His Ambassador Blog

Proverbs is a book known for its applicable wisdom. Written by Solomon, the son of David and the third king of Israel. The Lord told Solomon that He would give him anything that He asked for. Instead of asking for riches, power, or anything of these sorts, Solomon asked for wisdom and the Lord greatly blessed him with such. There are 31 chapters in Proverbs so for the next 31 days of May we’re going to take a look at the wisdom in each one. 

Chapter Three: Life lived in the commandments of God.

“My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: for length of days and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.”(v.1-2)

There is a specific life found when you are living in the light of the Lord and a specific way for it to be lived. Proverbs chapter 3 shows us what it means to walk in the commandments of the Lord.

“Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart; So shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.”(v.3-4)

The Lord greatly values the concepts of mercy and truth. What a comfort it is to know that our God is a God who loves justice. He wants things to be made right. It’s also so incredible that He values truth and goodness, and His word is truth. When these verses says that we should ‘bind’ these things about our necks it is saying that the two things should be so close and dear to us that they are like a necklace we wear at all times. Binding also gives the idea that mercy and truth are to become a part of our nature. We should work so that they come naturally to us. 

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct they paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.”(v.5-7)

The trust spoken of in these verses is the idea of laying helpless, facedown before God, believing that He is who He says He is and that He will do what He says He’s going to do. This must be done with all our heart. If trust in God is to be true, it must be complete. It does not come naturally for our souls to want to give up all control to someone else and that is why we must lean into the Lord and His ways, allowing Him to take control and believing He is faithful to bring us through anything. 

One said, “Man’s grand sin is the continual endeavor to live independently from God.” From the beginning, in the garden, we have always wanted to do things our way. We think our plans make more sense. We think our logic somehow adds up better than the Creator of the Universe. But the wisdom of God will always be much greater than anything we could muster up. These verses remind us to always look to the Lord for where we should go next. Our focus shoul always be on Him and He will lead us where we are meant to go. If we are wise in our own eyes we will end up hurt, lost, confused, broken, etc. To have proper respect for the Lord and to hold Him in that place of reverence will help us to depart from evil. 

“My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction: for whom the Lord loves he corrects; even as a father the son in who he delights.”(v.11-12)

Discipline and correction is difficult for us. Our egos get in the way and we hate being told that there’s something we should do differently. But the word says that not only will God correct us, but that He loves those whom He corrects. The idea here is like a father correcting his son through a punishment. The Lord is our Father and sometimes He needs to set us straight, but He does this because He wants the best for us. His discipline is always in love. God will allow affliction or discomfort to expose our sin, discourage the continuance of that sin, and guide us in the elimination of this sin. His discipline brings the opportunity for peace with Him.

“Happy is the man that finds wisdom, and the man that gets understanding. She [wisdom] is more precious than rubies: and all the things you can desire are not to be compared to her. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retains her.”(v.13, 15-18)

There is a joy and contentment that comes from being at peace with God. When walking in the wisdom of the Lord peace with Him can be found. Through Jesus we have an advocate with the Father, He bridges the gap allowing us to build that relationship again. Walking in wisdom is how we can stay in that relationship. Those walking wisely live lives marked by pleasantness, peace, and happiness. Having the wisdom of the Lord brings a quality of life that does not compare to anything else. This is the natural consequence of making good decisions and living well with others. 

“Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. Devise not evil against they neighbor, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee. Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm. Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.”(v.27-31)

A life lived under the commandments of God means that we treat others with goodness, respect, and love. It means living peacefully with others. It means looking out for our neighbors, which is still everyone by the way. We have the opportunity to show others the same love and grace that Christ has shown us. He has been so generous, why wouldn’t we want to be the same? If you have the means, it is never a waste to do good or show kindness. Don’t put good things off, or wait until another time. Do your best to stay out of toruble with others, don’t create meaningless arguments. One said, “A spirit of strife is a great hindrance to holiness.” It’s easy to live at peace with others when you walk in wisdom and humility. The two are closely related. 

To sum it up: a life lived under the command of God, walking in wisdom, and seeking holiness is always going to be the better path.