Walking in Wisdom
Walking in Wisdom – Proverbs 3:5-8.
When studying the Bible, I love to peruse many different translations so I can see the many nuances and wordings of that particular Scripture. I then like to weave together the different versions of the verses to get a more complete and I think fresher version of what the Bible is trying to say. For this Proverbs 3 portion that I wove together, I consulted the following translations and paraphrases: NIV, the Passion Translation, the Aramaic, the Message, the Amplified Bible, the New King James, the New Jerusalem Bible, and the Tanakh (Jewish Publication Society).
Verse 5: Completely lean on the Lord, from the bottom of your heart. Yes, trust in the Lord wholeheartedly, and be confident in Him with all your heart and mind. Do not rely on your own insight or understanding. Put no faith in your own perception. Don’t trust in your personal opinions, and quit trying to figure out everything on your own.
Verse 6: Listen to God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go. Acknowledge Him in every course you take. With all your heart rely on Him to guide you, and He will see that your paths are plain and straight. He will lead you wherever you go, and will keep you on track.
Verse 7: Do not be wise in your own eyes, or think for a minute that you know it all. Do not congratulate yourself on your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord, reverently worship Him, for wisdom comes when you adore Him with undivided devotion. Run to God, and run from evil! Avoid everything that is wrong, turning your back entirely on evil.
Verse 8: Do this, and your body will glow with health. You will find the healing refreshment your flesh and spirit long for, a health-giving cure. And you will experience nourishment, a relieving tonic. Your very bones will vibrate with life!
A Follow-up Question: Don’t rely on our own understanding? I would imagine we all have a constant temptation to rely on our own understanding, our personal perception and viewpoint, of just about everything. The Creator God gifted each human person with an amazing brain, and to be faithful, we need to use that gift to develop insight, understanding and wisdom. In fact, Scripture compels us to do so from Genesis through Revelation. How can we tell if we are relying too much on our own perception, and not the wisdom of God? This would seem to be an ongoing struggle. How does one develop a lifestyle of “loving God with all our mind,” knowing we are called upon to use the good brain God gave us while at the same time relying on the Lord’s wisdom and guidance?