Attitude Adjustment

Read Proverbs 15:1-33

4. Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.
5. Only a fool despises a parent’s discipline; whoever learns from correction is wise.
6. There is treasure in the house of the godly, but the earnings of the wicked bring trouble.
7. The lips of the wise give good advice; the heart of a fool has none to give.
8. The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but he delights in the prayers of the upright.
9. The Lord detests the way of the wicked, but he loves those who pursue godliness.
10. Whoever abandons the right path will be severely disciplined; whoever hates correction will die.
11. Even Death and Destruction hold no secrets from the Lord. How much more does he know the human heart!
12. Mockers hate to be corrected, so they stay away from the wise. Proverbs 15:4-12

A construction crew has been tearing up your route to work lately. It looks—as usual—as if they have chosen to do more than they can manage. Lanes and road shoulders are torn up, heavy equipment is scattered throughout the construction zone, and mud and debris are everywhere. As you pass through this mess, what do you see? Do you see a colossal inconvenience, or do you see a new era of smooth rides to work? Which would you rather do—curse the potholes or bless the highway department for filling them in?

Several verses in Proverbs 15 discuss attitudes—both cheerful and gloomy. They offer common sense on human emotions that you won’t find in a modern-day psychology book.

You will find these other lessons in this reading: how to defuse erupting fights; what God loves; what your reading material says about you; the value of love; one way to protect your family; and one way to attract honor.

Our attitudes color every experience we have (Proverbs 15:4, Proverbs 15:13, Proverbs 15:15, Proverbs 15:30). The way we interpret and respond to our experiences is entirely up to us. We can choose to respond cheerfully, or we can choose to respond grumpily. The secret to responding optimistically and having a good day is to have a cheerful heart (Proverbs 15:15). We can have this positive attitude despite wretched circumstances if we focus our attention on God—his character, his sovereignty, and his goodness to us.

As you face the struggles of daily living, look at your attitudes and examine what you choose to dwell on. If you have a bad attitude, shift your focus from your circumstances to God. It will make all the difference.