Reading With the People of God #14 ProverbsSample

“Strength in Surrender”

Proverbs 29 offers wisdom for leadership, justice, and restraint. A key theme is teachability:

“Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy” (v. 1).

Wisdom isn’t just about knowing right from wrong; it’s about being humble enough to change when corrected. Pride isolates and hardens, but humility opens the door to life.

In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul shares one of the most personal parts of his journey—a "thorn in the flesh" that kept him from becoming proud. He pleaded with God to remove it, but instead of deliverance, Paul received a deeper revelation: “

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

So Paul concludes,

“When I am weak, then I am strong.”

The two chapters come together with a surprising truth: real strength is found in surrender. Proverbs warns against the danger of stubborn pride, while Paul shows us the beauty of humble dependence. Where the world tells us to avoid weakness at all costs, Scripture invites us to embrace it—because that’s where grace flows most freely.

When we admit our limits, yield to God’s correction, and lean into His power, we discover a deeper strength than we could ever manufacture on our own. Weakness isn’t the end of the story—it’s the place where God begins to work most powerfully.

Reflective Question:
Where might God be inviting you to stop striving and instead embrace weakness so that His strength can be made perfect in you?

Prayer of Illumination:
Lord, open my heart to receive Your Word with humility. Soften any pride in me that resists correction or hides weakness. Help me to see that Your grace is not just enough—it is everything. Teach me to trust Your strength in my weakness and to walk in the wisdom that comes from surrender. Amen.