Proverbs 3

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We all want the best for our children, right? We want them to have long lives filled with peace and prosperity because we love them and we see them as extensions of ourselves.  The writer of Proverbs is no different. This is why he continually counsels his son to listen to his teaching and gain wisdom: “Keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity” (Proverbs 3:1b-2).

The difficult thing is that sometimes children don’t listen, and ultimately they will have to decide whether or not they will “keep our commands in their hearts.” The key question behind their decision is this: Do they trust us? Obedience always flows out of an environment of trust. This is where the most well known verses in Proverbs 3 come into play- “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Our Heavenly Father wants the best for us, his children, as well. But he knows that for him to “make our paths straight,” we will have to learn to trust him and submit to his ways even when we can’t fully comprehend them. As I've reflected on this idea of trusting God in spite of my lack of understanding, I've come to see that this principle is necessary for any real growth in my life to occur. There simply must be times in our lives when we will be called to move beyond our own limited perspectives and rely on the guidance of one whose experience and knowledge surpass our own. Perhaps this is why the very next verse, Proverbs 3:7, councils us to “not be wise in [our] own eyes”.

The reality is that we must learn to trust and obey, even when we don’t see the “why” behind doing so. In our own parenting, there may be times when the only explanation we can offer is, “because I say so,” and our children will simply have to trust us.  Our Heavenly Father also wants us to trust him even when all we hear is “because I say so.”  He knows that for us to gain wisdom, we must not rely totally on our own understanding. He has proven his love for us and is asking… "Will you trust me?" 

What did the Holy Spirit say to you as you read today?

His, Allen Wilson