Proverbs 27-29

It’s the end of Day 2 of our Parent Practicum, and my body and mind are beyond tired…yet the Proverbs still hold immeasurable beauty and wisdom.  It was too difficult to pick out just one to share.  I told my sweet house guest today that I did not think I could make even one more decision today.  So tonight I will share one of my husband’s favorite proverbs:

Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

Honesty and integrity are crucial to developing deep relationships with others.  Sometimes the words of our friends sting…but if they lead us back towards the Lord and towards our growth in Him, then they are fruitful.

I would say the words we receive from God’s Word work in much the same way.  The double-edged sword pierces us to the core.  It wounds us…in order to purify us.  It convicts us so we can confess and be made right with the Lord again.  A vivid (but gross) analogy is the way doctors sometimes have to drain a wound before it can heal.  There are times when our actions do not match what we profess…and in those times our true friends and our Counselor (the Holy Spirit) remind us of who we are in Him.  These friends are faithful.  And our God is the most faithful of all.