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 paths straight.
This was one of my favorite Proverbs as a kid. This one and the one that said everyone would rise up and call me blessed – that sounded awesome! The older I get the deeper understanding I have for this Proverb.
Trust – we live in a world that doesn’t know how to trust. Our current society is based on just the opposite, it is filled with fear. Take one day and listen to the amount of fear in daily conversation. I’m afraid…don’t do that it will cause…can’t eat that it might be…I would never try that…You can’t do that, someone will…. We have successfully created a fear culture. Trust requires one not to fear but to believe that someone or something has our best in mind.
Lean not on your own understanding – Oy, that’s not even possible. That’s what therapy and analysis is for. We must understand everything! After all if we don’t understand it we are afraid that we’ll be taken advantage of.
In all your ways acknowledge Him – nope that doesn’t work either. We are so self-centered and self-absorbed we can’t possibly acknowledge someone else, even if we’re talking about God. One must ask what’s in it for me by acknowledging Him?
The ability to trust, not understand and acknowledge changes greatly from the time we are 8 to 28 to 58 to 88. It’s not natural, it’s out of the ordinary. It takes more effort the older we get. It takes effort, it takes faith, it requires an understanding of God’s love for us.
Find someone who lives by this Proverb and you’ll find contentment, peace, joy and optimism. You’ll find someone you want to hang out with. You may even rise up and call them blessed!