Kristi Burchfiel

We cannot know what is best for us. While that statement is contrary to what most of us believe about ourselves and our ability, God’s word says it’s true. As we read in Proverbs chapter 16, looking at versus 21 through 33, verse 25 really stands out. There is a way that seems right to us, but in the end it leads to death. Our best guesses and our plans are all flawed. There are several reasons for this. One of those reasons is that we are not perfect. We make mistakes and as a result, our plans have those mistakes in them. Another reason that our plans lead to…

Do we love God’s Word? In Proverbs 16:14-20, verse 20 stands out. Most people are looking for the good things in life. They want their life to be filled with all that seems right and is pleasant. What the Bible says here, God’s word is the good in life. God’s word provides and instructs in all that is good. We have only to seek his word and to follow it to find the good in life. We can trust God. The verse actually ends by talking about the fact that the one who trusts God will be blessed. Are we seeking the good things that God’s word has for us?…

Why do we do what we do? In Proverbs 16:1-13, Solomon continus to share about the differences between the wise man and fool. In verse 2, it indicates that God understands our motives and judges us according to those, not just the action itself. In the business world, I talk a lot about business objectives (“what” someone does) and competencies (“how” someone does it), but God is also interested in the “why” behind what we do. We can often fool lots of people with regards to the first two, the what and the how, but we can’t fool God on the why. He will hold us accountable for the why…

How well do we interact with others? In Proverbs 15:17-33, Solomon lists several types of relationships and discusses how we interact with each of those areas. Are we acting in wisdom? Are we slow to respond in anger or judgment? Do we act with humility? The way we respond to others is a reflection of our relationship with God. If we struggle with other people, often we are struggling interacting with God. Do we accept discipline from others? Do we display humility? The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the respect of other peope we are around is the demonstration of that wisdom.

What will you give up to have God’s favor? Looking at Proverbs 15:1-16, we see several verses that deal with the a trade off. Which will we do, love God or love the world? Seek after wisdom or embrace foolishness? We live in a world today that wants to do both. We want to have our cake and eat it too. We want to follow God and have wisdom and blessing, yet we aren’t willing to give up the things of this world. We try to find ways to make God’s commands into more of a both/and instead of an either/or scenario. Yet God’s word is very clear in these…

Tranquility. This is such a beautiful word that, for me, brings to mind a wonderful picture of peace and beauty. In Proverbs 14:26-35, Solomon gives more pictures of how wisdom impacts us. We see the importance of respect and reverence for God. We understand our need to slow down and reflect on all the things that God provides us. It also mentions tranquillity of mind and heart. As we are resting and peaceful and tranquil of mind, we can see how God is at work and moving in our life. When we are constantly stirred up and seeking for the next best thing, we miss what God has already done. Do…

Do we act without thinking?  As we continue reading Proverbs chapter 14, we see in verses 13 through 25 how important it is to take time to consider our actions. We must reflect and think through the impact of the things that we are doing. We find that so many people act impulsively and as a result, their actions are considered foolish and reckless. Wisdom considers all options and is always looking for ways to improve and be better. Wisdom takes time. Do we? Are we considered reckless and impulsive or thoughtful and deliberate?  Do we seek to know and understand what is the best option, or do we settle…

We can’t know how to do what is best for ourselves. As we continue in Proverbs chapter 14, verses 1 through 12, Solomon continues sharing the differences between the righteous man and the wicked man. Today he makes an interesting statement. We do not know what is best for ourselves. Most of the time, we would completely disagree with this statement. We think we know what’s best. We tell God in prayer what we think is best. We expect God’s best to line up with our picture of what is best. Yet in verse12, we see very clearly that there is a way that man thinks is right, but in…

Do we accept correction? Solomon continues his contrast of the righteous and the wicked in Proverbs 13. Again, he covers a variety of areas of life and how the wicked respond versus how the righteous respond. However, he begins the chapter with a reminder that the righteous man accepts correction. We must be open to the idea that we do not know everything and we don’t always act the way we should. As a result, we will receive correction from others. Do we accept it or do we make excuses? Are we willing to learn from it, or do we become defensive? Will we make needed change or do we…

The Righteous Man and the Wicked Man. Proverbs chapter 12 gives comparison between these two types of men. What does a righteous man do? What does he not do? How does he compare to a man who is Wicked? This chapter is full of examples that cover every area of life from how the man thinks to how he treats other people and even animals. You see, the character of who we are impacts and drives every other aspect of our life. We cannot be thinking evil things and expect to act in a way that pleases God or enhances the lives of others around us. The opposite is true…