A Life Long “To Do” List – Part 2

Yesterday we looked at the first part of a “to do” list from Proverbs chapter 3.  These are principles that are true.  Today we look at the last four found in chapter 3.  I will comment after each of the sections:

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths. 

A great life-lesson is to not trust your own instincts or understanding but rather trust the Lord.  If you’ve ever been lost while hiking it is a pretty sick feeling to have…I know, I’ve done it.  But it is ever worse to feel like you are lost in your life.  We are reminded here that if we trust in the Lord and acknowledge Him in what we do, He will guide and direct us.

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the Lord and depart from evil.  8 It will be health to your flesh,
And strength to your bones.

 Much evil and sin enters into our lives when we think we know better than God.  We think that we can sin and get away with it.  We think that the benefit of the sin outweighs the cost.  But this is never, ever true.  Rather than be wise in our own eyes, we should fear God, be in awe of Him and run away from evil.  Here we are told that it will be health to our flesh and strength to our bones.  Think of all the diseases and addictions that are directly related to sin.  Not all of course, but so much sickness and disease is tied directly to sin.  If we stay away from that, we are much more likely to be healthy.

9 Honor the Lord with your possessions,
And with the firstfruits of all your increase;  10 So your barns will be filled with plenty,
And your vats will overflow with new wine.

 Simply said, when we give to God and see Him as the source of everything we have, we will not lack for anything.  God will “fill our barns”.

11 My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor detest His correction; 12 For whom the Lord loves He corrects,
Just as a father the son in whom he delights.

 Not many of us like to be corrected or chastened.  It is not pleasant and often it is embarrassing.  But when God corrects us it is ultimately for our own good.  God is like a loving father who correct and disciplines out of love, never out of fear or anger.

Sounds like a pretty good to-do list to me…also sounds like a sermon series sometime in the future!

In Wisdom,
Eric