Day 15

07 Feb Day 15

Scripture: Proverbs 3:3-4 NLT “Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart. Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation.”

Observation: God is telling us to bind kindness and loyalty deep into our hearts. Tie them around your neck each day like a necklace, as a reminder of how we should treat one another. Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation.

Application: We all deal with difficult people every day. It can be hard to show love and kindness to those who are unpleasant to us. I, personally, have tried to avoid those types of people, but God calls us to show mercy, love, and kindness. Being obedient to God’s Word leads to spiritual growth.

When I started my new job four years ago, I had a coworker who made my work days tough. She did not work well with me and, for some reason, I was not her cup of tea. I dreaded coming into work each day knowing that I had to deal with such a negative person. I started to become resentful towards her and I realized that was not what God had intended for me. I started to pray for her specifically during my drive to work each day. This was my reminder, tying on my necklace of kindness each morning. I prayed that God would not only soften her heart but mine as well. Through prayer, God led me to a place where I was able to see past her negativity and realize that she is also a child of God, and she is worthy of love too. This is still a work in progress for some of us, and that’s okay. 

Keep praying and watch God work deep within your heart. Confess to God any resentments or anger that you might struggle with. Ask him to soften your heart so that you are able to show kindness to others and pray for those that have been unpleasant towards you. Finally, everything we do and say should honor God, both in private and in public. This is one example where good reputation comes in. Make the kind of choices that lead to good reputations. Let’s tie our necklace of kindness and loyalty each day as a reminder of God’s command: Love one another!

Prayer: God, thank you for your love and faithfulness. I pray that you remind us to show love and kindness to everyone. I pray that you continue to work in my heart and that I can let go of any resentments that might be holding me back. I want to glorify you in everything that I do and say. God, I know that obedience leads to blessings and I want to be blessed. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Going Deeper: 

• Spend time in fellowship with God in worship, prayer, and/or Bible reading. By doing so, you will become more like him. 
• “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” (Philippians 4:6 NLT)

Adalis Cruz/Pastoral Care & Code Red J-Teamer, Evening Program Class of 2022

Adalis has been coming to The Journey for seven years along with her husband, Joel, and her two children. She enjoys spending time with her family. Adalis is passionately involved in the recovery community.