The wise inherit honor, but fools he holds up to shame. Proverbs 3:35

We conclude the third chapter of Proverbs with a verse about the wise. Once again we see the ways of the world as very different than the ways of God. We live in a culture that parades around the perverse and ridicules the righteous. We’ve lost all regard for shame and honor.

It’s easy to lose heart when we see and hear this. But God is not surprised. Throughout Proverbs He warns us about the influence and degradation of our culture on us, and how easy it would be for us to slip into this mindset. (We fall into dangerous territory if we say it can’t happen to us.)

So, what are we to do? Pray. Pray that God will continue to give you and your loved one wisdom. Pray that you will use that wisdom for His glory. And pray that you will have influence on your sphere of influence and not the other way around.

He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble. Proverbs 3:34

I’ve never known God to have much time for the arrogant and proud. Often, though, His finger can point towards us because we can be proud too: proud that we’re part of the Kingdom and THEY’re not; proud that we have food on our tables and roofs over our heads and THEY don’t. Before you go beat yourself up over this, consider this: there’s a reason God talks so much about the proud and the humble – because we’re slow to learn!

Pray that God teaches us humility in all our ways, not just the ways that are easy for us to obey.

The LORD’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous. Proverbs 3:33

Throughout Proverbs we see a pattern of contrasts: evil-good, bad-good, curse-blessing, detest-delight, hate-love. Solomon makes it very easy for us, doesn’t he?

Praise the Lord today for your family. Thank Him for your bountiful blessings. Do as the old hymn reminds us to do: Count your blessings, name them one by one.

But I also realize that some reading this may not be enjoying the blessings of fellow believers in the home, and often there is stress and strife. My heart goes out to you and I’ll pray for you right now.

Lord Jesus, we recognize that your mercies are new every morning and that you are the One who sustains us. I pray for my Brothers in Sisters living in strssful circumstances. I pray that the Peace of God would rest on their souls. I pray that your grace for them will be sufficient as your Word says. I pray that You would give their souls rest as they rest in You. May You be glorified n their lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen

for the LORD detests a perverse man but takes the upright into his confidence. Proverbs 3:32

Those are some very strong words. It is good to know what the Lord detests and what he delights in. This verse is probably related to the previous verse about envying the violent man or his ways. It’s like a father does with his son, he takes him aside and has a heart-to-heart with him. “Son, you need to steer clear of those people – I know you can’t see that right now because they throw around money and are the most popular at school – but they’re trouble, bad trouble.”

Again, please take the time to pray for this generation of kids (those under 20). Pray that God will continue to raise up a powerful army of believing kids to tackle the tasks of their generation. Everything seems to be pointing to a decline in the Western churches, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways – Proverbs 3:31

In our culture we have a strange way of choosing our heroes, don’t we? We see a lot of anger and hostilities in the professional sports world, and a lot of what happens off the court or off the field gets a free pass for a number of reasons. The athletes have great skills, are wildly popular, and are huge money making enterprises for the owners. In fact, it would be easy to envy the lifestyle many of them lead: fame, fortune, looks, skills. And it seems the more the star plays the “bad boy” image, the more popular he becomes.

Most of my readers will read this and agree with me on what I’ve just written. However, it doesn’t mean much because we’re not in that world or we may just ignore what’s happening. But I’m afraid we have a generation of kids who are not as discerning as we might be. They envy and often imitate their violent sports heros.

Pray for this generation of kids. I know it’s a broad and hard-to-define prayer, but pray that this generation of believing kids will have what it takes to reach those who literally worship the violent athletes and movie stars. I’m afraid kids today have it much worse than we had. Pray that their minds and their eyes will be opened.

Do not accuse a man for no reason— when he has done you no harm. Proverbs 3:30

When you read over some of these verses you often wonder the context they were written. Who thinks of harming his neighbor (3:29) or accusing a man for no reason? But these are everyday verses for everyday situations.

Our words, whether spoken or written, are powerful. We can praise and tear down. Choose your words carefully when you are angry, especially with the instant communications methods we have today such as email, Facebook, Twitter, and the like. The words may come out much stronger than you intended.

Similarly, compliment and praise someone often and liberally.

Do not plot harm against your neighbor, who lives trustfully near you. Proverbs 3:29

When you first look at this verse, it sounds preposterous, doesn’t it? Why would we think of harming our neighbor?

My neighbors downstairs often have knock-down-drag-out fights at that wonderful morning hour of 3 a.m. I’m not sure why they choose that hour to begin their shouting matches, but they do. They last anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours. And of course I’m not able to understand their arguments because they’re in Spanish. So, I fall back asleep during the lulls only to be waken again in three minutes. The easy thing to do would be to go downstairs and knock on their door to let them know about their excessive racket. But instead, on any given fight night, I’ll throw something heavy on the floor repeatedly or just jump up and down, which begins a mini Hatfields and McCoys between us and them.

I give this humorous illustration to say that I am clearly not a great example of how to befriend a neighbor in the wee hours of the morning, and it would clearly be easier to ignore the noise or go downstairs to remind them of the hour. Later in the day when I think they’re asleep, I really really want to jump up and down repeatedly to wake them.

That’s when I hope this verse comes to mind.

Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow”— when you now have it with you. Proverbs 3:28

We’ve all done it, haven’t we? A knock comes at your door. Girl Scouts or Magazines Salespeople or Students raising support for their teams. “No thanks, not today.” They were interrupting your day or evening. You didn’t have time for them. Maybe it was your neighbor, though you didn’t know it because you’ve never really introduced yourself to them.

There is power in giving away little things. Never underestimate the power of giving away a little of your time and money occasionally. The skeptic in me worries about the scam artists out there. Yes, they exist and they’re in our neighborhoods. But yesterday’s verse reminded us to do good to those who deserve it. If you don’t feel altogether comfortable with giving to those at your door, your church probably donates to local food banks and homeless shelters. It’s certainly a good opportunity to help them stock their shelves too.

The bottom line is that God wants us to give. Sometimes it’s money or food or just an ear. The opportunities are there; we just have to be willing to give a bit.

Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. Proverbs 3:27

This verse is about giving, that’s obvious. It can be in the form of food or shelter or warm clothing or a great compliment.

It’s a gentle reminder to us that it’s not always about us and what we can get from others, though it’s often what the world outside of God teaches.

The verse really is not not all that complicated even though we can put up a hundred reasons why we can’t or shouldn’t or don’t have the means to give. Look around for the opportunities to give to others. You’ll be amazed that they are so abundant if you keep your eyes and heart open.

Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared. Proverbs 3:25-26

What are you afraid of in this world? I know I get anxious about the pervasive evil in the world, about injustices that often get washed over or ignored. I wonder why God doesn’t stop the evils inflicted upon children throughout the world.

But we are told to be confident in the Lord. He knows what He is doing.

But, but, but.

He knows what’s He’s doing. Trust the Lord, O my Soul. He knows exactly what He’s doing.

And it’s enough for me to rest in that truth, and pray for those I know have been mistreated.

when you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Proverbs 3:24

Don’t underestimate the power of a restful sleep. I love being able to sleep with a clear conscience, don’t you? You feel all refreshed and alive in the morning. You’re ready to face the day because you have made good decisions the day before.

I am reminded of an old Boy Scout song I sung at camp,

“softly falls the light of day, as the campfire fades away.

Silently each Scout should ask, have I done my daily task?

Have I kept my honor bright? Can I guiltless sleep tonight?

Have I done and have I dared everything to be prepared.”

Guiltless sleep is priceless.

Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble. Proverbs 3:23

Sound judgment is sure footing. You have a clear path to walk on and that’s where you walk. You don’t swerve or veer off because you know that you’re on this path for a reason. So, what’s a practical application for this “theory?”

Your life. My life. It would be easy to “go along to get along” but we can’t do that. I’ve said this before in this space, but sometimes we just want to quit the fight. We’d rather give in from our seemingly boring existence. After all, you see people getting away with things right and left with little to no accountability. You’re tempted to ask, “what’s the use?”

This is where the rubber meets the road, so to speak.

This is where life happens.
You’re doing your job.
You’re raising your kids and grandkids;
You’re faithful to God.

Keep it up. Keep at it. It’s worth it. God’s worth it. You’ll never read that in the newspapers or on TV but you’re doing fine. You’re shining your light. You’re making a difference. Don’t lose heart. You’re sticking to the path. Don’t swerve now. Steady as she goes.

It’ll all be worth it. You’ll see.

they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. Proverbs 3:22

Have you ever known someone to wear a necklace for years and years on end without ever taking it off. More than likely it was a keepsake from someone special? Occasionally people will ask you about it and you’ll gladly tell them the story.

Think of sound judgment and discernment like that keepsake necklace. If you keep it with you it will prolong your days, and people will ask you why you do what you do. What an opportunity.

My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight. Proverbs 3:21

The world is in desperate need for sound judgment and discernment. We make judgments about people and things every day. Often we are tested between making a “slightly” unethical but beneficial decision with one that doesn’t benefit us and could even hurt us. There is a temptation to compromise, to go for the temporary gain instead of having the foresight to know that temporary gains aren’t all they are cracked up to be. We need discernment in our decisions, in our value, ethics, morals, and in our family.

Alan Simpson, former Senator from Illinois, said it best: “If you have integrity, nothing else matters; if you don’t have integrity, nothing else matters.”

by his knowledge the deeps were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew. Proverbs 3:20

When you consider the majesty of God, you often overlook the simple, almost mundane in His creation: the rain. The Psalmist describes it as dew from a cloud. We need rain just as much as we need the sun and a fairly warm climate to grow things in. It’s a simple thing really. God gave the clouds a nudge and down came the rain. God knew that we would need rain. Even in our lives, we need rain or what we would consider the bad times. Why? Because we are then able to appreciate when it’s totally sunny.

When you pray today, thank Him for the rain. And thank Him for the rain in your life, painful and troublesome as it may be.

By wisdom the LORD laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place; Proverbs 3:19

In today’s vernacular, we say “intelligent design” to mean creation. In other words, there must have been a Creator behind the world’s creation. This verse goes beyond intelligence; it speaks of wisdom and understanding. Not only did it take intelligence to put it all together, but it took wisdom to put the moving pieces in place and have them “play nicely” with one another. It took wisdom to make ecosystem and astronomic decisions. It took wisdom to heat and cool this earth at just the right temperatures day in and day out.

Intelligence is overrated; wisdom, on the other hand, is really underrated.

She is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed. Proverbs 3:18

I love the imagery here: a tree of life. A harvest of good fruit. Fresh green leaves. Full. Alive.

All that agonizing you do over making the correct decisions will pay off. All those prayers you prayed for wisdom will pay off. All the hours you spent studying God’s word and his wise servants will pay off. You’ll have a wisdom and a beauty that the world can’t touch or recreate on it own. But the tree doesn’t grow on its own. It needs nurturing, water, sun, good soil, and the blessing of God. And time.

Continue to ask God for the wisdom to make right choices and Godly thinking. Meditate on His word often. Get to know his wise servants.

Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. Proverbs 3:17

Have you ever grappled with a difficult decision? Remember the back and forth you played with it in your mind? Then it came time to “fish or cut bait.” You had to decide. It was agonizing. Painful even. Then you find out later that it was the wrong decision. Not an immoral one just wrong. That’s okay. Really it is.

Unfortunately, throughout life we are bound to make bad decisions. It’s a part of life. But just because a decision you find out later was a bad one doesn’t mean you can’t have peace about it when making it? It’s what I call “does it pass the peace test?” If I’d laid all my cards on the table and prayed over it all that I’d make the best and wisest decision, I’ll make it knowing that even if it’s not entirely correct, that’s all right. As long as I get back on the right track, it’ll be fine. It will. And when I make the decision, do I have peace about it?

Don’t overlook the peace factor when making decisions. It could be a deal breaker.

Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Proverbs 3:16

I love meeting and being in the present of Godly men and women. One such man I knew in Alaska invited me over to his home a couple of times. I was surprised to find a fairly bare cabin with sparsely furnished rooms. When Mel spoke (which wasn’t often), it was with authority and meaning. My Christian friends in Sudan are some of the richest people I’ve met, despite them having few material possessions of their own.

Both Mel and my Sudanese friends are rich beyond comparison. We just can’t see it by what they have inside their homes.

She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. Proverbs 3:15

Remember that $1 million you went searching for in your neighborhood yesterday?

It doesn’t compare to the wisdom we find in Scripture.

Not even close.

for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. Proverbs 3:14

If you knew that someone hid $1 million within one block of your house or apartment and would be yours if you found it, what would you do?

And yet the nuggets of wisdom (in the Bible and in Godly men and women) yield better returns than gold and are more profitable than silver.

Are we in hot pursuit of that?

Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, Proverbs 3:13

Again we come back to the idea of searching and searching for wisdom and understanding. It really is a never-ending, but worthwhile pursuit. A point in fact, we probably don’t realize exactly how valuable wisdom is or else we would drop some of the nonsensical things we do and go pursue it. And often the pursuit is going no farther than the Bible on your nightstand.

Ask God to give you the urgency to seek wisdom and insight. Then as you open the Bible, pray again for the wisdom to just jump out at you and you read.

My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke,
because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. Proverbs 3:11-12

Rebukes often come in the least likely of ways. Friends can rebuke you. Strangely enough, your enemies can also rebuke you. It usually takes me a while to figure out I’ve been rebuked.

So what’s a rebuke intended to do? Discipline. Scolding. Guide you back to the Straight and Narrow. Don’t miss the rebukes that God sends our ways. Why? Because He loves us. He is constantly wooing us back to Himself, constantly calling us to follow Him.

Following Jesus isn’t a “set and forget” relationship where after it’s set up, you forget all about it? In today’s relationship terminology, we are often “high maintenance” (not that God ever is concerned or weary of drawing us back in, but there’s a constancy to keeping us in line).

Today, pray that you will have wisdom to recognize and obey God’s rebuke when it comes to us. It really is for our own good.

then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. Proverbs 3:10

A friend of a ministry I used to work for used to say that his business did better when he was spending his time in Haiti ministering to others than when he was actually in the office managing the business. There is a general principle here of letting go of your finances and watching God bless you. Some have no problem of letting go of their finances; others are tighter and less comfortable when it comes to giving money.

Yesterday I wrote about the goal giving twice the amount in 2010 than you’ve ever given. I only write that because some need to be stretched in that faith area. Perhaps you need to be stretched in giving away your time. We all need to be stretched from time to time. What’s your area?

Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops…Proverbs 3:9

This is a common passage pastors use when they speak of giving faithfully. We no longer live in an agrarian society but it would certainly be interesting to see the “first fruits” of apples, pumpkins, and watermelons. With those kinds of fruit, you know when they brought the best or just the best they could find at the time.

Since this website isn’t tied to a church (and I can’t be accused of encouraging you to give to our church or organization), let me be blunt: are you honoring the Lord with your wealth or are you stingy? (I dislike the word “stingy” probably because I get in very stingy habits more often than I care to admit).

I would like to challenge you on this: Make 2010 a year that you give twice as much as you’ve ever given. No one has to know about it. In fact, if others do know about it, that causes problems of its own. Ministries throughout the world are hurting. Find a missionary that you can give some of that “overflow” cash to.

Honor the Lord with your wealth.

This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Proverbs 3:8

I don’t see the word “peace” in this text, but that’s certainly the implied meaning. Time and again, God has said that fearing the Lord brings peace. Your conscience is clean; you can sleep soundly at night. Think about those people who worry and fret all day long. They take those cares to bed with them. Their sleep isn’t peaceful or restful. We fall prey to those worries too, though we shouldn’t. Why not?

We know our Hope and our Destination. We know the Author of Life is also the Prince of Peace and the Ancient of Days. We’ve read the ending, Folks.

We know how it ends.

Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. Proverbs 3:7

We get our wisdom from God. It certainly doesn’t come from our own insight, though I suppose occasionally we might stumble onto some truth. Gaining that wisdom comes from both fearing the Lord and shunning evil. I daresay that if you have that fear, shunning evil is the easy part.

But unfortunately, fearing the Lord isn’t quite as simple as that, or is it? Sure, we hear many voices calling us in different directions throughout the day. People and life events demand our attention. It’s during this time that we need the wisdom from God because “the good things” could easily overcome “the best things,” if that makes sense.

Fearing the Lord comes from an ongoing dialogue throughout the day between you and God. It comes from the day to day practice of acknowledging God in every aspect of our lives. Like I said, if we’re doing that, shunning evil is a “piece of cake.”

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding,
in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

For the past week I’ve focused on these two verses with good reason. Combined they will encourage your hearts as you walk daily in His ways. They will allow you to realize that life is more than things and you and your kids and the money you make. It’s much more than the political events that are shaping the world we live in. I know for me, the more I wander this world, the less I understand.

Hide these words in your heart. Bury them deep. Repeat them often. Pray them back to God. Pray them over your loved ones. They will be a comfort to you in the days ahead.

in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:6

The second half to this verse can be misleading. It doesn’t say, “you will have no problems,” but that your paths will be made straight. Think of paths in general. Often they are merely an area that has been walked or driven over countless times. Grass doesn’t grow there anymore because it doesn’t have a chance to. There is direction in the path but not smoothness. In other words, you know where you’re going, but the ride or walk may be bumpy. But, and this is the key point, as long as you’re on the path, you’re on the right road.

When you are acknowledging God in all your ways, your paths will be straight but probably not smooth. You may face danger and hardship, and may even encounter evil, but you’re on the straight path. Your eyes are fixed on the finish line ahead, the City of the Great King.

in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:6

Can you think of any ways that you are not acknowledging God in your life today? Before I encourage you to “just go and do it,” ask yourself why you are not acknowledging Him.

Your honest answer may surprise you.

in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:6

Almost always, when you hear the “Trust in the Lord” verse, you hear this come on the tail end. And with good reason. Acknowledging God in the things you do is important. It takes the focus off of you. It extends beyond the sports or show business testimony opening “I’d like to thank the Lord Jesus Christ for…” though it could include that. Without God in our lives, we’d be in a world of hurt. Yes, he saved you from a life of debauchery and sin twenty years ago, but he also saved you from that yesterday and today. You are trusting that He will save you from that tomorrow as well because you know that you don’t have to go down that path.

Take a brief account of your walk with the Lord today. Acknowledge those areas that He is, in fact, saving you from today. Then let the praise begin.