Some of the Most Popular Verses in the Bible Day 1 | #10: Proverbs 3:5 – 6
Stop and Ask Directions!
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:5 – 6).
The book of Proverbs was, in simplest terms, written to impart wisdom and knowledge to everyone. It contrasts foolish, unholy, deadly living with wise, holy, lifegiving living. Simple enough.
Life, however, is not so simple, especially when driving in unfamiliar territory. Sometimes, you just have to stop and ask directions. We do not know the future, nor do we know where the ripples will flow when we cast the stones of our actions into the river of life. We need a source of guidance that is trustworthy and infallible.
Proverbs 3:5 – 6 are tied for tenth place in this particular survey, simply because they go hand-in-hand and are inseparable. Taken together, they go to the heart of the book. Wise living means trusting in the Lord enough to acknowledge Him every step of the way. Hear what Isaiah says: “O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord” (Isaiah 2:5). So, too, must we walk in that light.
To trust in the Lord literally means “to cling to Him.” I recall visiting a farmer’s market with a family that included a brawny man and his very young, timid daughter. She was afraid of the characters who frequented that area and would run up and cling to her dad in fearful confidence. The Lord is our dad to whom we must cling.
In this proverb, “heart” is understood as “intellect,” including our mind and emotions. Every part of us needs to cling to God as we walk this mortal soil. Human understanding alone is never enough. Although God’s ways are often incomprehensible, so are His wisdom and knowledge. We turn again to Isaiah: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (55:8 – 9). Or, if you prefer the New Testament: “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways” (Romans 11:33).
When we acknowledge God, we don’t just say, “Hello, God!” We work from an intimate knowledge of God in practical, experiential ways. In other words, the more we know about God, the more it will affect our actions and the more we will learn from our experiences. We will have purpose and nothing will seem in vain. All the accumulation of human knowledge and wisdom are never enough; remember, one thing we will never know is the future. God is already there, and He can shine the light on the path ahead of us.
When we seek His shining face in prayer as we walk, He will make our paths smooth; He will remove unnecessary obstacles for a less-problematic life. Since the fall, when mankind sought to live independent of God, “all we like sheep have gone astray” (Isaiah 53:6). The Lord’s paths are straight, both morally and practically.
Acknowledge Him in pleasant ways with thanksgiving, and in uncomfortable ways with holy submission. The pillars of cloud and fire will eventually lead to the promised land.
Alan Allegra