Being Wise in an Unwise World
Take a moment and think of one person for whom you want the absolute best – best for and best from. It is ok if that person is yourself. That is a good thing and a key aspect of loving others as we love ourselves. We need to love ourselves enough to want best for and from. When God invited Solomon to ask for anything and he asked for wisdom, he asked for best for himself, and thus others. In the Proverbs attributed to Solomon, seventeen are specifically directed to “my son.” He wanted best for and from him. God has preserved these proverbs for 3000+ years because as our Father, He wants best for and from us as well. Best for is always wisdom, and best from is always a wise response.
In Proverbs 3:1-8, Solomon begins with a promise, then he gives two specific guidelines that are ALWAYS the wisest response regardless the circumstances. That promise is:
Proverbs 3:1,2 My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.
The promise is quality and quantity of life! True quality is defined by peace – shalom: wellbeing or soundness of heart, mind, body and soul. We have all experienced that shalom when we handled a challenging encounter wisely. Proverbs 15:23 says “A man has joy in an apt answer, and how delightful is a timely word!” In 2 Corinthians 1:12, Paul referred to it as “proud confidence.”
2 Corinthians 1:12 For our proud confidence is this, the testimony of our conscience: that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, especially toward you.
Kauchesis isn’t about pride, but feeling peaceful and positive about how we acted or responded “especially toward you”. It is the wise response “toward you” that Solomon addresses first as he guides us in how to always respond wisely.
Proverbs 3:3 Do not let kindness or truth leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.
When something is wrapped around your neck, it is obvious to everyone. Written on our heart is more than remembering something, but having it incorporated into our character and our thinking process. In other words, kindness and truth are to be defining inside and out.
Kindness – chesed– is one of the most significant words in the Old Testament, actually the entire Bible. It means kindness motivated by love. In the New American Standard Bible it is often translated “lovingkindness.” It refers to both mercy and grace. These are two sides of the same coin: mercy is not responding how deserved; grace is responding how not deserved.
Truth – ‘emet– isn’t about what you know or telling them what they need to know. ‘Emet refers to what is. It is not going to be one thing one day and something else under different circumstances. It is about what is consistently righteous and trustworthy – aligned with the unwaveringness of who God is.
Exodus 34:6 Then the Lord passed by in front of him (Moses) and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth.
Abounding in chesed and ‘emet – lovingkindness, mercy and grace and unwavering consistency are primary attributes of our Heavenly Father. These same characteristics of grace and truth describe Jesus – who He is and how He always responds.
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.
The Law tells us what to do and not to do. Jesus shows us what to be like and how to respond. When Peter tells us to “grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18), He is instructing us to become more and more like Jesus both in our character and response. Our attitude, actions, words, mannerism and countenance need to be full of grace and the continuity of truth. When we are full of grace and truth, Jesus is seen and glorified!
We will always respond wisely IF we respond like Jesus with kindness/grace and truth! When we do, Proverbs 3:4 says, “So you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and man.” That in itself should be a great motivation.
The second guideline regarding how to always respond wisely is about our vertical response.
Proverbs 3:5,6 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 your path straight.
In this very familiar verse, we are told our wisest response is to trust God. The Hebrew word, batach, translated “trust,” is a very interesting word. It literally means “to throw oneself down upon.” It is referring to complete dependence and submission – being all in!
We are told to “trust in the Lord with all our heart.” That goes with the “all in” aspect of batach. It is a bold abandonment into God’s trustworthiness. We also need to trust the Lord with all our heart = entrust our feelings and emotions to Him; that driving desire to react emotionally (fear, anger, arrogance, bitterness, self-pity, frustration, etc.).
On my desk, I have “Trust and Entrust” posted at eye level as a constant reminder that trusting and entrusting go hand in hand. Jeremiah 17:7 says, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose trust is the Lord.” “In the Lord” releases – let’s go - entrusts. “Is the Lord” throws our full weight upon Him and holds on fast – trusts completely. We are blessed when we trust the Lord! The word “blessed” is barakh = blessed with blessings.
We are also told, “do not lean on your own understanding.” To lean (sha’an) is to rest our full weight against something. If it cannot bear the weight, it is not trustworthy. We are not to lean on our own understanding (binah) - what we have deemed to be the appropriate response, the logical thing to do. Key word here is “own.” Our own understanding isn’t all that trustworthy, especially if it isn’t shored up with Christlikeness.
Proverbs 3:7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
Proverbs 4:5 tells us “Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding!” Proverbs 9:10 tells us how. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Reverence for God is the beginning of what makes us wise because it recognizes our so-called wisdom is unreliable, and the true wisdom that we need comes from Him. Understanding doesn’t come from justifying what we deem as logical, but comes from knowing Jesus: who He is, what He says and how He responds. He needs to be our plumb line.
Instead of trusting our emotions and logic, Proverbs 3:6 says, “In all your ways acknowledge Him.” The word translated “ways” is derek: the direction headed and the steps taken to get there. The word translated “acknowledge” is yada: to know that you know. “In all your ways acknowledge Him” means as we are going through each day, each situation, etc., we need to determine what we know that we know about God and apply it.
As we choose to respond to something or someone – anything or anyone, we are weighing our options. The side that carries the most weight in that moment decides our response. On one side of the scale we place our heart (emotions) and our understanding (logic). On the other side goes what we know and believe about the Lord.
“Lean on your own understanding” means we give more weight to emotions and logic than they truly deserve. That response has a good chance of being unreliable and foolish. “Trust in the Lord” and “in all your ways acknowledge Him” is throwing our full weight on God. 1 Peter 5:7NIVtells us to “Cast all your cares upon Him, because He cares for you!”
Responding is always a process. How much time, effort and consciousness goes into the process plays a huge role in whether our response even has a chance in being wise. 2 Corinthians 10:5 refers to “taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” What it is referring to is thinking about what we thinking about. It is asking: "What am I leaning on as I choose to respond?"
The wisest response is ALWAYS:
(1) Choosing to follow the example of Jesus and manifest grace/lovingkindness and truth.
(2) Choosing to trust God and put our full weight on what we know that we know about Him.
It is as clear-cut as always responding with glory and grace!
What began with a promise is concluded with one as well. “He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:6) He will smooth out the rough spots, remove what is in the way and fill in what is lacking. Leveling – bringing things into balance is one of the Lord’s specialties and joys! Proverbs 3:8NIVstates “This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.” The word “body” (‘shor) actually means “navel or gut.” Always responding wisely is the best way to avoid stomach problems, especially ulcers, and have strong “bones” even when forced to carry the weight of the world.
