“Don’t lean on a broken crutch,” is a good introductory thought to consider our willingness to trust God completely.
Rather than relying on the “broken crutch” of our thimble full of understanding before a vast ocean of issues, we do well to place our complete trust in the All-Together Wise One.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own insight.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3.5-6)
Biblical wisdom never stands separate from God but is learned in a trusting relationship with Him.
To acknowledge God means to recognize the Lord’s rights and authority.
We risk ourselves to obey God’s specific teachings about all sorts of human behavior. In full reliance on God, we trust that He will keep His promises to make our paths straight and provide the guidance we need.
Many people have memorized these verses in Proverbs. The question is, are we living them?
Here’s a short checklist for us to ask if we are doing what is necessary to reveal our trust in the Lord with all our hearts.
(1) Before I make a decision, do I spend time in prayer and seek God’s guidance? Do I ask Him to reveal His will and align my decisions with His purpose?
(2) Have I immersed myself in the Bible to better understand God’s character and principles? Do I allow the Word of God to help me discern God’s guidance and apply it to my daily life?
(3) Am I willing to surrender control of the outcomes? Do I trust that God’s plan, even if it’s not immediately clear, is ultimately the best plan for my life?
(4) Have I sought wise counsel from other people? Am I willing to let others give input in the right direction, especially when I am faced with uncertainty?
Embrace the Fear of the Lord
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1.7). To be wise in our own eyes is to think more of our opinion than we do of God’s.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
It will be a healing for your flesh
and a refreshment for your body. (Proverbs 3.7-8)
Bruce Waltke, a very respected Old Testament scholar, reminds us that the fear of the Lord cannot be understood by separating the words anymore to separate butterfly into “butter” and “fly” will reveal its meaning.
Waltke teaches that the fear of the Lord begins in a relationship with God, where we love Him with all our hearts (Deuteronomy 6.5).
In that relationship, we humble ourselves before the All-Wise God and follow His leadership and guidance.
This love relationship is the source of God’s wisdom for humans.
Its benefit is that God will lead us to His Shalom, the Hebrew word for peace and well-being.
This is not to say that we don’t have trouble. But when we’re having trouble, we have the Greatest Being of All to hold our hand and lead us through it.
YouTube Video
Rudy Ross, Whispering Danny, and I discuss this passage on YouTube today. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.
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