Daily Challenges Archive

This is not the best verse for me to read as I sit here eating my second piece of ice dream cake. One of the reasons I have a lot of grace for people struggling with addiction is that I understand this verse. I live it. Thankfully, my battle is wi...

The verse prior tells us not to desire the company of the wicked. After having the privilege of being immersed 24/7 for about a week in the company of wise, fun, and godly men, I don’t know why anyone would willingly seek out time with the wicked ...

Gardner Mulloy is a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. He won 129 U.S. national titles. He also won five Grand Slam doubles titles, was ranked No. 1 in the United States in 1952, and started the University of Miami tennis program. He...

As someone prepared to replace me in a position I had served in for many years, they asked me what I wanted my legacy to be. I thought for just a moment and responded, “I don’t want any legacy other than that I loved Jesus and was kind. If they to...

I have an old friend who used to say, “You can never fully trust yourself.” Over the years, I’ve come to realize just how true that is. On my very best day, my opinion is still clouded; my understanding of the facts is still influenced by so many ...

I recently heard about a friend who is thinking about becoming a life coach. Over the past decade, this has become a very popular career move for counselors and a frequently sought-after resource for business leaders and others. I’m certainly a fa...

It’s amazing how often our own stupidity results in a less-than-desirable outcome—and we blame God. I once picked up a young man from the police department (read: jail) on behalf of his parents. As we talked on the way to his house, he mentioned t...

I was once asked how, after more than 15 years of writing a daily devotion from Proverbs, I can still find a fresh thought to share. That’s actually a very good question—one that has, more than once, made me wonder if it was time to stop or at lea...

Peter clearly knew the Proverbs. In chapter 4 of 1st Peter, he says almost the same thing Solomon does in the first half of this verse. Jesus Himself spoke often about love. The Greek word agape “signifies a deep, selfless, and sacrificial love, o...

This verse gives us two clear takeaways. First, fools do not benefit from discipline. That’s a shame. Imagine going through discipline and it being wasted. To not learn from discipline is a double form of foolishness. You endure the correction, bu...

Growing up, I was involved in a religion that taught many sacraments or religious duties. I worked really hard to do them all—and to do them perfectly. I never could. God gave the law to Moses so that the Jewish nation would never doubt their need...

Bill Engvall is a fun comedian. He does a routine about stupid people and thinks it would be helpful to society if they wore a sign so we could easily identify them. As I read this part of today’s Proverb, I was reminded of Engvall’s humor as I co...