made them both.
13 Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty;
    open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.
14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
    but when he goes away, then he boasts.
15 There is gold and abundance of costly stones,
    but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 Take a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
    and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.
17 Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
    but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel.
18 Plans are established by counsel;
    by wise guidance wage war.
19 Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets;
    therefore do not associate with a simple babbler.
20 If one curses his father or his mother,
    his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
21 An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning
    will not be blessed in the end.
22 Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
    wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.
23 Unequal weights are an abomination to the Lord,
    and false scales are not good.
24 A man’s steps are from the Lord;
    how then can man understand his way?
25 It is a snare to say rashly, “It is holy,”
    and to reflect only after making vows.
26 A wise king winnows the wicked
    and drives the wheel over them.
27 The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord,
    searching all his innermost parts.
28 Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king,
    and by steadfast love his throne is upheld.
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
    but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.
30 Blows that wound cleanse away evil;
    strokes make clean the innermost parts.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Family Discussion Question:

  • What does it mean to have integrity? What about hypocrisy? How does the grace of Jesus free us to not feel like we have to pretend with anyone?

16 thoughts on “Daily Devotional-June 6”

  4. Father, you are the maker of the universe, the hearing ear and the seeing eye. Help me to see more clearly this day. May I be oh so still to hear you speaking to me through your word. When others see me, may they get a glimpse of you. When they hear me, may they know the words are directed by you. Father, thank you for loving me. Here I am, surrendered to your service. Now…let’s be going and find one more for Jesus. Amen

  5. The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out. Proverbs 20:5

  6. Dear Heavenly Father,
    The song “Just As I Am” reminds me of the way God accepts us, just as we are. He pardons and cleanses and relieves all of our sins. It is not because of any deed or good work that we have done but strictly by the grace and love of God. Therefore, we must walk with integrity and give God the glory. He always keeps his promises. We, too, should stand for what we say and believe , as God does. Our word should be our bond. I was taught that your hand shake was as good as your word.
    It meant something. Trust and integrity are wonderful attributes. When you trust someone you can be assured that they are going to do what they say. It is so reassuring that we can depend on God and trust God to be who He is and depend on and trust Him with every decision we make. God is our model, the ultimate model. Please Lord. help me to always represent you in a way that is pleasing in your sight. Help me to live with integrity and honor You so that prople will know You and that I am “a child of God “. Thank You for always loving me and teaching me how to live. You are my Lord, my Savior and my Friend…and to You, I come. Amen

  7. Heavenly Father,
    This world is in turmoil with all the division and disagreements that are taking place around the world. My prayer is that we all will see your hand and hear your simple message that tells us to Love God and Love People and that love solves everything. Help us to all be honest and speak truth in love about what is happening in this world at this time. None of this is a surprise to you and Jesus we need to see true integrity and pure hearts that believes in you and your word. Lord, give us all wisdom to see and hear from you. Your word is the only truth that we should look for and help all Christian leaders and all true believers stand up for you and your righteousness. Lord, help us to see that there isn’t going to be any division in heaven and keep us on our knees praying for us to show more kindness, love, honesty and choosing you and your word above everything in this world. In Jesus name I pray. Amen

  8. Thank you Lord for loving me just as I am, as the song mentioned by Jan says. Thank you that you are always there for me when temptations try to lure me. Thank you for being my armor and my shield. Help me always to walk with integrity and honor so that those around me will see you in my words and my actions. You are my rock and my salvation. Thank you! Amen

    1. Lord please help me to live my life as a person with the integrity to show people the real me. I want to have the integrity and honor and the strength so that everyone can see that I am who I am because the I am tells me who I am. In Jesus name I pray Amen.

  9. Love reading the take away nuggets from other’s replies. Their spirit sheds light on what is in the hearts of man and how God speaks to them and helps others to learn from what God says!”The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts.” Proverbs 20:27

  10. Thank you for praying for Frank and Nell’s daughter she came through the surgery fine but pray for her recovery because from what I am told it is a painful recovery.

  12. The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts. Proverbs 20:27

    You, alone, know my heart, O Lord. Reveal what I need to see and mold me into Your likeness more and more each day, I pray.

    In Jesus’s name.
    Amen

  13. 29 The glory of young men is their strength,
    but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.
    Lord, help me enjoy this new season in my life as we see our oldest daughter off to college. I pray you fill us with your Spirit of wisdom, that we make ourselves available to her, and that she will see us as a resource to consult with, as she seeks your plans for her future.

  14. Most church covenants speak to verses 1 and 2 for good reason. An estimated 88,000 people (approximately 62,000 men and 26,000 women die from alcohol-related causes annually, making alcohol the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States. 

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