Intro

It is most important, according to the wisdom of Proverbs, that a person know how to relate properly to his Creator. This vertical relationship precedes all horizontal ones: we need to learn to look up before looking around. The name of the LORD appears 85 times in Proverbs. Right relationship to him is the foundation of a wise life. He is the source of wisdom: …the LORD gives wisdom… (2: 6). No person is ever outside his gaze: …a man’s ways are in full view of the LORD… (5:21). He is constantly watching: The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good (15:3). Knowing the LORD is the one thing that helps us respond to the really bad stuff in life: to fear the LORD is to hate evil (8:13), and help us live longer for the fear of the LORD adds length to life (10:27). If I want safety and protection, I must know the LORD for the way of the LORD is a refuge for the righteous (10:29) but the LORD tears down the proud man’s house (15:25).

Proverbs 3:5-8 give us the two primary ways we are to relate to the Lord: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart” (5) and “fear the LORD” (7).

Trust in the Lord (3:5-6)

Definition of trust: “expresses that sense of well-being and security which results from having something or someone in whom to place confidence.”

The word “lean” (lean not on your own understanding) means to put your weight upon something.

Fear the Lord (3:7-8)

The fear of the Lord is a deep mental and emotional response to the greatness of his being.

Christ has become our wisdom. The wisdom of God is most clearly expressed in the cross of Christ, the opposite of the world’s wisdom. Jesus has become our wisdom. We are made acceptable by his death, and we participate in his death by the way we live our lives.