Pursuit of Wisdom in PROVERBS Formatted Paperback interior Modified

26Pursuit of Wisdom

HONOR

PROVERBS 26:1
Honor is no more associated with fools
than snow with summer or rain with harvest.

Honor is to value or esteem someone higher than
yourself. It is important to honor the people God
places in your life on any level. When you honor God, you
will honor people. The honor for people comes from your
honor for God. Roman 12:10 says to outdo each other with
honor. Honor is no more associated with fools than snow
with summer or rain with harvest, is what the scripture says
about people who do not want to honor others.

There are many different ways to honor someone. A
few expressions of honor are paying a compliment, treating
one with respect, being patient and forgiving. A challenging

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place to honor the people around you may be the workplace.
This is a place where you encounter several different people
with personalities that vary. To honor people just because
goes against the natural instinct of humanity. You have to
make a conscious decision to honor someone even when they
are not being honorable. The honor you walk in has to be
from a heart of humility embodied with the power of the
Holy Spirit.

Another area you will see people struggle with honor is
in marriage. I have coached many women who felt like they
did not honor their spouses. A lot of the lack of honor deals
with behavioral expectations of their husbands not being
met. This causes the wives to not respect, trust, or like their
spouses; therefore, they choose not to honor them. I often
have to get them to understand that honor is the gift they
give to the other person. The story of Ruth and Naomi is a
great story that shows honor. Naomi was Ruth’s mother-in-
law. Therefore, Ruth had a mother and family. When
Naomi decided to leave Moab and go to Bethlehem, Ruth
decided to go with her. She did not stay with her family.
She even chose to serve Naomi’s God. Now, that is honor.

We all can learn something from Ruth. She did not
know her decision to honor Ruth and go with her was going
to be a blessing. She made the decision out of love. We can

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never go wrong when we choose to honor people out of love.
God is love, so when we love, we will always be blessed.

Wisdom Nugget
Honor is the reward of integrity.

Pray: Holy Spirit, show me what honor looks like in my life.
If I am not honoring the people you have in my life, align me
to your love in me and reveal your wisdom to me concerning
the unique relationships in my life. Show me what it looks
like to express honor. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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27Pursuit of Wisdom

FRIENDSHIP

PROVERBS 27:17
As iron sharpens iron,
so a friend sharpens a friend.

Friendship is the most beautiful thing one can have. It is
an important element to humanity. God created
humans to be very relational, social beings. However,
friendship is the very relationship that gets challenged the
most. What is friendship? The dictionary describes it as the
emotions or conduct of friends. The root word friend means
a person whom one knows and with whom one has a mutual
bond of affection. People have many different definitions
for friendship. If you sit down with five different people and
ask them what friendship means to them, you will have five
different meanings of friendship. I believe to have great
friendships, you have to be a good friend.

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Many times, you look for a person to be a healthy friend
to you, which is important, but you have to be a healthy
friend first, to attract healthy friends. True authentic
friendships were challenging for me in my younger years. I
always felt like I was very loyal to people, but they were not
loyal to me. I would have friends, introduce them to each
other, they would become friends with each other, then get
mad at me or move on as friends without me. I understand
that everyone who crosses your path as a friend will not
always be in your life in every season. But when I was
younger, I did not understand that; as a result, I was very
hurt and became very guarded.

I am sure many of you went through something like this
or similar, which caused you to become guarded and
untrusting in friendships. I am so thankful we have a
heavenly Father who chose to take on all our
disappointments, hurts, and betrayals in exchange for his
love and forgave us! This gave me the ability to forgive and
trust again, and it will do the same for you. Proverbs 18:24
(NLT) says, “There are “friends” who destroy each other, but
a real friend sticks closer than a brother.” When you have
the experience of a real friend and friendships it changes
your life. You experience love, support, counsel, laughter,
correction, pain, trust, and someone praying for you. You

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also get to see the Holy Spirit in operation uniquely with
someone you vibe and connect with. It is a beautiful thang.

David and Jonathan had a friendship to admire.
Jonathan warned David when his father was trying to kill
him. The bible says, “Jonathan grieved for David” (1
Samuel 20:34) because his own father wanted to kill him.
David and Jonathan cried together when he had to leave due
to Jonathan’s dad, Saul’s envy towards David. This was the
support and love of a true friendship. Every friendship looks
and feels different. Be the friend you want, and you will
enjoy the blessings of great healthy friendships.

Wisdom Nugget
Friendship is medicine to the soul.

Pray: Holy Spirit, mold me to be a healthy and impactful
friend. Bless me with healthy and stable friendships I can
enjoy for a lifetime. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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28Pursuit of Wisdom

GREED

PROVERBS 28:22
Greedy people try to get rich quick but don’t

realize they’re headed for poverty. (NLT)

Greed is an intense selfish desire for something. People
particularly think about finances when you say greed,
but this could be for any area of one’s life. Hoarders deal
with greed because they do not want to let anything go. This
could be expressed in so many areas of our lives undetected.
People think the very thing they are holding on to for
security outside of God will keep them safe. Greed
embodies fear. The fear of loss. You hold on to the things
you have built your security and identity around very tightly.
If anyone asks to have some of what you have been holding
on to, you will be incredibly angry with them because to give
it away would be like letting go of a piece of yourself. God

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does not want anything to rule your life like this. God wants
to be the center of your security and identity.

Greed refuses to be satisfied. It always wants more,
nothing is enough. The more you get the more you want.
God allows you to have as much as you want. God wants
you to be prosperous! The problem is your attitude when
you obtain plenty of whatever you want. You have
confidence in the outward things instead of God. Glory and
worship should always go to God who blesses us, not to the
outward things we receive. Your inner treasures, which is
your character is what will benefit you in life the most.
Material, emotional, mental, and physical things are great,
but there is nothing like seeking first the kingdom of God
and his righteousness, because everything else will be given
to you. In your humanity, having many items seems like a
good way to ease your fears about the future, deal with the
anxiety of the moment or give you a sense of fullness.
Humanity’s default is to try to fill their feelings of emptiness
apart from God. In Genesis 2:18, it states that God knew
man should not be alone and gave him a woman. God knew
man’s desire before he had a desire. If he could meet the
needs of humanity, can he not meet every need you have?
Why would you want to try and meet any of your needs or
wants apart from him? You think he is going to make you

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give your stuff away? That is funny. The sad thing is it is
true for many. They do not want God to tell them to help
people. However, trusting in God means you no longer have
to rely on yourself in a hopeless effort to meet your needs or
satisfy your soul with greed. Jesus says in John 6:35 (NLT),
“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be
hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be
thirsty.”

Wisdom Nugget
Greed is a heart issue.

Pray: Holy Spirit, thank you for all that you have equipped
me to have on earth. I will not put my security and safety in
anything but you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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29Pursuit of Wisdom

PEOPLE PLEASING

PROVERBS 29:25
Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting

the Lord means safety. (NLT)

People pleasing is a phase I believe everyone goes
through. There are both unhealthy and healthy methods
of people pleasing. The motivational force of people
pleasing is making decisions based solely on seeking
people’s approval. You do not want to go to extremes with
this. It is healthy to want to please people. It becomes
unhealthy when you begin to ignore your own convictions to
please someone else, or to get them to like you. That is not
authentic, and it is unhealthy. Healthy people pleasing is
when you want to authentically add value to someone’s life,
have good moral character and support in a relationship, and
genuinely enjoy contributing to people’s happiness. It is

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great to bless people without them knowing. That is when
you know you are not people pleasing because their focus is
on God and not you.

There are many traits of people pleasing: trying too
hard to make someone happy, agreeing when you do not
agree, proving yourself, convincing people to buy into your
ideas, steering your words and actions to get approval, and
so much more. People pleasing can express itself in so many
different ways in people’s lives. People pleasers try to
please everyone and do not realize they are really trying to
please themselves. They rarely check their motives for why
they are doing things and oftentimes get burned out and
frustrated when people do not acknowledge the efforts they
are putting into the relationship. This is because they are
more interested in the popularity, image, and position they
have rather than the beauty in the relationship. This can
become troublesome because the approval has become their
idol in place of God. When you allow anything to control
you other than the Holy Spirit, your heart has erected a
shrine to a competing god.

Model Jesus’ examples to come out of people pleasing.
Jesus did not people please. Jesus did not care what the
audience thought about him. He seemed to care little about
how well His audience would receive His words. He spoke

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exactly what needed to be said, even when it led to His
death. You have to do the same. You have to stay in the
authentic natural place God gave you and do not let anyone
or anything move you from that place. You will develop an
intimate relationship with God by following his voice over
popularity and the crowd. You will switch allegiance from
worshipping self to worshipping God. Breaking the vise-like
grip that people pleasing has on your life will take you into
great freedoms. Step into your freedom today.

Wisdom Nugget
People pleasing devalues your uniqueness.

Pray: Holy Spirit, I only have an audience of one, and that is
you. You are the only one my motives to please must spring
from. You have approved me, so I do not have to seek the
approval of others by people pleasing. In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

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30Pursuit of Wisdom

WEARY

PROVERBS 30:1
I am weary, O God;
I am weary and worn out, O God. (NLT)

Many people get weary and do not admit it. They love
doing what they are doing, but they do not enjoy it
anymore. The physical body can still perform, but the
mental, emotional, and spiritual being gets tired, fatigued, or
exhausted. If you are not in tune with yourself, you can
grow weary and then withdraw or explode. However, you
express yourself, it will show up in an extreme form when
you are weary. Doing good can overwhelm you at times.
This is why Paul said in Galatians 6:9 (NIV), “Let us not
become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will
reap a harvest if we do not give up.” You have to stay the
course!

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Staying the course comes with bruises, being
misunderstood, pain, joy, fulfillment, love, spiritual battles
and all the things life brings. Do not let any of this cause you
to get weary. If you feel like you are getting weary—because
you will—anchor your soul in the Lord. Hebrews 6:19 (NIV)
says, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and
secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain.” I
believe this scripture was written because the Holy Spirit
knew hardship would be a present reality. We need to exhort
the Lord to keep our souls anchored in his promises,
protection, and truth. God knows your spirit is willing, but
your flesh is weak! The flesh does not like pain, opposition,
or hardship. You have to command your soul to align with
the character of your spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control
to not get overwhelmed and weary.

You also need a support system around you to help you
not get weary in well doing. You cannot do it by yourself.
Your support system will make you rest. They will help you
realize when you are overcommitting yourself to things and
people. They will let you know when you do not have your
priorities in order, which can cause you to do busy things,
and not things aligned to your vision and purpose in life.
Finally, they will help you quiet yourself so you can hear

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clearly from the Holy Spirit, so you can be healthy in your
relationship with God, things, and people.

Jeremiah was called the weeping prophet. I can image
he was weary in all the difficult times he faced. Can you
imagine God telling you to plead with someone for their
repentance? Well, Jeremiah had to do this for the southern
kingdom of Judah. His family turned against him and
plotted to kill him, and he went through so much more. It is
hard to get one person to see the error of their ways, let alone
a kingdom. I understand Jeremiah’s weariness. Jeremiah
knew that being the mouthpiece for God comes with
persecution, but the reward is greater! That reward was in
chapter 29, verse 11, “For I know the plans I have for you,”
declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm
you, plans to give you hope and a future.” These are the
same plans God has for you, so do not get weary on the road
to your prosperity, security, hope, and future.

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Wisdom Nugget
Gratitude silences weariness.
Pray: Holy Spirit, prompt me when to rest so I do not get
weary. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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31Pursuit of Wisdom

CHARM

PROVERBS 31:30
Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;

but a woman who fears the Lord will be
greatly praised. (NLT)

Charm, what is this? I wondered the same thing when I
read this scripture. Many people do not know what
charm is. It is an influence that subdues you by secret
powers and gains the affections; that which can please
irresistibly, delight, and attract the heart and mind. It
seduces you by giving exquisite pleasure to the mind and
appeasing your senses. Its impact is like a spell. Have you
ever had a friend that got in a relationship and forgot
everything they knew before they met the person? It was
like the person had a spell on them and they lost all sense of
reality outside of that person. This is what it looks like to be

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charmed. Back in the day we would say, “Girl, he got your
nose wide open because you have lost your mind.”

Charm can draw you into a toxic relationship and
deceive you with beauty, gifts, sex, whatever appeases you.
These relationships normally do not last and leave the
victims broken, scared, and damaged. This is why it is
important to look for the character of good in people because
a person who fears the Lord can be trusted. Solomon was an
example of being drawn in by charm. The women from
other countries seduced him with their beauty and corrupted
his godly character by getting him to worship their gods. All
through the bible charm is described as idolatry, sorcery,
deceit, and false signs and wonders. Do not be drawn into
relationships by charm and beauty (looks), it can be
deceptive and lead you down a road of destruction, cause
you to separate yourself from the awareness of God in your
life, and look to other things for guidance. Saul lost his sons
and kingdom to battle with the Philistines because he
breached his faith with the Lord and consulted a medium to
seek guidance. He did not seek the Lord’s commands, he
wanted other guidance; therefore, the Lord turned his
kingdom over to David (1 Chronicles 10:13). Charm can
entice you to seek power and authority outside of God as
Saul did. This guidance can look like academia, theology,

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money, leadership, and many other things. However, if God
is not the center of it and it is not grounded in the integrity of
God, it will only be temporary.

It is especially important when you are looking for a
wife or husband. The scripture says a woman who fears the
Lord will be greatly praised. I believe you need a spouse
(male or female) who fears the Lord, but this scripture talks
about the woman because she influences the family and
home with her character. The woman creates the home’s
atmosphere. This is why it is so important for her to fear
(honor) the Lord. An entire chapter is written on the
importance of the woman’s influence in the family and her
character. Read Proverbs 31 to see what the Lord felt about
the woman’s influence on her husband and who God expects
her to be in character. Charm will not lead you to a person
who fears God. Your love, honor, and relationship in God
will lead you to a person who has the same heart as you. A
heart for God.

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Wisdom Nugget
Charm gets your attention, but authenticity keeps it.
Pray: Holy Spirit, do not let me be deceived by charm.
Guide me into authentic relationships with people who
genuinely love God. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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CONTINUED…..

If you want to go deeper in your pursuit with the topics in
this devotional, as I could not write everything the Holy
Spirit gave me, I have additional material for each topic on
our Ezekiel Family Services Academy platform. Check the
additional pursuit of wisdom learning experience material
out at https://efsacademy.thinkific.com/courses/ezekiel-
family-services-academy and continue your wisdom pursuit.
You can also check out additional resources and products out
on my website ezekielfamilyservices.com.

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WISDOM SPEAKS

Lose yourself to improve yourself. Let go of all
unauthentic ways to embrace the authentic you. On
the journey of being the authentic you, if you live
through uncertainty, failure, mistreatment, rejection,
abandonment, being misunderstood, and you have

acquired wisdom, you have succeeded.

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REFLECTION

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. This
kind of fear embodies honor and reverence to the Lord.
This is an apprehension emotion that keeps me aligned to my
convictions from the Lord; without this expression of fear I
have missed the beginning of wisdom. Where wisdom is,
there is freedom. The Coronavirus pandemic and the sudden
shift in our day-to-day living brought up a lot of uncertainty
and anxiety for the world. The stay-at-home order,
uncertainty of how the virus spreads, many stories of death,
and racial tension that started to rise up during the pandemic
caused me to get overwhelmed with emotions. As I started
to write this, peace came over me and wisdom began to flow
out of me, and I was hearing things I did not previously have
the awareness of. This devotional was birthed as a gift of
wisdom to you and me. Take this wisdom and let it guide
you in integrity, love, and transformation.

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THANK YOU

I pray this time and pursuit of wisdom has been insightful
for you. Do not stop pursuing wisdom. If you want to
pursue additional personal growth in an area, and you would
like to book a spirituotherapy or coaching session, contact us
at Ezekielfamilyservices.com, 240-244-0285, or
[email protected]. We specialize in Life
Coaching and Spirituotherapy. Our social media platform is
Ezekiel Family Services (Facebook) and Nikki Pinkney
(Instagram).

I declare the eyes of your
understanding are enlightened by the

“Pursuit of Wisdom.”

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