Proverbs 15:25-26

²⁵ The Lord tears down the house of the proud, but he sets the widow’s boundary stones in place. ²⁶ The Lord detests the thoughts of the wicked, but gracious words are pure in his sight.

Depression

Someone asked me if I sensed any depression while in hospital vacation. By the grace of God, I prayed and sensed peace while recovering in the hospital. But the smell hospital food was not very pleasant to me. Dietitians and nutritionist in the hospital may have done their very best to prepare food for many patients, but I personally was not pleased with the food they served me in the hospital.

Similarly, we may have done our best to please God, but God may not be pleased with the way we express love for him. Why? God is sovereign. He does not need anything from us. Did you know that? It declares in

So, if God does not need anything from us, why did he give commands for us to follow? Godly commands are instructions for everything that would please God. Meaning: We can only please God when we gladly follow his instructions. God decides what is pleasant to him. And we can obey the Lord by faith in Christ.

Actually, godly commands were given for God to impartially bless obedient believers without bias or favoritism. Jesus Christ declares in Luke 11:28:

²⁸Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.

Most of us pray for blessing, but Christ made it clear that blessing comes with obedience to his word. We should be praying that God helps us obey him, and we can expect his blessing for us. Did you know that there are people whom God particularly chosen to bless? It says in Deuteronomy 10:18 ¹⁸He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. In Deuteronomy 27:19, ¹⁹“Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow.”

The Lord decreed curse to anyone who ignores his warning. Particularly, the Lord takes care of the needs of the fatherless, the foreigners and the widows.

1. Widow

²⁵The Lord tears down the house of the proud, but he sets the widow’s boundary stones in place.

The Scripture clearly revealed that the Lord is not pleased with the proud. He actually wants to destroy even the house of the proud. The phrase “house of the proud” pertains to self-sufficient tendency and self-reliant nature of pride.

Self-reliance is dependence to the self and obviously, self-sufficiency does not need help from anyone. And the Lord wipes out the “house of the proud.”

God destroys the self-sufficient and self-reliant nature of the proud person.

But the Lord helps the powerless. Helpless widows can rely upon the Lord.

Boundary stones serve as physical markers of property line or territorial limits. And the Lord establishes and protects the properties of widows. The Lord warns also against cheating on widows. Together, let us reflect on Exodus 22:22-24. ²²“Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless. ²³If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. ²⁴My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.

Survive

It is natural for us to search for better places not just to survive but to have better life experiences, of course. If there’s no opportunity for progress in your current situation, it is smart to go somewhere where better opportunity is offered.

There was famine in Israel, in those days when the judges ruled the land. Naomi and her family went to live abroad, in the country of Moab. Few years later, her husband and children died. So, Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem. Women in Bethlehem recognized her and said, “Can this be Naomi?”

Reflect on what Naomi said in Ruth 1:20-21, ²⁰“Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. ²¹I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.”

The name “Naomi” means “pleasant.” And the name “Mara” means “bitter.” Did women in Bethlehem remember Naomi because of her pleasant personality? Why did pleasant Naomi want to be called “Bitter or Mara”? Was it because she became helpless widow? Her daughter-in-law Ruth joined Naomi when she returned to Israel. One practical reason could be Naomi’s pleasant personality.

Naomi and Ruth were widows. Ruth pleaded with Naomi in Ruth 1:16-17. ¹⁶“Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go,

and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. ¹⁷Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.”

Naomi’s faith in God could be a great factor that Ruth did not leave her. God himself must have touched the heart of Ruth to take care of her mother-in-law. God designed it for Ruth to be the great, great grandmother of King David. Ruth has practically proven what it says in Proverbs 19:17, ¹⁷Whoever is kind

to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.

Naomi was helpless and poor widow. Ruth went on to pick up grain left by harvesters. She even brought home leftover food for Naomi. Ruth was kind to the old widow Naomi, and God rewarded Ruth greatly. Naomi wanted to be called “Mara or bitter” but Ruth cherished her. Naomi’s words were pleasant to hear.

 2. Word

²⁶The Lord detests the thoughts of the wicked, but gracious words are pure in his sight.

Whatever we think or plan to do, it cannot escape the eyes of the Lord. The Lord can read our mind. God can hear even the silent prayer from our heart. The Scripture stated that Hannah prayed in her heart to have a son, out of great anguish and grief. God heard her. Hannah was the mother of Prophet Samuel.

The name “Samuel” means “heard by God.” Certainly, God hears what we say in our heart but it doesn’t always mean that God grants what we ask him. The Lord does not like the thoughts or prayers of the wicked. Meaning: Desires of our heart that are against his prescriptions for godliness cannot please God.

In contrast, the Lord is pleased with pure, gracious and kind words. The phrase, “Pure in his sight,” implies clean and acceptable words that please God. God decides which words are pleasant to him. The term “words” include anything that we utter. Words can be prayer, argument, speech, praise or flattery.

The Scripture was given for us to know how to speak words that please the Lord. How do you interpret Philippians 4:8? ⁸Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Grocery

Again, the Lord can read our mind and heart desires. Have you proven it?

It is smart to know between need to buy or just want to buy. This happened many times when we were buying groceries. In my mind, I wanted to buy things from the store just to taste or eat. But then, I decided not to buy. Surprisingly, some of you came and gave us things I wanted but did not buy. God did not let me buy those grocery items, why? He already prepared someone to bring grocery for us.

Truly I believe, God inspired you to share your abundance with us, and he just want to bless you even more. Amen! The Lord declares in Matthew 10:42,

⁴²And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.

What’s the value of a cup of cold water? It’s very valuable to thirsty person. God rewards anyone who gives even a cup of cold water to his disciples. Surely, the Lord rewards us much more when we share our blessings to children of God.

It is pleasant to the Lord when we share our abundance to bless the family of believers. The Lord had already prepared rewards for kindness and generosity, especially to those who are kind and generous to the family of believers. God will practically and spiritually bless us even much more when we gladly obey him.

If you want more practical blessings, regularly read the Scripture. Discover and memorize and internalize things that pleases God recorded in the Scripture.