“A true witness delivereth souls; but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.” Proverbs 14:25
Today’s Christian daily devotional
“This is the best strip club in Atlanta. You girls are in a good place. My daughter even dances here.” The stout woman smiles with her mouth, but not her eyes. She flips her short arms motioning us to follow her lead.
“They call me Momma Mae.” She tosses the last comment over her shoulder.
“The dressing room is over there. Change into your clothes and I’ll meet you in the hallway. I’ll walk you to the audition stage.” Mae points her red lacquered fingertip at a black door standing at the end of the hallway; a silver star clings half-heartedly to it.
We pick up our bags; each one is stuffed with lotions, curling irons and makeup. Heading down that dingy hallway, us girls walk in silence—as if we were heading towards the gallows. Our husky escort trails behind us, wheezing loudly.
The blonde in front pushes open the swinging door. The moment she did, the chattering din in that tiny dressing room halted.
“Head towards those counters in the back.” Momma Mae called out from behind, coughing crudely. Her red nails pounded her fleshy chest.
We each found a little place to set our personal items down. By the looks of our baggage, one would assume that we were all moving in for the month, not merely working for one night.
As the veteran dancers adjusted to our presence, the bustle of the backroom picked up speed again. But, that didn’t stop them from eyeing us new arrivals suspiciously.
“You’ve got ten minutes. I’ll be in the hallway.” Pulling a soft packet of cigarettes from her bra, Mae’s cubby fingers tapped one out.
She waltzed out of that room, hips sashaying in exaggeration. She acted as if she owned that god-forsaken joint— and was proud of it.
A furry of fishnets, spandex and red lipstick were quickly whipped out of those duffel bags. Each girl seemed to have her own secret formula for the look that would make the most money. The effort that went into looking cheap was nothing short of exhausting.
One by one we each filed out of that dressing room and into the musty hallway. We stood with our arms awkwardly covering our over-exposed and under-dressed bodies.
“Follow me.” Dropping the remains of her cigarette Mae grinds the ashes into the carpet. Several burns have already made their mark—apparently, this was a common ritual.
“When you hear your name, go through that curtain. You’ll be on the main stage for three minutes. Make sure to give ’em a performance they’ll remember. Only three of you will be hired. When the last girl is done, I’ll meet you all back here. Break a leg. You just hit the big time.” She chuckled the last part under her breath.
Proverbs 14:25 says that a person with good intentions will speak in a way that will provide freedom, not oppression. Proverbs 14:25 also warns us about the people who will do just the opposite–the kind who will speak lies in order to entrap and oppress.
How can one guard against being deceived? It helps to not to only pay attention to the actual words spoken, but to keep your eyes open to seeing beyond those words. What will your future hold if you follow that “wonderful sounding” advice?
You can’t always guard yourself from falling into traps, but you can avoid many pitfalls if you take a moment to think before you act.
“Dear Heavenly Father,
I have acted first and thought about it later. This has caused so much trouble for me.
Life is so short, and I don’t want to waste any more of mine making mistakes that take years to break free from.
I must be wise with the life you have given me. Forgive me for not seeking your wisdom first. Help me to remember that I have the power of God inside of me.
I refuse to waste another day making choices without you guiding me.
Thank you for giving me the Holy Spirit. I will not hamper His voice any longer. I commit to reading your word, so I can recognize that still small voice that is in alignment with the will of God.
Only then, will my path lead to freedom, because God’s intentions towards me are the purest of all. Thank you, for the safety of your lead, Lord. In Jesus’ precious name, I follow you. Amen.”
Thank you for reading today’s Christian daily devotional on verses: Proverbs 14:25
Please check back and see what we have for you tomorrow!
Author: Julia Shalom Jordan