Proverbs 27:21: “The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, / And a man is valued by what others say of him.”

July 1st, 2024 by Pastor Ed in devotional

The Hebrew word translated here as valued could be better translated tested. Popularity and praise “tests” the personal character of the person receiving it. How we react to praise may perhaps be the greatest test of our character.

We saw in Proverbs 17:3 that God is constantly stretching us in order to strengthen the character of our inner person: “The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, / But the LORD tests the hearts.” Once we begin to follow God, it doesn’t take very long to realize that He doesn’t always rescue us from trials. God is deeply concerned about our hearts and is constantly working to purify them. Throughout Proverbs we find God looking at, testing, assessing, and guiding the hearts of His people.

There is an old fable about one of the ancient kings of Persia who loved to mingle with his people in disguise. Once, dressed as a poor man, he descended the long flight of dark, damp stairs to the tiny cellar where the fire man, seated on ashes, was tending the coal furnace. The king sat down beside him and began to talk. At meal time, the fire man pulled out some coarse black bread and a jug of water, and shared it with the disguised king. The king went away but returned again and again for his heart was filled with sympathy for the lonely man. As time passed, they became friends. At last the king thought, “I’ll tell him who I am, and see what gift he will ask of me.” So he did, but the fire man didn’t ask for anything. The king was astonished and said, “Don’t you realize that I could give you a city, a throne, whatever you wanted?” The man gently replied, “I understand your majesty. You have already given the greatest gift a man could receive. You left your palace to sit with me here in this dark and lonely place. You could give nothing more precious. You have given yourself and that is far more than I could ever deserve.”

“LORD, thank You that You have called us friends, and as Your friends, we desire to walk with You this day.”