The Wise Person (2)
[Proverbs 3:1-10]
The wise person keeps God’s commandments (Proverbs 3:1, 3). The wise person loves God, and because of this love, he obeys God's word. By obeying, he experiences God’s love more deeply. Moreover, the wise person lives a more genuine life before God and people, because he obeys the truth of God’s word. The wise person trusts in God (5-6). The wise person does not rely on his own understanding. Instead, the wise person trusts God with a simple heart, like a child. The wise person fears God and, therefore, turns away from evil (7). The wise person turns away from the evil of considering himself wise. The wise person honors God with his material possessions (9). What blessings does God bestow upon the wise person who keeps His commandments, trusts in Him, fears Him, and honors Him with his possessions? In this passage, Proverbs 3:1-10 speaks of four blessings that the wise person receives:
First, the blessing that the wise person enjoys is long life, peace, and being favored and honored before God and people.
Look at Proverbs 3:2 and 4: “For they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity... Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.” When thinking about the blessing of long life, Ephesians 6:1-3 comes to mind. The Bible says that when children obey and honor their parents in the Lord, God gives them the blessing of well-being and long life on the earth. In Proverbs 3, the Bible also says that children (“My son”) should keep the commands of their parents (v. 1) and honor God with their material possessions (v. 9). When they do so, God will bless them with “long life” (v. 2). Moreover, God will bless the wise person who obeys His word with the blessing of “peace” (v. 2). When we obey God’s word and write His mercy and truth on our hearts, God will give us the blessing of peace. However, the foolish person does not have peace in his heart because he disobeys God’s word. How can anyone enjoy peace while disobeying God’s word? Instead, when we disobey, our conscience condemns us, and we cannot experience peace because of the guilt. But the wise person enjoys a peace that the world cannot give because he keeps God’s commandments. Therefore, we must become wise and obey God’s commandments. When we keep His word and live a life of love and truth, we will be favored and honored before God and people (v. 4).
Second, the blessing that the wise person enjoys is being guided by God.
Look at the second part of Proverbs 3:6: “… and He will make your paths straight.” The wise person not only obeys God’s word but also trusts in Him with all his heart and acknowledges Him in all his ways. The wise person never depends on his own understanding. As a result, the blessing that God gives to the wise person is that He will guide his path. We should not rely on our own understanding but should acknowledge God in all things. When we do this, God will make our paths straight. How different is this from the way of the fool? In Proverbs 2:12 and 15, the Bible says that the paths of the wicked and the perverse are crooked. The path of the fool is crooked because he disobeys God’s word and relies on his own wisdom. However, in contrast, the Bible says that God will make the path of the wise person straight. We must become wise. We must trust God with a simple heart, like a child. When we do this, God will make our paths straight. We will walk the path of righteousness. God will guide us so that we will not turn to the left or to the right, but will only walk in the right path.
Third, the blessing that the wise person enjoys is health.
Let us look at Proverbs 3:8: "This will be health to your body and strength to your bones." As we read the Old Testament, we often see that God uses disease as a tool of discipline when the people of Israel do not repent of their sins. For example, in Deuteronomy 28:59, the Bible says: “The Lord will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues, severe and lasting plagues, and miserable and chronic sicknesses.” However, when the people of Israel fear God, turn from evil, and fully obey His commandments, God gave them this promise: “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in His eyes, if you pay attention to His commands and keep all His decrees, I will not bring upon you any of the diseases I brought upon the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you” (Exodus 15:26). The Bible tells us that when we listen and obey God’s word, He will not bring any disease upon us. However, if we do not fear God and delight in doing evil (Proverbs 2:14), we will inevitably suffer from disease because of our sins.
Look at King David. When he committed adultery with Bathsheba and did not repent, he confessed in Psalm 32:3-4: "When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer" (also see Psalm 51:8) (MacArthur). Dr. Park Yun-Sun said: “Many diseases arise from a lack of trust in God. In the psychology of unbelief, there is doubt, worry, hatred, jealousy, and anxiety. These things are harmful to a person’s life. Most stomach problems are caused by anxiety and worry” (Park Yun-Sun). Therefore, we must fear God and turn away from evil. When we do so, God will bless us with health.
Finally, the fourth blessing that the wise person enjoys is wealth.
Let us look at Proverbs 3:10: "Then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine." The wise person honors God with the first fruits of their wealth and produce (v. 9). They acknowledge that it is God who gives them the ability to obtain wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18), so they return to God what He has given them, honoring Him with their possessions. Why do they do this? Because they love God. And the wise person, who loves God, fears Him and keeps His commandments. To such a person, God grants the blessing of wealth and prosperity (Psalm 112:1-3). God will allow them to enjoy the blessings of wealth and prosperity (Ecclesiastes 5:19).
Conclusion of the meditation on the word:
We must become wise people. The wise person keeps God’s commandments. The wise person does not rely on their own wisdom but trusts in God. The wise person fears God and turns away from evil. And the wise person honors God with their possessions. When we do this, the wise person enjoys certain blessings: long life, peace, and favor and honor before God and man. They also receive God’s guidance and the blessing of health. Additionally, the wise person enjoys the blessing of wealth, that is, material blessings. My prayer is that both you and I will become wise in the eyes of God and enjoy the blessings He provides.