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Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself, but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded.

Proverbs 13:13, ESV

Some versions write this as “a word of instruction,” yet the question we must ask is, “What word?” For us as readers, the context of the word or the word of instruction is important because this is not to be understood as just any word, but the Word of God. When we despise God’s Word or ignore it, we are opening up for ourselves a world of trouble. It would be easy to look at the world and see this as the cause for so much hardship that surrounds us. As we look to the New Testament, we are given a new perspective as our Lord fully revealed His mercy to us and the world through His Son and the sacrifice Jesus made upon the Cross. As we look to the commands of our Lord and let them shape our hearts, the world around us changes, especially as we follow the two greatest commands that Jesus gives, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength…and love your neighbor as yourself.” If we were to be faithful just in these two, imagine how much different our world would be? Seek the Lord’s guidance and know His peace.

Let us pray. I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have kept me this night from all harm and danger, and I ask you to protect me this day also from sin and every evil, that in all I do today, I may please you. For into your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel watch over me, that the wicked foe have no power over me. Amen.