Proverbs 3: Prudence Yields Abundant Well-Being Now

 Proverbs 3: Prudence Yields Abundant Well-Being Now.

What do most parents want for their children?

The specific answers many vary, but they can usually be narrowed down to a few specific things.

The answer may be success. Of course, the definition of success will probably vary from parent to parent.

The answer may be "contentment" within their child’s life. Maybe they hope their child will be “happy”.

Again, the definition of “happy” can vary a great deal. Parents may hope that their child will be a “good” person who is respected by others.

But in too many cases, the answers do not include God and His Will. Yet, the words in His Inspired Word hold the very instructions that help many those hopes become reality.

Proverbs 3: Prudence Yields Abundant Well-Being Now

In verses 1-4, Solomon wrote, “My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. Do not let kindness and truth leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and man.” 

Just about every hope that a parent has is realized in those 4 verses. A good life, a long life, peace, favor with God, and respect from other people are obtainable IF a person will follow the Lord’s teaching.

Verses 5-6 should be taught to every child and young adult. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” 

Life is full of challenges, problems, trials, confusion, and heartaches. But how many trials and tragedies are avoided simply by trust in the Lord and following Him? No one can know, because they did not happen.

Life is also full of joyful times, happiness, love, and contentment. How many more good experiences occur because the person followed the Lord’s instruction?

Proverbs 3: Prudence Yields Abundant Well-Being Now

Verses 11-12 state, “My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord or loathe His reproof, for whom the Lord loves He reproves, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.” Part of raising children and part of growing up involves punishment that is applied as discipline.

The writer of Hebrews stated the same thing in verses 7-11. “It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”

Some people believe that a person that is faithful to God will not experience hardships or suffering. Today, some teach that a “true” Christian will enjoy physical and financial success, and will face not real trails. If a person faces such hardships, or does not succeed in this life, then that person is not really a faithful Christian.

Proverbs 3: Prudence Yields Abundant Well-Being Now

Nothing is farther from the truth! Countless passages in the Old and New Testament clearly reject that belief and those that teach such things are false teachers. In 2 Peter 2: 1-3, Peter specifically warned against such teaching, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”

Parents, who love their children, will discipline them. God loves His children, and He will apply discipline so that they will grow stronger spiritually. The peace that is promised in this life is a spiritual peace that includes the ability to better handle the problems in life with a focus on serving the Lord.

Solomon wrote in verse 13, “How blessed is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding.” Throughout the Old and New Testament, God has promised blessings and peace in this life.

Proverbs 3: Prudence Yields Abundant Well-Being Now

For Israel, the promises were more physical in nature: a land of their own, protection from surrounding enemies, prosperity for the people. All the people had to do was trust in the Lord God, be obedient to His will, and follow the tenets of His Law.

If the people would search for wisdom and understanding, then they would realize the value of that understanding. “For her (wisdom) profit is better than the profit of silver and her gain better than fine gold. She is more precious than jewels; and nothing you desire compares with her.”

“Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who hold her fast.”

What a beautiful promise! But Israel did not do that. They were rebellious and refused to find and gain understanding. The result was suffering, misery, fear, death, slavery, and the eventual destruction of the nation and the Temple.

Today, God, offers an even more precious gift. Through His Son, Jesus Christ, God has opened the way for a person’s sins to be forgiven and to have the opportunity to be with Him for eternity. Like Israel in the Old Testament, God’s instructions are very clear on what a person must do have that hope of salvation: trust in God, be obedient to His Will and instructions, have a love for Jesus Christ as Savior, King and High Priest, be immersed in water for the remission of sins, grow in wisdom and understanding, and serve the Lord faithfully in this life.

Proverbs 3: Prudence Yields Abundant Well-Being Now

The blessings in this life and especially in the next are truly infinite if a person embraces the Good News, the Gospel, of Jesus Christ. But if a person rejects that offer. If that person refuses to submit to God, then the result will be infinitely worse than it was for Israel!

Solomon finishes Proverbs 3 with the following, “The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the dwelling of the righteous. Though He scoffs at the scoffers, yet He gives grace to the afflicted. The wise will inherit honor, but fools display dishonor.”