October 7
"A fool does not delight in understanding, but in revealing his own mind.” (Proverbs 18:2)
Our verse says that a fool does not delight in understanding but instead is trying to “reveal his own mind.” This proverb describes a person who is always trying to be understood rather than trying to understand. It may manifest as someone who rarely listens, dominates conversation, or appears to be a “know-it-all.” While it's easy to notice these traits in others, if we're honest, we must admit that we have all acted this way at times. How can Christ transform these tendencies in us and those around us?
You may have heard of the well-known Prayer of St. Francis. This prayer focuses on selfless reflection, emphasizing what a person can bring to every situation in life, rather than what they can take from it. It says:
Lord, make me a channel of Your peace:
Where there is hatred, I may bring love;
Where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness;
Where there is discord, I may bring harmony;
Where there is error, I may bring truth;
Where there is doubt, I may bring faith;
Where there is despair, I may bring hope.
Lord, I pray to comfort rather than to be comforted, to understand rather than to be understood, to give rather than to receive, and to love rather than to be loved. For it is by self-forgetting that one finds, it is by forgiving that one is forgiven, and it is by dying that one awakens to eternal life. Amen.
How can I practice active listening and seek to understand more fully? How does seeking to understand others first reflect Christ’s love?
Lord, help me to seek understanding over being understood. Give me a humble heart that listens, and help me to always speak with wisdom and grace. May I reflect your love in every conversation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Redemptive Recovery
Redemptive Recovery (RR) is a Christian recovery group and program that is modeled on biblical truths. We believe that Jesus Christ has the power to transform our lives and that the bible is our roadmap. RR meets weekly and is for anyone currently navigating the challenges of addiction and also those that are further along in their recovery.
Visit www.redemptiverecovery.org for more information.