Proverbs 3:1-6

"My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you prosperity.

Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.

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 3:1-6


Proverbs 3:3,4:
I was encouraged by these two verses. No, I'm not necessarily trying to 'win favor' from those around me, but maybe respect? I know that we should only be conerned with what God thinks of us, but shouldn't my manager be able to respect my integrity and trust me? But what I am learning in Proverbs is that I need to be very careful whom I am faithful to. Wisdom or folly? Can I discern between the two or will I figure out which is which when it's too late? Verses 5 and 6 help make sense of my last question:

"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."

I was reading in my Bible that "acknowledge him" is not just deciding and recognizing that God is God, but living my life by knowing God and living closely with him. I need to relate to God in all aspects of my life, not just the ones in which I choose. When I constantly keep GOD at the center of my life, I can EASILY trust in him and lean on him for his understanding. Maybe I should make myself clear.

When I put God at the center of my life, I know that he is in control and that makes it easier to trust him. The situations he tosses at me to grow and challenge me may not always be easier (in fact, I don't think they are ever easy), but at least I know that I can trust in a God who can bring me through these situations.

So, when God is the center of my life, when I fully trust him in all aspects of my life, I know exactly which is wisdom and which is folly.