Walk Of Life – Day 11, July 2021 – Thoughts From The Book Of Proverbs – Be Diligent!

Be Diligent To Be A Gracious Woman And A Merciful Man – Proverbs 11 : 16,17

A gracious woman retains honor, but ruthless men retain riches. The merciful man does good for his own soul, but he who is cruel troubles his own flesh. – Proverbs 11:16,17

A beloved sister of mine has a great desire to be addressed as a gracious lady at her funeral and yes, she is gracious. Gracious in her words, in her actions and in her thoughts. How is graciousness measured?

The meaning of Grace according to Cambridge Dictionary is a quality of moving in a smooth, relaxed, and attractive way:. The exact example of Gracious lady in the Bible is Rebecca. I cannot even imagine the beautiful spirit that was within her. When she just heard a stranger asking her for water, she immediately offered and went many steps ahead by saying “Drink, and I will give for your camels as well”. Now to fill our water bottles easily from a tap would be difficult. We will become tired. We have many alternative methods for it. Whereas, she drew from the well.

He had scarcely finished speaking his thoughts aloud when Rebekah came carrying a jar on her shoulder. She descended to the spring, filled her jar, and climbed back up. Eliezer ran to her and asked her if he could drink a little water from her jar. “Drink, my lord,” she said. After he drank, she said, “I will also draw for your camels, until they finish drinking (Genesis 24:18–19).”

It is said that a thirsty camel can drink more than 30 gallons of water in less than 15 minutes. It is something equivalent to 113 liters of water. Even if in 1 draw if she can draw 2 liters of water she should have drawn more than 55 times to quench the thirst of 1 camel. The thought itself makes me tired. Surprisingly no murmuring or grumbling. She was cheerful and after all that work Bible says that she ran hurriedly to tell her family about the man. That is being gracious.

Wise King Solomon recognized that treating others with kindness and mercy is good for us! However, anger and cruelty not only hurt others, but also hurt the cruel person himself.

It’s interesting to note that during the conquest of Jericho a man named Achan sinned, and Joshua asked, “Why have you troubled us?” (Joshua 7:25). Achan’s sin led to trouble for his whole nation and the death penalty for himself. Proverbs 11:17 says ‘The merciful man does good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubles his own flesh’. The merciful is he who is alive to his eternal interests, who is seeking the good of that treasure which is committed to him — “his own soul.” How may you promote this most desirable of all objects?

1. He who would do good to his own soul must carefully avoid all manner of sin, whether in thought, word, or deed. The thoughts must be watched. We are to be careful of the words which we utter, so that we may not make our tongues the instruments of evil-speaking, lying, and slandering. And careful also of our conduct and action.

2. Another mark of the object being kept in view, is the habitual study of the Word of God. The Scriptures testify of Christ, and point Him out as the “way, the truth, and the life.”

3. Attention to the means of grace.

4. He endeavours to realise an interest in the merits and atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ.

5. The merciful man, who does good to his own soul, does so only by placing his entire dependence upon the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thus as brothers and sisters in Christ may we be diligent to be gracious women and merciful men.