Insight for Today
A Daily Devotional by Pastor Chuck Swindoll

Solomon once wrote: "He who walks in integrity walks securely, But he who perverts his ways will be found out" (Prov. 10:9). Job became "the greatest of all the men of the east." People respected him because he was "upright, fearing God and turning away from evil" (Job 1:1–3). Job walked securely.

Some collegians think manual labor is the president of Mexico—until they graduate. Suddenly the light dawns. Reality frowns. And that sheltered, brainy scholar who has majored in medieval literature and minored in Latin comes of age. He experiences a strange sensation deep within two weeks after framing his diploma.

Paul's exposé of depravity in Romans 1:18–32 is a chilling account of human wickedness, a vivid pen-portrait of unleashed unrighteousness, unashamed godlessness, and unnatural lust. Reaching the final argument of his prosecution, the teacher from Tarsus twists the accusing knife with cruel eloquence.

I grew up in the heyday of radio. (Fact is, I didn't even see a television set until I was a teenager.) If we got our homework done, we could listen to various weeknight radio shows. Remember that spooky line the announcer always gave just before The Shadow came on?

The past couple of weeks have been some of the toughest of my life. My emotions have spanned the spectrum: shock, sorrow, horror, intense anger, disillusionment, disappointment, and utter bewilderment. I have prayed—without much benefit.

Do you teach the Bible? If so, that's great. No other calling is more needed or carries with it greater responsibility. My advice? Study hard. Pray for insight. Be accurate with facts. Be clear in your delivery Take your time. Relive and imagine those scenes. Try not to blot out the color.

Maybe I'm weird, but there are times the Bible makes me laugh. I mean really laugh. The older I get and the more comfortable I feel in the Book, the more I find times when a smiling response is not only appropriate, it's expected.

I used to bite my fingernails right down to the quick. I'd bite them off just as soon as the first signs of new growth would appear. Research shows that it takes only three or four weeks for an activity to become a habit. Not a person who reads this is completely free from bad habits.

I'll forgive . . . but I'll never forget. We say and hear that so much that it's easy to shrug it off as "only natural." That's the problem! It is the most natural response we can expect. Not supernatural. It also can result in tragic consequences.

Ever made a mental list of things that irritate you? Here are a few I've got on mine: traffic jams, long lines, misplaced keys, stuck zippers, interruptions, late planes, squeaking doors, incompetence, and flat tires. One of these days it should dawn on us that we'll never be completely free of irritations as long as we are on this planet.

Many great men and women down through the ages have offered counsel on how to keep our tongues checked and caged. Like Will Noris, the American journalist who specialized in rhymes that packed a wallop. He once wrote: "If your lips would keep from slips, / Five things observe with care: / To whom you speak, of whom you speak, / And how . . . and when . . . and where."

It was dear old Vance Havner, that venerable, leathery prophet of God, who once declared: "If you don't come apart . . . you will come apart"—wise counsel based on Mark 1:35.

If you aren't already doing so, I would strongly urge you to begin keeping a personal journal and write in it daily. This will not only help you focus your thoughts during and after your quiet time with God, but will enable you to look back on His footprints in your life.

I was raised to believe in the importance of a "quiet time." To the surprise of some, that concept did not originate with the late Dawson Trotman, the founder of the Navigators, but with the Lord Himself. The Scriptures are replete with references to the value of waiting for the Lord and spending time with Him.

Can't and won't. Christians need to be very careful which one they choose. It seems that we prefer to use "can't." "I just can't get along with my wife." "My husband and I can't communicate." "I can't discipline the kids as I should." "I just can't give up the affair I'm having." "I can't stop overeating."

The words of Psalm 23 are very familiar to all of us. Yet, unless we read that psalm through the eyes of a sheep, we will miss its magnificent message. Remember how it concludes? "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever" (KJV).

What those little Visine drops do for our eyes, relief does for our sighs . . . "it gets the red out." Few feelings bring a greater sense of satisfaction than relief, which Webster defines as "the removal or lightening of something oppressive, painful, or distressing."

"You do not have to sit outside in the dark. If, however, you want to look at the stars, you will find that darkness is required. The stars neither require it nor demand it" (Annie Dillard). A lot of things in life are like that, aren't they? A piano sits in a room, gathering dust.

The old prophet Habakkuk wrote relevant words of truth when he put this down in the first chapter of his prophecy: "Yes, destruction and violence are before me; strife exists and contention arises. Therefore the law is ignored and justice is never upheld. For the wicked surround the righteous." (Hab. 1:3–4).

A Public Agenda Foundation study, coauthored by Daniel Yankelovich, came up with these top ten qualities that today's workers want in a job: 1. Work with people who treat me with respect. 2. Interesting work. 3. Recognition for good work. 4. Chance to develop skills.