February 23

AN EXCELLENT SPIRIT

-Proverbs 17:27,28 states, … He that has knowledge spares his words: And a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit. Even a fool, when he holds his peace, is counted wise: And he that shuts his lips is esteemed a man of understanding … If there were ever a scripture verse that needed to be applied to our lives, this is definitely one of them. A sure sign of a fool is one who has diarrhea of the mouth. Let us now notice a few of the words in this passage and their meanings.

-The word "understanding" in verse 27 means discerning. The word "excellent" in verse 27 means quiet, and the word "understanding" in verse 28 means wisdom, or a wise man. We can now conclude that a discerning person is of a quiet spirit, and he that shuts his lips is a wise man.

-Remember the story of Joseph? Joseph proved in the end to be a man with a quiet spirit, one who was discerning, and one who was wise. What was it that he discerned? GOD’S WAYS! Joseph came to realize that what his brothers meant for evil, God meant it unto good, to save much people alive. Joseph told his brothers to … be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that you sold me: for God did send me before you to preserve your life. WHAT AN EXAMPLE OF A DISCERNING WISE MAN WITH AN EXCELLENT SPIRIT! Joseph entered into Egypt as a slave, and then became the most powerful man in all of Egypt under Pharaoh! Joseph understood that YOUR ATTITUDE DETERMINES YOUR ALTITUDE!!! If you humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, He will exalt you in due season. May we learn to discern GOD’S WAYS, having an excellent spirit, and may we grow into men and women of wisdom.

-BE OF AN EXCELLENT SPIRIT!-