Text: Proverbs 3:5-7
The words of the wise man to his son contain important reminders for each one of us today.
Trust in the Lord (v. 5)
- To trust God means we put our faith in Him
- Trust must be earned – God has certainly earned our trust (Lamentations 3:22-23)
- God has shown His faithfulness through His providence (Genesis 8:22; Acts 14:17), His care for the nation of Israel (Deuteronomy 6:20-23; Joshua 23:9-10), the sacrifice of His Son (Romans 5:8), and more
With All Your Heart (v. 5)
- Our faith & trust in God must be wholehearted – without doubting (James 1:5-6); this is a sign of immaturity (cf. Ephesians 4:14)
- Example of Peter – walked on water & began to sink; Jesus rebuked him (Matthew 14:28-31)
- Peter showed great faith in getting out of the boat; but he doubted – took his eyes off of Jesus & became distracted
Do Not Lean on Your Own Understanding (v. 5)
- Later in this passage, Solomon says, “Do not be wise in your own eyes” (v. 7)
- We must recognize that we are incapable on our own of adequately directing our steps (Jeremiah 10:23; Proverbs 14:12)
- This requires humility (James 1:21)
In All Your Ways Acknowledge Him (v. 6)
- This means more than just acknowledging His existence – even the demons do this (James 2:19)
- Acknowledge Him as the source of truth (Psalm 119:160), righteousness (1 John 3:7), wisdom (Proverbs 8:22), and blessings (James 1:17)
- In all our ways – all that we do must be authorized (Colossians 3:17); we do not have a license to sin (Jude 4)
He Will Make Your Paths Straight (v. 6)
- This is conditional – if we acknowledge Him in all our ways, then He will make our paths straight
- This is not done miraculously (where God overrides our freewill & controls us) or through extra-Biblical revelation
- God guides us through His word (Psalm 119:105) – our paths will be straight to whatever degree we follow the guidance in His word
Fear the Lord (v. 7)
- Two aspects to the fear of the Lord – respect (understand who God is & what He has done – Hebrews 12:28) & terror (knowing that God is willing & able to destroy those who disobey Him – Hebrews 12:29; 10:31)
- Yet this fear must go along with trust – we understand what He has done & what He can do; but we also know that if we meet His conditions, He will keep His promises
Turn Away from Evil (v. 7)
- Refusing to turn away from evil is a sign that we do not really fear God (Romans 3:10-18) – we must fear Him & keep His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13; cf. Acts 10:35)
- If we are to do what is right, we must turn away from what is wrong – we cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24); we must be slaves of either sin or righteousness (Romans 6:1-2, 16-18)
- Trust in the Lord that we can turn away from evil – He made us upright (Ecclesiastes 7:29); He provides a way of escape for every temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13)