Bible devotion: Addie - Proverbs 19:11

Today’s Bible readings can be found here: Proverbs 19:11-20 and Acts 17:24-34.

“A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.”

 – Proverbs 19:11

            Evelyn and I have just taken in a wee rescue dog, which we have now called Addie. She’s cute and reminded us so much of our last dog, Abbey, that we decided to give her a new home.

            Addie was rescued from a Puppy Mill. For the last seven years, she has been locked up in a small cage, producing puppy litter after puppy litter. When she could no longer give birth to any more puppies, she was scheduled to be euthanized. What a cruel way to treat a wee dog! Puppy mill owners are horrid people, and, at this time of year, when folks go looking for Christmas puppies in pet stores, most of the public is not aware that many heartless and cruel puppy mills advertise pups and supply unscrupulous stores with pets.

            Addie doesn’t wag her tail and is very wary of anyone approaching her. She doesn’t like to go outside because she’s not used to wide open spaces. She’s not house trained either, so Evelyn and I will have to be patient with her. We want to make the second half of her life full of love and fun. We want to restore her life to what God meant her to be.

            The Book of Proverbs mentions patience and wisdom quite often. The two go hand in hand. We all need patience, especially when we find ourselves in stressful situations. Sometimes among family and friends, even in church, our patience runs out and we foolishly say or do something impulsive or resentful. Even as a pastor for nigh on thirty years, I still make those basic mistakes. Wisdom, however, helps us to repair the damage and restore our relationships, which is, in fact, what God has done through thousands of years of dealing with humanity.

            Perhaps one day, Addie may wag her tail, showing Evelyn and I that our patience has worked. One day, too, we may smile in the Lord’s presence, showing God that His patience with us, has also worked.

Questions for personal reflection

Have I offended someone recently, or have I been offended? How can God help me to repair what’s been broken and restore what has been lost?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You are the Great Healer of the World and the Everlasting Restorer of our souls. You patiently work with us, reclaiming us for God and reconnecting us to His favor. Allow us to show the same patience and grace with our family and friends. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to make comments or ask questions about today’s devotion, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.