WEBVTT - Choosing Integrity When No One Is Watching (Proverbs 12)

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<v Speaker 1>Life Audio Thank you for listening to Your Nightly Scripture,

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<v Speaker 1>a calming, scripture-centered devotional podcast designed to help you end

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<v Speaker 1>each day with God's Word in your mind and on

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<v Speaker 1>your heart. Right after this short word from our sponsors,

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<v Speaker 1>we'll reflect on tonight's scripture, Proverbs 12. Tonight's scripture reflection

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<v Speaker 1>is written by Lynette Kittle and read by Leah Gerard.

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<v Speaker 1>Proverbs chapter 12. Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever

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<v Speaker 1>hates correction is stupid. Good people obtain favor from the Lord,

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<v Speaker 1>but he condemns those who devise wicked schemes. No one

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<v Speaker 1>can be established through wickedness, but the righteous can. cannot

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<v Speaker 1>be uprooted. A wife of noble character is her husband's crown,

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<v Speaker 1>but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.

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<v Speaker 1>The plans of the righteous are just, but the advice

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<v Speaker 1>of the wicked is deceitful. The words of the wicked

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<v Speaker 1>lie and wait for blood, but the speech of the

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<v Speaker 1>upright rescues them. The wicked are overthrown and are no more,

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<v Speaker 1>but the house of the righteous stands firm. A person

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<v Speaker 1>is praised according to their prudence, and one with a

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<v Speaker 1>warped mind is despised. Better to be a nobody and

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<v Speaker 1>yet have a servant than pretend to be somebody and

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<v Speaker 1>have no food. The righteous care for the needs of

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<v Speaker 1>their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.

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<v Speaker 1>Those who work their land will have abundant food, but

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<v Speaker 1>those who chase fantasies have no sense. The wicked desire

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<v Speaker 1>the stronghold of evildoers, but the root of the righteous endures.

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<v Speaker 1>Evildoers are trapped by their sinful talk, and so the

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<v Speaker 1>innocent escape trouble. From the fruit of their lips, people

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<v Speaker 1>are filled with good things, and the work of their

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<v Speaker 1>hands bring them reward. The way of fools seems right

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<v Speaker 1>to them, but the wise listen to advice. Fools show

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<v Speaker 1>their annoyance at once, but the prudent listen. Overlook an insult.

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<v Speaker 1>An honest witness tells the truth, but a false witness

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<v Speaker 1>tells lies. The words of the reckless pierce like swords,

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<v Speaker 1>but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Truthful lips

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<v Speaker 1>endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.

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<v Speaker 1>Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil,

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<v Speaker 1>but those who promote peace have joy. No harm overtakes

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<v Speaker 1>the righteous, but the wicked have their fill of trouble.

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<v Speaker 1>The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people

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<v Speaker 1>who are trustworthy. The prudent keep their knowledge to themselves,

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<v Speaker 1>but a fool's heart blurts out folly. Diligent hands will rule,

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<v Speaker 1>but laziness ends in forced labor. Anxiety weighs down the heart,

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<v Speaker 1>but a kind word cheers it up. The righteous choose

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<v Speaker 1>their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads

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<v Speaker 1>them astray. The lazy do not roast any game, but

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<v Speaker 1>the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt. In

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<v Speaker 1>the way of righteousness, there is life. Along that path

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<v Speaker 1>is immortality. Sometimes we may be tempted to only show

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<v Speaker 1>integrity when others are watching. Yet when alone, we're tempted

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<v Speaker 1>to do otherwise. Being tempted isn't a sin, but following

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<v Speaker 1>through with the temptation is. Most of us experience this

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<v Speaker 1>temptation from a very early age. It starts out when

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<v Speaker 1>we're as young as toddlers, hiding in a corner with

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<v Speaker 1>a cookie or taking another's toy. But as we grow,

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<v Speaker 1>we learn that even when others aren't around, our Heavenly

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<v Speaker 1>Father sees us. Especially, it seems, when we're alone. That's

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<v Speaker 1>when the real temptation to sin usually takes place. It's

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<v Speaker 1>easier to resist it when others are watching us. As adults,

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<v Speaker 1>we may become better at resisting in public, but still

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<v Speaker 1>struggle when no one else is around. When we do,

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<v Speaker 1>we don't have to resist on our own, but we

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<v Speaker 1>call on the Lord to help us in choosing what

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<v Speaker 1>to do. We remember that He sees us and we

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<v Speaker 1>want to do what is pleasing to him, even when

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<v Speaker 1>he's the only one looking. A few years ago, a

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<v Speaker 1>childhood friend returned my classic copy of Heidi, a book

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<v Speaker 1>she borrowed from me as a child decades ago without

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<v Speaker 1>my knowledge. Honestly, I don't know if I ever realized

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<v Speaker 1>she'd taken it or that it was even missing. Yet

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<v Speaker 1>years later, she still remembered. Even though I may not

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<v Speaker 1>have ever found out that she'd taken it, She knew

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<v Speaker 1>God knew what she'd done, and she chose integrity before Him,

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<v Speaker 1>letting Him do a work in her heart and mind.

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<v Speaker 1>God strengthened me today and every day to choose integrity

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<v Speaker 1>at all times, whether someone is watching me or not,

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<v Speaker 1>knowing you are always watching. If there are areas that

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<v Speaker 1>where I need to make things right concerning past choices,

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<v Speaker 1>lead me in integrity to make them right before you

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<v Speaker 1>and those I may have wronged. Amen. How did tonight's

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<v Speaker 1>scripture speak to you? Share your thoughts in the Your

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<v Speaker 1>Nightly Scripture Forum discussion.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you. for listening to Your Nightly Scripture. Tonight's scripture

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<v Speaker 2>was read from the New International Version by Biblica. All

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