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.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding…Proverbs 3:5

If you are reading this on the day it was originally posted, it is Sunday in the United States. People all over the world will be celebrating this day as the Day of Our Lord. We don’t treck our way through two feet of snow in the middle of winter because of an obligation; we do so voluntarily and because we Trust in the Lord. Some may get paid to preach and sing in those churches, but for the most part it’s a labor of love. You trust that God will move through the music or the teaching or the fellowship with one another. It’s a trust that’s difficult to explain when asked, but very obvious to you.

Today is also a day of rest. Before the Big Game begins this evening, rest. Take a break from what you normally do. Go for a walk and meditate on the Goodness of God. Count your blessings. Refresh your soul. Renew that trust.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding…Proverbs 3:5

If you’re anything like me, you sometimes walk around with a completely befuddled look on your face because of what is happening in the world. National economies are in turmoil, near genocides are occurring even as I write, earthquakes and floods wipe out entire areas, and there’s just a general sense that “all is not right with the world.”

And you’d be absolutely correct: All of these things are happening and all is not right with the world.

But you also need peace inside about it because it can be quite maddening.

A simple song written by John Stallings in 1969 can help us out here. You’ve probably sung it a few times.

Learning to lean, Learning to lean;
Learning to lean on Jesus…
Finding more power than I’ve ever dreamed,
I’m learning to lean on Jesus.

But here is the verse that gets overlooked:

You know, so many times
I’ve been sad and broken hearted
and I’ve knelt down in prayer
and I’ve found God’s peace that’s so serene;
And I’ve learned that all God will ask…
is a child like trust and faith and a heart
that’s willing and learning to lean.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding…Proverbs 3:5

This is perhaps the most quoted verse in the book of Proverbs, and with good reason. There is just so much truth in those few words (and combined with the next verse).

If you’re like me, you like to know whys of puzzling situations. Why did that accident have to happen that maimed a child? Why have my children gone down a wayward path when I’ve cared and nurtured them in the ways of the Lord? Why is this happening to me especially now and in these circumstances?

But God definitely has the bigger picture in mind. Imagine working in the lives of 6 billion people one way or another, and at various stages of their growth and development. And that’s not even to mention how God is moving in entire nations and in the hearts of rulers for His purposes and His glory. I cannot comprehend it all, and neither can you. We’re not supposed to. Instead, we have our little worlds that we tend to and that He moves in. We get a glimpse of His glory on occasion and it compels us to move forward. We do try to put our own spin on why certain things happen, but it’s just that, our spin. We really don’t know many of the answers to the world’s most troubling questions. To use a common phrase in today’s world, “it’s above our pay grade.” And rightly so.

Suffice to say “God is in control.” It’s a trust issue and the sooner we leave the world’s overarching questions into His hands, the better off we’ll be to handle the problems we can handle. Admittedly, it’s a daily battle.

Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Proverbs 3:4

I think you’ll agree with me that there are those outside the faith who would love to see you “fall” spiritually. They would take glee in your downfall. On the other hand, you will meet those who, again outside the faith,  respect what you do and want to see you succeed.

One man I know was like that for me. He joked with me about my faith but when he heard about how I had messed up once, he chastised me because he didn’t want me to become like him and even said so.

How are you viewed in the Eyes of the World? I know that our aim should be to please God, but what about those around you? Do they respect you and your faith? Or do people see you as harsh and unloving? There will be those who mock us, but that’s fine. They’re supposed to do that! Just don’t give them a needless opportunity to mock you.

Pray that God will open your eyes to those blind spots in your walk with Christ. Ask someone you trust about your blind spots (don’t think that you don’t have them; we all do), and be ready for their response.

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Proverbs 3:3

Love and faithfulness are high in demand but low in supply. It’s easy to stray in both areas. If we’re not careful, we can become bitter and grumpy because of life situations. It’s important for us to realize that “our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all (2 Corinthians 4:17). Many have gone before us and have experienced periods of doubt and embitterment. It’s natural in the course of things because Satan does not want your life to flow easily. If it did, He wouldn’t be doing his job! There’s always a battle, always a struggle.

Praise the Lord for His faithfulness and love toward us. Praise Him as you consider what He’s brought you out of and through. Reach out to a friend this week and encourage him/her. Plan out how to really bless that person. Make the encouragement lasting. Keep pressing on, Brothers and Sisters.

for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity. Proverbs 3:2

Many will claim this and other similar verses in Proverbs as their “key” to prosperity. It’s sad really, especially as it relates to the broader church around the world. Some of the most prosperous people I know have only the clothes on their backs and live in huts. Why do I say this? Because they realize that there is more to prosperity than wealth and riches. Many of those same people have had their “riches” torn away from them by armies and corrupt governments, and they still have a solid, not-looking-back faith. One of those nations is Haiti.

When you hear the news about the faith of Haitians (and they will continue to appear in the news for some time), pray for them. Pray that their faith will be strong, and their fragrance would be notable (2 Corinthians 2:15). Pray also that others watching the nation rebuild will marvel at the faith of those who believe.

My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, Proverbs 3:1

This proverbs brings us back once again to the Year 2010 Challenge I gave in early January:

My challenge to you this year is this: find a passage of Scripture and commit it to memory. Fill up your memory hard drive with those verses. It may be one or it may be an entire chapter of Scripture. Make it reasonable but make it challenging (memorizing the entire New Testament, while admirable, isn’t very reasonable withoutt a solid plan to carry it out). Read it when you rise and when you go to bed. Print it on cards, Mutter it in the car on your way to work. Mumble it as you prepare supper each night.

When you know the passage as well as you know John 3:16, say it a few hundred times more. The goal here isn’t quantity of Scripture memorized but quality of the memorization. By the time you get to this point, you will have seen how transforming the Word of God can be in your life.

Ephesians 1, Ephesians 5, Psalm 1, Psalm 23, Psalm 112, Psalm 139, Galatians 2 are all great chapters of Scripture to memorize. Obviously there are others, many others to choose from. Choose one. You can do it. When you do, write and tell me. (Lord willing, and He is, I am finally going to nail Psalm 139 after a few years of learning bits and pieces of it).

Choose one of those passages and commit it to memory. Keep the commands of God in your heart. Study them. Meditate on them. Soak them in. It’s entirely doable.

but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be torn from it. Proverbs 2:22

Anyone who has read this book has undoubtedly ask, “when, Lord, when?” We see the wicked go unpunished and get away with heinous crimes against people. We call out for his justice. There will be a time, Brothers and Sisters, when this verse will come to pass. John wrote about this very thing in the Book of Revelations.

Praise God today for His mercy, that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

For the upright will live in the land, and the blameless will remain in it; Proverbs 2:21

Returning to yesterday’s theme of walking the straight line, it takes concentration to remain on the straight line, doesn’t it? But there is a secure hope in walking that line. And I’ll be honest with you, it can be tedious (but rarely boring) if we stay on that line. Others will try to persuade us to go with them a bit off the straight and narrow. What does that look like? A harmless drink with a friend at a bar. Being included in off-color jokes at the office. An extra long lunch with only your co-worker of the opposite sex.

There is wisdom in “toeing the line,” perhaps more than we realize. But we need to ask God to help us daily to do the right thing and to remain on the straight path.

Thus you will walk in the ways of good men and keep to the paths of the righteous. Proverbs 2:20

Have you ever tried to walk a straight line for a long time? Think of how difficult such a simple task it is to walk straight for ten miles.

The Christian path is like that. Seems simple at first glance. But there are flowers in the fields, animals roaming the forests, must-see monuments, and cute out-of-the-way eateries along our path. All of these beckon for our time and attention. There are also potholes on the path too. If we focus solely on the flowers and animals and sight seeing extravaganzas, we’ll walk across these potholes. In fact, I daresay that there are more potholes that call for our attention than good things.

But our focus is straight and narrow. Intentionally. Decidedly. And of course you need wisdom on this road, wisdom to make the right choices out of thousands that call us. Pray for that wisdom.

It will save you also from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words,
who has left the partner of her youth and ignored the covenant she made before God.
For her house leads down to death and her paths to the spirits of the dead.
None who go to her return or attain the paths of life. Proverbs 2:16-19

A few weeks ago, my wife and I were traveling home in a snow storm. A three hour trip took us seven hours. Along the way we saw cars and trucks in the ditches of an interstate highway. Each vehicle in the ditch was a reminder that if I wasn’t extremely careful with how I drove given the incredibly slow conditions, we could easily end up in the ditch too.

We need not look far in our culture to see the devastation that adultery and “fooling around” has wrought. Ladies and Gentlemen, when you’re ego is being built up regularly by someone of the opposite sex who is not your spouse, it’s easy to lightly fantasize the “what if” scenarios. Your guard erodes quickly and you begin to do things you wouldn’t normally do, especially if your wife was around. Men and women, run–do not walk–from these situations.

Pray that God will help you clearly recognize these morally dangerous situations, and that He will give you the strength to break away from relationships that will ultimately destroy your marriage if you pursue it.

Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse,
who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways,
who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,
whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways. Proverbs 2:12-15

Presumably if you’re reading this, you are on the Straight Path. You know the Truth. And you are seeking ways of avoiding the crooked paths. The crooked paths are easy to spot but there are many of them. But, let’s be honest, there are many more crooked paths than the one Straight Path we travel on. There are many things that would trip us up, many voices we hear, many pulling us in different directions. It’s not easy to stay on that Straight Path, but you know it’s necessary. Unfortunately, there are even those who have walked on the Straight Path but have since strayed. You know about them and grieve for them, but every time you see them you are also reminded of the path they now pursue.

Perhaps you know one such person. Pray for that person today. Pray that they would return to their first love. Pray that God would do what He needs to steer them in the right direction. Then pray that God will give you wisdom (and strength) to avoid those crooked paths.

Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you. Proverbs 2:11

Growing up I remember a cartoon where the main character would say, “Savoire Faire is everywhere.” Savoire faire = knowing the right thing to say at exactly the right time. Obviously it takes wisdom to know what to say and when to say it. Often it’s a matter of not saying anything. Most of us have been on the receiving end of unnecessarily harsh, cruel, and judgmental comments. And most of us have also said those things and within seconds realize that it was the absolute wrong thing to say.

Pray that your words will be peppered with grace and understanding. Pray that you will be wise when you speak, even if it means you don’t speak.

For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Proverbs 2:10

Knowledge is fairly easy to identify. We learn something, that’s knowledge. We apply it, it’s wisdom or a part of it. And there’s a part of the learning process that satisfies. You know the feeling I’m sure. Usually we say “it dawned on me” or “a light came on inside.” It’s the “aha!” moment we get when something clicks with us.

A few days ago, I suggest that we all begin memorizing and internalizing a larger passage of Scripture this year. Here is what I said then:

My challenge to you this year is this: find a passage of Scripture and commit it to memory. Fill up your memory hard drive with those verses. It may be one or it may be an entire chapter of Scripture. Make it reasonable but make it challenging (memorizing the entire New Testament, while admirable, isn’t very reasonable without a solid plan to carry it out). Read it when you rise and when you go to bed. Print it on cards, Mutter it in the car on your way to work. Mumble it as you prepare supper each night.

When you know the passage as well as you know John 3:16, say it a few hundred times more. The goal here isn’t quantity of Scripture memorized but quality of the memorization. By the time you get to this point, you will have seen how transforming the Word of God can be in your life.

Ephesians 1, Ephesians 5, Psalm 1, Psalm 23, Psalm 112, Psalm 139, Galatians 2 are all great chapters of Scripture to memorize. Obviously there are others, many others to choose from. Choose one. You can do it. When you do, write and tell me. (Lord willing, and He is, I am finally going to nail Psalm 139 after a few years of learning bits and pieces of it).

Like I said, you can do it.

As you continue to memorize one of those passages of Scripture, you will have more than one “aha” moments because the Word of God is powerful. Burn that Scripture passage into your very soul.

Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path. Proverbs 2:9

One gaze at His righteousness should settle it for us all. We don’t see that now. Instead, we get glimpses into that justice. We also get glimpses by some of the glaring injustices we see all around us. We don’t get a picture of true justice. As Christians those injustices seem to compound as people boldly proclaim the Cross.

Pray for the church in Nigeria. Recently Muslims set fire to a church with Believers inside! Pray that despite the actions of a few evil men, His Word will be proclaimed even louder. Pray that they too will be able to gaze upon the One who gives them strength.

He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Proverbs 2:7-8

If you’re a fortunate person, you’ve met someone who’s life has been to Hell and back, and is still able to praise God through it all. I say you are fortunate because rare is the individual who will go through trama and pain, and still come out wanting to please God. But it would be fair to ask why people go through these times of wretched tragedy, why wasn’t God there to protect them? I don’t know. If you’ve been reading this long enough, you’ll know that I really don’t have all the answers. It would be easy to not even ask these questions.

I do know this: God is faithful and just. He does hold victory for the upright. We will be victorious.

Today, there are many Haitian believers’ faith being tested in unbelievable ways. Pray that they will hold fast and give God the glory despite the desperate circumstances that country is now in. Pray that God will show them His triumphant victory in their lives.

For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. Proverbs 2:6

Have you ever met someone who just exudes wisdom? I’ve only met a few people like this but I just wanted to stay in their presence as long as I could. I can almost guarantee you that this person has prayed and even begged God to give Him wisdom. He has spent time in the presence of those who were wise. He knows his Bible.

I know this sounds like a broken record, but continue to pray for wisdom in your life. Pray that God will give you the strength to search for wisdom. Pray also that He’ll help you as you memorize that passage of Scripture. Don’t give up. Don’t lose heart. If it takes you two or even three months to commit it to memory, it’ll be worth it. It really will.

then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:5

Ask the Forty-Niners in California if finding a large nugget of gold was worth the pain and hassle and abject poverty and back breaking work. My guess is, very few quit when they found a nugget, because if they found one, there just had to be more in the Earth.

When we are seeking God for wisdom, we’ll come across great insight and wisdom, and just admire it for a long time. Was it worth it, searching and asking and praying and memorizing for that little wisdom nugget? There’s always more where that came from.

Continue to roll that passage of Scripture over and over in your head. It’ll be worth it, just you wait and see.

and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure… Proverbs 2:4

In the mid 1800s the California Gold Rush began near Coloma, California (Sutter’s Mill). Thousands flooded the regions known for gold deposits and spent their last dollar digging up the Earth in search of that precious metal we call gold. Fortunes were made; many got by with particles of gold dust; many lost all they had. Entire towns were formed to support the miners. Still, the work was arduous and time-consuming and risky.

The writer of Proverbs has given us a great image of how we should seek wisdom. The wisdom we seek is worth many times more than gold, silver, or the dollar. The work required to gain wisdom isn’t easy and there is no “tangible” reward (such as a nugget of gold) after you have sought wisdom. In fact, there is never a time when you and I should stop seeking wisdom. It’s a lifelong task rewarded in the things you say and things you do, and even the things you think about.

Continue seeking God, the giver of all wisdom, asking Him to guide your thoughts, words, and deeds. Ask Him also to help you to burn that passage of Scripture into your mind.

And if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, Proverbs 2:3

Life isn’t easy and it often throws us some nasty curves. We cry out to God for some kind of understanding, some sane reason for the way things happen. I write this in the wake of an earthquake that just hammered Haiti. Thousands of people were displaced; the death toll is still rising as more bodies are found under the rubble of a decimated region.

Within hours of the earthquake many were asking online where God was when all of this took place. Why did it have to happen at all? If He is all powerful, can’t He control the elements and the natural disasters?

Unfortunately, I don’t have answers to those questions. I don’t.

I, like you, ask the same questions and I often call out to God for understanding as the writer of Proverbs suggests. It’s perfectly okay to cry out like this, to cry aloud for meaning in this crazy world.

Still, there is wisdom in our crying out to God. For one thing, it’s a natural thing for us to do because we don’t have all the answers. We may never ever get the answers to those questions but we still need to ask and ask and ask.

Turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, Proverbs 2:2

This verse goes hand in hand with yesterday’s verse. Memorizing Scripture is key to understanding the deep, deep things of God. Often we ask for wisdom and revelation over a certain matter, and the more we have God’s word in our hearts, something we hear or read just finally makes sense. We couldn’t explain it to others and it doesn’t set you apart from other Believers, but we “get it.” Deep within our souls we finally understand what the Holy Spirit is trying to teach us. Even if you were asked to try to explain what exactly you “get,” it wouldn’t be the same because the “revelation” isn’t meant for others because no one is exactly like you.

That’s the transforming power of Scripture and of the Holy Spirit when He has something to work with, the power that has transformed people for thousands of years.

Continue memorizing that passage of Scripture and storing it deep within your heart. You can do this. We can do this together.

My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, Proverbs 2:1

Most, if not all, of you are reading this on your computer monitor. We all know how to do the basics on a computer: open, write, save, print, search, and send. When you save a file, you are storing it away for future use. When we want to open the file again, we simply click on the file name and it opens. It has been stored away for us to use a hundred or a thousand times unless we replace it with updated information or move it to a different place.

You and I know the importance of hiding the Word of God in our hearts. We’ve seen its power in our lives and in the lives of others. It has the power to transform.

But our internal hard drives contain only the bare necessities. It’s like we forget to save what we read.

My challenge to you this year is this: find a passage of Scripture and commit it to memory. Fill up your memory hard drive with those verses. It may be one or it may be an entire chapter of Scripture. Make it reasonable but make it challenging (memorizing the entire New Testament, while admirable, isn’t very reasonable withoutt a solid plan to carry it out). Read it when you rise and when you go to bed. Print it on cards, Mutter it in the car on your way to work. Mumble it as you prepare supper each night.

When you know the passage as well as you know John 3:16, say it a few hundred times more. The goal here isn’t quantity of Scripture memorized but quality of the memorization. By the time you get to this point, you will have seen how transforming the Word of God can be in your life.

Ephesians 1, Ephesians 5, Psalm 1, Psalm 23, Psalm 112, Psalm 139, Galatians 2 are all great chapters of Scripture to memorize. Obviously there are others, many others to choose from. Choose one. You can do it. When you do, write and tell me. (Lord willing, and He is, I am finally going to nail Psalm 139 after a few years of learning bits and pieces of it).

Like I said, you can do it.

My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, Proverbs 2:1

You’ve probably heard the phrase “in one ear and out the other.” We say it when we feel that our words have no affect on someone. Or we might say, “It was like talking to a brick wall.” Either they weren’t listening to us or they were thickheaded and could not comprehend.

Throughout Scripture God wants desperately to teach us, but often His words go in one ear and out the other. His words, when we do read them, bounce right off us. Our minds race when we read the Bible because there are just so many things to do and catch up on. The cares of the world often overtake our thoughts.

But God is patient. Often He has to tell us many times before something finally sinks in. I’m sure He’d rather it “stick” the first time but He also knows our fraility.

Today as you seek God for wisdom to carry you through the day, ask Him for the ability to hear something important once and to obey it. It’s a rare gift to cherish if you have it.

but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm. Proverbs 1:33

It has been said that being able to sleep soundly at night is a great thing because many, through circumstances and life situations, do not enjoy that luxury. Think of those times where you were up worrying and fretting over some issue. It was tough the next day and the day after that. It wears you down emotionally. You get drained fast and would enjoy relief, any kind of relief.

Wisdom is like that. When we realize that wisdom comes from God and has an infinite well full of it, we realize that God does in fact know what He’s doing! He knows that being wise is the best thing for you and certainly beats the alternative (foolishness).

Before continuing to Chapter Two, read Chapter One of Proverbs straight through. Pray that God will reveal His wisdom to you through His word each and every day.

For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; Proverbs 1:32

These are strong words. In later chapters, we’ll explore the value of actively seeking wisdom. This verse, however, speaks to the folly of remaining complacent in our pursuit of wisdom.

Why do you think God is this strong about wisdom and becoming wise? Mainly because it’s important! He knows fully the value of wisdom and the vanity of foolishness.

When you pray today, ask God to give you wisdom. It wil be the theme for the next year perhaps. It’s a good theme and one worth exploring day by day. We simply cannot have too much wisdom.

since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke,
they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. Proverbs 1:30-31

A few days ago we talked about being on the receiving side of “I told you so.” Have you ever been on the sending side? Depending on the situation, there could be laughter, but more often than not, there’s pain and suffering and tears. In fact, often you want to be wrong because you know the pain it will cause.

When we deal with people – regardless of the circumstances – this is one area that we need to tread lightly.

“Be kind. Remember everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” -Plato

Just because you’re right doesn’t mean you have to flaunt it despite the overwhelming urge to do so. Using self-control in this isntance is a very wise choice.

Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD, Proverbs 1:29

The Word of God often puts us in a quandary of our own choosing. One the one hand if we’ve been Believers for quite some time, we know what the Word of God says on many matters. We know that when God says something, it’s in our best interest to obey it.

And yet we don’t obey it.

So I have to ask the very real question, “why not?” Why, when we know that God would never lead us astray on anything at any time, why don’t we obey it in everything we do?

Entire books have been written by very learned individuals so I won’t pretend to know all the the answers, but I will make an attempt.

We don’t obey because deep down we may not have an overwhelming fear of the LORD, as this verse suggests. Deep down we think we are world-wise and can figure it out. It’s sin nature rearing its nasty head.

But fortunately (or unfortunately) we are all in the same boat. Some of us have a greater fear of the LORD; some of us have a lesser fear of the LORD.

In many instances in life, we have the choice to fear the LORD or not to. This week, think about what that means in your own life. Consciously consider the fear of the LORD when faced with a life choice. At the very least, you and I will become much more God-focused in our everyday life. Cultivate that desire to fear Him every chance you get.

when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
“Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me. Proverbs 1:27-28

Perhaps it’s best to address why we don’t heed wisdom when it’s given to us. The only word I know to describe this is “pride.” We think we can do it on our own. We think we know more than the Word of God and even God himself when we make unwise choices, though we’d never admit that we think that way.

Here’s the thing: the Word of God and the wisdom contained therein should be the final authority on decisions we make. Nobody reading this has a problem with that last sentence. But our thinking often gets skewed. We think “my circumstance is special; He just doesn’t understand it.”

The God of the entire Universe has graciously given us the Ultimate Authority Guide for Life: the Bible. In every circumstance, in every personality, in every event, in every conceivable situation, He knows what He’s doing. He knew even before time began what situation you would be in right now and the wisdom you would need to make the right choice.

And He invites you to ask Him and plead for that wisdom. It’s the only right choice.

But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand,
since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke,
I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you. Proverbs 1:24-26

How many times in your life have you heard the words “I told you so?” Actually I have heard those actual words very few times but it’s in the forefront of my mind when I go against sound advice from a close friend. Depending on the friend, he/she may not ever use those words (because nobody likes to pour salt on a wound, so to speak) but often you can tell from their knowing smile.

This is what the writer of Proverbs is trying to convey will happen if you ignore sound advice. Sometimes we’re just so bullheaded to go forward with plans and decisions that are not at all wise. More often than not, we know deep inside that those decisions are not wise.

So, to minimize our “I told you so” events from the Word of God, we need to study the Word of God, know what it says, and obey. In that there is compelling wisdom. Knowing what the Word of God says on a matter and not obeying it is, well, just not wise.

If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you. Proverbs 1:23

There are two responses in general to a rebuke: (1) accept it and change your ways; (2) reject it and go about your own ways. It really is one or the other. Ignoring it is identical to rejecting it since that’s what you’re doing in essence. Rejecting a rebuke is dangerous for us because if we reject it often enough, we become calloused to it.

Accepting a rebuke is a wise choice.

What is wisdom if not the ability to make the right choices when faced with many good (and a few bad) choices? The writer of Proverbs is telling us clearly that when we respond to a rebuke, it can teach us.

Rebukes from the Word of God are a very good thing. We just need wisdom and self-control when a rebuke is given (or when we read one and it “pricks our heart”) to fully understand what it can do if we don’t take heed. And remember, God, who is the supreme source of all wisdom, knows what’s good for us infinitely better than we know what’s good for us. If His word rebukes us, it’s for a very good reason.