Verse: Proverbs 25:28
Proverbs 25:28 Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.
Devotion
I love Proverbs. So many bite-sized pieces of wisdom are compiled, each with just a few words. Today’s devotion is one of those and is a little surprising. When I think about self-control, I picture someone who has let their emotions and their judgement get out of bounds. They are overly angry or overly upset and they are saying things and doing things that are hurtful to others.
However, the writer of this proverb gave us a simile that compares a man (or person) without self-control with a city whose walls are broken down. What do walls do for a city back in the time that this was written? Walls were a defensive structure. They kept the people inside safe from the dangers of animals and invaders who were outside. You may recall that there is a whole book in the Old Testament (Nehemiah) discussing how important is was to get the demolished walls of Jerusalem rebuilt to make living there safe again.
So this proverb, this bite-sized piece of wisdom for living, is telling us that self-control can protect us from harm just like the walls of a city does. Consider the aftermath of a time when you lost control. It may have been anger toward your spouse or your kids. It could have been giving in to a temptation like overeating or drinking too much. Who gets hurt in these situations? Certainly there are those around us that feel the adverse effects of this. We say things or do things that will hurt others.
But the other person who is hurt is us! We suffer a break in trust with our loved ones. We damage our relationships that help us stay healthy and whole. We suffer a loss of intimacy. We also lose belief in ourselves. We can allow self-loathing or depression to creep into our lives.
These are powerful enemies that the walls of self-control can keep from attacking us. The Bible is full of wisdom from God on how we can live our most successful, productive, joyful life. The designer of life is giving us a handbook of instructions on how to live. Self-control is one attribute that is mentioned many times in the Bible as something for us to cultivate. Let’s pray this week to ask the Holy Spirit for more self-control in the areas where we need it.
Prayer
Holy Spirit, come fill us anew today and every day so that we may have the power and wisdom to act with self-control. Guide us in all that we do and say this week.
Author: Brad Dunn
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