Personal Reflection: Joseph: The Man Who Spent the Most Time with Jesus
My name is Joseph and I was born into the royal linage of David. My father, Jacob, planned for me to be a Rabi. A leader in God's work. Opportunities seem to be opening all over, beautiful wife, babies, toddlers and work. I had begun. Then suddenly everything crashed. Pain of love lost, heartbroken children crying for "mommy" who was gone. My heart had been ripped out.
After the funeral, the pain finally lifted and the struggle to survive became bearable. A joy entered my life. A young woman from our town. A poor family but she is a poet and thinker. More importantly she shares my joy in Jehovah. However, bringing a teen-age woman into a family with 4 boys is not easy for her, me or them.
When she returned from a 3-month trip to her cousins' home, tragedy hit me again. She was three months pregnant with someone else's child. The law is clear "don't marry her". Confusion was added to the heart break with the angel or dream saying, "marry her".
The marriage was awkward, explaining to my little children, 4 months pregnant wife, upset parents all around, lost job as a Rabi, neighbors angry or laughing and taxes due in Bethlehem. Who do we leave the children with while we are gone? Where to stay. The leader of our nation wants to find us and kill us!
We are hunted so we frantically leave for Egypt. What do I do there and where do we live? Even when we return, we need to be careful. We had to move to a bad neighborhood to be safe. At least the entire family is back together again.
I was not born to manual labor. I have been a thinker and scholar my whole life. Looking back now I have been a failure as a teacher and thinker. I have only one student, a stepson, Jesus, but He wants to change the world.
He is faithful, loving, kind and brilliant beyond belief. He has been a challenge but a joy. I failed in the eyes of my community and family, but I helped a stepson get to know God better than anyone.
John Griffin
is a physician, husband, father, and grandfather of 12 grand people. He has a weakness for boats and has loved the Hood View church for many years. He is trying to learn about Jesus.
Bible in a Year: Proverbs 27-29
This Bible reading plan explores The Word based on the chronological order in which it was written, and is unrelated to the daily character devotions.
The Word of Promise audio Bible is used by permission. For more information and to purchase the complete audio Bible go to https://www.wordofpromiseapp.com/.
Proverbs 27
My Son, Be Wise
1 Do not boast about tomorrow,
For you do not know what a day may bring forth.
2 Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth;
A stranger, and not your own lips.
3 A stone is heavy and sand is weighty,
But a fool’s wrath is heavier than both of them.
4 Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent,
But who is able to stand before jealousy?
5 Open rebuke is better
Than love carefully concealed.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
7 A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb,
But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
8 Like a bird that wanders from its nest
Is a man who wanders from his place.
9 Ointment and perfume delight the heart,
And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel.
10 Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend,
Nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity;
Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.
11 My son, be wise, and make my heart glad,
That I may answer him who reproaches me.
12 A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself;
The simple pass on and are punished.
13 Take the garment of him who is surety for a stranger,
And hold it in pledge when he is surety for a seductress.
14 He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning,
It will be counted a curse to him.
15 A continual dripping on a very rainy day
And a contentious woman are alike;
16 Whoever restrains her restrains the wind,
And grasps oil with his right hand.
17 As iron sharpens iron,
So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
18 Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit;
So he who waits on his master will be honored.
19 As in water face reflects face,
So a man’s heart reveals the man.
20 Hell and Destruction are never full;
So the eyes of man are never satisfied.
21 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
And a man is valued by what others say of him.
22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,
Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.
23 Be diligent to know the state of your flocks,
And attend to your herds;
24 For riches are not forever,
Nor does a crown endure to all generations.
25 When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself,
And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,
26 The lambs will provide your clothing,
And the goats the price of a field;
27 You shall have enough goats’ milk for your food,
For the food of your household,
And the nourishment of your maidservants.
Proverbs 28
The Righteous Are Bold as a Lion
1 The wicked flee when no one pursues,
But the righteous are bold as a lion.
2 Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes;
But by a man of understanding and knowledge
Right will be prolonged.
3 A poor man who oppresses the poor
Is like a driving rain which leaves no food.
4 Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
But such as keep the law contend with them.
5 Evil men do not understand justice,
But those who seek the Lord understand all.
6 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich.
7 Whoever keeps the law is a discerning son,
But a companion of gluttons shames his father.
8 One who increases his possessions by usury and extortion
Gathers it for him who will pity the poor.
9 One who turns away his ear from hearing the law,
Even his prayer is an abomination.
10 Whoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way,
He himself will fall into his own pit;
But the blameless will inherit good.
11 The rich man is wise in his own eyes,
But the poor who has understanding searches him out.
12 When the righteous rejoice, there is great glory;
But when the wicked arise, men hide themselves.
13 He who covers his sins will not prosper,
But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
14 Happy is the man who is always reverent,
But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
15 Like a roaring lion and a charging bear
Is a wicked ruler over poor people.
16 A ruler who lacks understanding is a great oppressor,
But he who hates covetousness will prolong his days.
17 A man burdened with bloodshed will flee into a pit;
Let no one help him.
18 Whoever walks blamelessly will be saved,
But he who is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall.
19 He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
But he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough!
20 A faithful man will abound with blessings,
But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.
21 To show partiality is not good,
Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.
22 A man with an evil eye hastens after riches,
And does not consider that poverty will come upon him.
23 He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward
Than he who flatters with the tongue.
24 Whoever robs his father or his mother,
And says, “It is no transgression,”
The same is companion to a destroyer.
25 He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife,
But he who trusts in the Lord will be prospered.
26 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool,
But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.
27 He who gives to the poor will not lack,
But he who hides his eyes will have many curses.
28 When the wicked arise, men hide themselves;
But when they perish, the righteous increase.
Proverbs 29
Happy Is He Who Keeps the Law
1 He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck,
Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice;
But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.
3 Whoever loves wisdom makes his father rejoice,
But a companion of harlots wastes his wealth.
4 The king establishes the land by justice,
But he who receives bribes overthrows it.
5 A man who flatters his neighbor
Spreads a net for his feet.
6 By transgression an evil man is snared,
But the righteous sings and rejoices.
7 The righteous considers the cause of the poor,
But the wicked does not understand such knowledge.
8 Scoffers set a city aflame,
But wise men turn away wrath.
9 If a wise man contends with a foolish man,
Whether the fool rages or laughs, there is no peace.
10 The bloodthirsty hate the blameless,
But the upright seek his well-being.
11 A fool vents all his feelings,
But a wise man holds them back.
12 If a ruler pays attention to lies,
All his servants become wicked.
13 The poor man and the oppressor have this in common:
The Lord gives light to the eyes of both.
14 The king who judges the poor with truth,
His throne will be established forever.
15 The rod and rebuke give wisdom,
But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.
16 When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increases;
But the righteous will see their fall.
17 Correct your son, and he will give you rest;
Yes, he will give delight to your soul.
18 Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint;
But happy is he who keeps the law.
19 A servant will not be corrected by mere words;
For though he understands, he will not respond.
20 Do you see a man hasty in his words?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
21 He who pampers his servant from childhood
Will have him as a son in the end.
22 An angry man stirs up strife,
And a furious man abounds in transgression.
23 A man’s pride will bring him low,
But the humble in spirit will retain honor.
24 Whoever is a partner with a thief hates his own life;
He swears to tell the truth, but reveals nothing.
25 The fear of man brings a snare,
But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.
26 Many seek the ruler’s favor,
But justice for man comes from the Lord.
27 An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,
And he who is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.