HEALTHY, WEALTHY, AND WISE?
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Opening Prayer
As I read today, Father, use your Word to deepen my understanding of who you are and to increase my faith in your purposes.
Read PROVERBS 3
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Wisdom Bestows Well-Being
3 My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you peace and prosperity.
3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.[a]
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.
9 Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.
11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline,
and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in.[b]
13 Blessed are those who find wisdom,
those who gain understanding,
14 for she is more profitable than silver
and yields better returns than gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are pleasant ways,
and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her;
those who hold her fast will be blessed.
19 By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations,
by understanding he set the heavens in place;
20 by his knowledge the watery depths were divided,
and the clouds let drop the dew.
21 My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,
preserve sound judgment and discretion;
22 they will be life for you,
an ornament to grace your neck.
23 Then you will go on your way in safety,
and your foot will not stumble.
24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
26 for the Lord will be at your side
and will keep your foot from being snared.
27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor,
“Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—
when you already have it with you.
29 Do not plot harm against your neighbor,
who lives trustfully near you.
30 Do not accuse anyone for no reason—
when they have done you no harm.
31 Do not envy the violent
or choose any of their ways.
32 For the Lord detests the perverse
but takes the upright into his confidence.
33 The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the home of the righteous.
34 He mocks proud mockers
but shows favor to the humble and oppressed.
35 The wise inherit honor,
but fools get only shame.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 3:6 Or will direct your paths
- Proverbs 3:12 Hebrew; Septuagint loves, / and he chastens everyone he accepts as his child
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What are you longing for in your life? Has it ever occurred to you to desire wisdom? Does wisdom seem precious to you?Solomon is working really hard to ‘sell’ wisdom and its benefits in today’s passage. He wants his son (and us) to pursue it, so he uses these verses to speak of its rewards. Obeying God’s commands and putting him first, he says, will bring long life, good health, riches, honor, peace, and more (v. 2)!
This can be hard to believe when we see godly people suffering and wicked people thriving, when faithful believers die young and corrupt leaders gain wealth and honor. How can we reconcile the words of the Bible with what we see playing out around us?
We have to remember that this life is only a small part of the story. There’s something much bigger going on—something eternal. Other biblical passages, such as Psalm 73, remind us to lift our gaze from this earthly moment and see the big picture. It might seem as though the wicked ‘have no struggles’ (Psalm 73:4) and that godly wisdom is not worth the effort, but one day God will bring justice to all (2:22).
God’s Word can be trusted (v. 5, 6). Pursuing wisdom will bring his people all these promised rewards at just the right time: ‘Those who hold fast will be blessed’ (v. 18).
Apply
Do you need God’s help to hold fast to his promises just now? Do you know others who are struggling with doubt?
Closing prayer
For those places where I doubt you, Lord God, forgive me. Help me to trust you, to look to your timing and to the victories only you can bring. Build in me, and in others I love, growing vision for trusting in your promises.
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