Day 169: Proverbs and the Press(Proverbs 29:8)

Scoffers set a city aflame,
    but the wise turn away wrath.

Proverbs 29:8

Through the Bible: Proverbs 27-29

Every day, I try to read the chapter of Proverbs that matches the date on calendar. Often, it seems like there are striking parallels between stories in the news and what I read in Proverbs.

It was like that in the summer of 2020. Between George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery; protests and counter protests over reopening the country; looting and violence in the streets; the threat to pull the plug on what was then called Twitter; and the level of dissension and division among Christian brothers and sisters on social media, verse after verse from Proverbs 29 jumped out at me.

Things haven’t gotten much better since 2020. As I revisit this post in 2025 I think we are even more divided than we were five years ago.

So when what is in the news matches up with what is in the Proverbs, it is helpful to voice a prayer after each one. Here are just a few of the verses, and the prayers I wrote in my Bible next to them.

8 Scoffers set a city aflame, but the wise turn away wrath. Proverbs 29:8

Lord, parts of Minneapolis are literally burning today. Anger and rage are at a boiling point. People cry for justice, and when they feel like their cries aren’t heard, violence spills over. So Father, please raise up wise men and women who can turn away wrath.

“A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.” (Proverbs 29:11)

Lord, raise up wise leaders who will not give full vent to their spirit, but will quietly hold it back.

Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.” Proverbs 29:18

Oh God, let there be a prophetic vision for how this can end. Your people have cast off all restraint.

“Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” Proverbs 29:20

 Father, social media, especially Twitter, makes it so easy to be hasty with words. Please give our leaders wisdom to know how to be wise with the platforms they have. And help me remember that just because a thought comes into my head, that doesn’t mean I have to Tweet it.

“A man’s wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression.” (Proverbs 29:22)

God, when we are given to anger, we cause sin. Not just in ourselves, but in everyone who reads our posts or retweets our rants. Please keep our leaders and public figures from stirring up strife with their anger. And Lord, let me not merely point fingers at our public leaders. Let me not be given to anger.

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