Proverbs 3:5-8

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own insight.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
It will be a healing for your flesh
and a refreshment for your body.” NRSV

We live in the mountains. Correction. We live on top of the mountain. And the only way down (to the city, to shopping, to see friends) is on one of three very curvy roads. One of the roads I like better than the others because the curves are minimized (only seven miles) and the remainder of the drive is fairly straight. The fact is, driving curves is exhausting and (if you’re like me) nauseating.

It makes me realize the true difference between having a “straight path” and a path that isn’t straight. Life throws curves, and these curves are emotionally, mentally, and often even physically exhausting. I know that I often wear myself out trying to straighten out the curves myself instead of relying on the Father to straighten them out for me.

Two things really hit me:

• Trust in the Lord with all your heart
• In all your ways acknowledge Him

With me and the Lord, there is no part time, no part time, no “sort of.” It’s either all . . . or nothing. My trust extends to acknowledging Him. This word (for “acknowledge”), yada', is an interesting word. Vine’s (excerpted) says:

Essentially yada’ means: (1) to know by observing and reflecting (thinking), and (2) to know by experiencing. . . . Somewhat characteristically the heart plays an important role in knowing” (Vine, W. E. 1996. Vine's complete expository dictionary of Old and New Testament words. T. Nelson: Nashville). Again, for me, acknowledging God is more than intellectual assent; it has to do with actually putting my money where my mouth is. Stepping out into the darkness and trusting Him to be Who He has revealed Himself to be, trusting Him to be trust to the promises in His Word.

We don’t trust the bridge very much if we don’t walk across it. Similarly we can talk about trusting God all day long, but if we don’t step out in obedience to Him (when obedience makes absolutely no sense at all), then our trust is minor at best.

There are interesting comparisons on this passage:

• Trust in the Lord with all your heart
• In all your ways acknowledge Him
• Fear the Lord

As compared to . . .

• Do not rely on your own insight
• Do not be wise in your own eyes
• Turn away from evil

I think that the writer is giving a very practical example of what it means to trust God as compared to trusting ourselves. Ultimately, trusting ourselves (instead of God) is doing evil . . . and we are commanded to turn away from that.

And like most things that God tells us, there are rewards for obedience:

• He will make straight your paths
• It will be a healing for your flesh
• [It will be] a refreshment for your body

Ultimately, the things for which we seek—peace, quiet, contentment, happiness, health, welfare—are found through trust in God and obedience to His commandments.

My prayer for everyone today? A straight path.

© 2008 Robin L. O’Hare. All Rights Reserved. International copyright reserved. This study may be copied for nonprofit and/or church purposes only without permission when copied in its entirety (including this notice).