“The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.”
Proverbs 18:15 (KJV) Hi friends, How are you? I hope you are well. It seems a little strange to write something after the Lord’s Prayer Series. Part of me, finds it difficult to “beat” a topic such as that. However, all of God’s Word is important and deserves acknowledgement. So, today’s topic is knowledge. I figured, since it is the beginning of the school year for many, knowledge would be a great topic to explore. The Holy Bible has many verses on knowledge. This week’s verse is Proverbs 18:15. First of all, I looked up “prudent” in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary online. It shows four different definitions for prudent. The one I think fits the best is the following: “characterized by, arising from, or showing prudence: such as a: marked by wisdom or judiciousness” God considers knowledge important. Here, the words in Proverbs 18:15, say that “the heart of the prudent getteth knowledge”. So, to me, God is saying that those who are wise and judicious (or even those who want to be wise and judicious) learn. They know the importance of knowledge. So, they do what is necessary to learn as much as they can and value education. If that means study, they study. If that means, read, they read. If that means ask questions, they ask questions. If that means, taking notes, they take notes. Prudent people do what they need to do to learn. I don’t know for sure the Lord’s meaning behind the second part of this verse. Maybe it is meant to mean something different to everyone. I like that it states, “…and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.” The word “ear” stands out for me. I am used to hearing that a person’s “heart” seeks knowledge. People often talk about their “heart’s dream” or “passions of the heart” or whatever. Heart is mentioned quite a bit about things we seek, and we do see the “heart” mentioned in the first part of this verse. Yet, in the second part of the verse it is the “ear” that is mentioned. So, to me, the second part of Proverbs 18:15 highlights the importance of listening. Not everyone possesses skills to listen or values the importance of listening. However, I think that this verse shows its importance. I don’t think the word “ear” would have been used and related to wisdom, if listening wasn’t important. Not only that, but one can learn more by listening than by speaking. I also think that if one is listening, one is showing that one is willing to learn. This isn’t always true when one is talking. One can say that one wants to learn, but if one is listening, one is showing that one is willing to learn. It may also be a reminder that one would be wiser to ask questions and remember to listen to the answer when one is seeking answers. Sometimes, we want answers, so we ask questions, plead for answers, and pray for help, yet we forget to actually stop and listen for the answers. Or, if God or someone else tries to give us answers, we say, “yeah, but…” and don’t really listen. Through our behavior, it seems like we don’t really want answers. We don’t want to learn. We need to remember that listening is an important part of learning. Heavenly Father, Thank you for giving us words to live by. Thank you for showing us the importance of learning and knowledge. Help us to seek knowledge all the days of our life. Also, help us to remember that listening is an important skill and an important part of learning. I thank you and praise you for your words of wisdom and life. Help us to learn all that you want us to learn. I ask you this through your Son, Jesus. Amen. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Reflective Questions for Proverbs 18:15 (KJV): *What does Proverbs 18:15 mean to me? *What are my thoughts about learning? *Do I value knowledge? *Do I seek out knowledge? *Do I pray and ask God what He wants me to know or learn? *Do I remember to listen, especially when I am searching for answers? Now, it is your turn. I value you being here and value your thoughts. Please, let me know what you think. Also, if you enjoy reading the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations, please consider signing up to receive it in your inbox. (Just check the "faith box" as you sign up. Thank you.
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 Mark 12:30 (KJV) “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.”
Mark 12:30 (KJV) Hi friends! Welcome to the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations! My name is Jodi Desautels and I am owner of DUO Inspirations. I am so glad you are here! I chose the words in Mark 12:30 to share as a welcome to the Faith Blog and DUO Inspirations as a whole, because they are words that warm my heart and embody everything I strive to do in life. If you feel the same way or want to feel the same way, you are in the right place. Thank you for being here. This one verse that Jesus spoke is the leading directive for us as Christians. It is a guiding principle of which we all should strive to follow. Yet, do we? I aspire to follow this first and most important commandment, but fall short in so many ways. These words of Jesus are the guiding principle in my own life and in DUO Inspirations, no matter how short I may fall. I know from experience how difficult it is to live fully for God and to love God with our whole being. So, my prayer and dream is to be able to help you do just that. I believe we can help each other, and in doing so and with prayer, God will help us all. I believe that as our Creator, the one true God, the Almighty, and our Heavenly Father, God deserves every bit of the love in which we are called to give. I believe He deserves not only the love, but also the respect and trust that goes along with such a love. I also believe that this commandment is not only for God’s benefit, but also for our benefit. If we love God with our whole being and strength, we will live a more complete, loving, joyous, and fulfilled life. * * * * * * * * * * * * * The closest we might come to showing this sort of love, might be with our family, in a ministry or during mission work, or even in our weekly worship. We know that we need to love, respect, and provide for our family in every waking hour. We can’t just love our loved ones part time. If we join a mission or ministry, we desire to help God’s people with the time we can give. We know that worshiping God at church or at home is a good thing. It is all the areas of our life where it is difficult to fulfill this commandment. For me, I often don’t think to love God with my whole being during some aspects of my life. What about you? Can you love God, by the foods you eat? Yes! Do I think of that, most of the time when I eat? No. Ugh. Can you love God during your shopping trip or driving down the road? Yes. Do I think of that, most of the time when I am doing these things? No. Ugh. We are called to love God always, in all ways; in every thought, every feeling, every sentiment, and every action. We are called to love Him physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Yet, thankfully, God is patient, kind, and loving. He does get upset when we fail to do these things, however He is always happy to welcome us with open arms if we are sorry for not doing our best. He gives us scriptures, each other, prayer, and many ways to help guide us back to His love. I pray that through DUO Inspirations, we can help each other to find His holy love and to help each other to follow the commandment that Jesus spoke in Mark 12:30. For posts on healthy Christian living, Bible study, devotion, prayer, and more, please continue to read the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations. * * * * * * * * * * * * * My strengths are in faith, education, and creativity. They are the talents, interests, and desires God gave me. It is through these areas, that I can offer the most help to you to live a life of love for God with every fiber of your being, “with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” That is my hope, dream, and prayer with DUO Inspirations. * * * * * * * * * * * * * Here are some reflective questions for you to ask yourself: *What does Mark 12:30 mean to me? *What is most difficult for me to follow the first commandment as stated by Jesus in Mark 12:30? *What can I do to better follow the words Jesus spoke in Mark 12:30? Here are a couple of questions from me: (I would enjoy hearing from you. Put your answers in the comments or feel free to contact me.) Thank you. *Which topics are you most interested in... faith, education, or creativity? (You can choose more than one.) *What type of topics concerning faith and Christian living would you most life to see? If you would like to hear from me in your inbox, sign up through the form in the side bar or on the DUO Inspirations home page. See you there. Thank you. |
Hi friends!
This is Jodi. I am so glad you are here! I am a Christian and life-long learner. I enjoy sharing and encouraging others. I pray you are blessed by this blog. Thank you for being here. Archives
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