L. C. FOX-SMITH - 28/05/25: Today I read Proverbs 3 and reflected on verses 13-35. It was interesting to learn that there are three poems in the passage:
Poem 1, verses 13-18 - Show us the blessings and value attached to the pursuit of wisdom.
Poem 2, verses 19-20 - Show us God’s wisdom in creation - the source of true wisdom (I love how this links to lady wisdom later on in Proverbs 8)
Poem 3, verses 21-26 - Show us the benefits of God’s wisdom when we seek it and apply it to our daily lives.
Verses 27-35 give us practical instructions to use the wisdom in our lives and in our relationships with others. These instructions are presented in a series of warnings and comparisons that reveal more of Gods character to us.
I really like how verse 13 tell us, ‘Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.’ It contrasts with the earlier verse 5 that tells us not to ‘lean not unto thine own understanding.’ The understanding we get is not our own, it’s God given and grounded in His wisdom and truth.
Takeaway from this passage is that I should pursue God’s wisdom daily and let it shape how I live and treat others. Following this path leads us away from chaos and to peace, as we are told so beautifully in verse 17, ‘Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.’
How are you pursuing God's wisdom?