Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Proverbs, Chapter 3, Verse 7-8

⁷ Do not be wise in your own eyes, fear the LORD and turn away from evil; ⁸ this will mean health for your flesh and vigor for your bones.

This chapter focuses on guidance for the young.

1. Don’t forget the law: Love the Lord your God and your neighbor as yourself.

2. Be merciful as is God.

3. Seek the ultimate truth.

4. Seek humility.

5. Tithe and honor God with your possessions.

6. Take correction (testing) with a spirit of love and obedience.

7. Wisdom is greater than possessions-be happy.

8. Be discrete and graceful-don’t gossip.

9. Hold no grudges and you will sleep soundly.

10. Do not fear the wicked when they come remember the Lord is your confidence.

11. Do not delay on giving assistance to those whom it is due when it is within the power of your hand to do so.

12. Do not scheme against your neighbor.

13. Do not strive against someone without just cause.

14. Do not be an oppressor, bully, and teaser.

15. Do not be perverse, willful and stubborn.

16. Be upright, decent and honest.

Wisdom promises a reward: long life, a good name, divine protection, health, abundant crops. Yet, being a disciple of the Lord does not guarantee unalloyed bliss: one must allow God freedom to “reprove” or educate. The process of education is like when a father first invites his son (or disciple) to memorize his teaching (v. 1), then to enter upon a relationship of trust with him (v. 3), and finally to place his trust in God, who takes up the parental task of education (v. 5). Education begun by the parent is brought to full completion by God. One might be tempted to judge the quality of one’s relationship to God by one’s prosperity. It is an inadequate criterion, for God as a teacher might go counter to student expectations. The discipline of God can involve suffering. Serving God requires serving one’s neighbor through kindness (vv. 27–28), maintaining peace with the good (vv. 29–31), having no envy of the wicked (v. 31), because the Lord’s friendship and kindness are with the just, not with the wicked.[1]