Thoughts on Proverbs 3-5

This week our assigned reading was Proverbs 3-5. A continuing idea throughout these chapters is that wisdom leads to good things – long life, peace, prosperity, health, honor, etc. Mental health and physical health are interrelated. There is a clear distinction over and over again between human wisdom and the wisdom of God. For example, Proverbs 3:7 says “Do not be wise in your own eyes.” Another verse I’d like to highlight is Proverbs 3:5-7, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways, acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” This has been one of my favorite verses for a long time, one that I have memorized, but it’s particularly interesting to me in light of what I’ve been learning about psychology. This weekend I participated in peer mediation training at the MO State Conflict Dispute and Resolution Center and we talked about how we all have a lens through which we see the world. Every person perceives differently and, in a sense, we each create our own reality. This can be a result of our beliefs, values, insecurities, fears, etc. So, this verse is essentially proposing that we trust and obey the LORD, despite our own understanding of reality, which is flawed. This means living in the uncertainty of life, letting our guard down, allowing God to be in control, rather than making our own plans. It gets complicated at this point, however, because the way in which we trust God is dependent upon the way in which we perceive God. In the same way that we all view people and circumstances differently, we all see God differently. Trusting God will look different for Jews (reform vs. orthodox), Catholics, Baptists, Lutherans, Amish, Mormons, etc.etc. Horne defines theology in his book as, “the way we comprehend God, a frame of reference providing a basis for interpreting and understanding the events of life.” So, how do we trust God without leaning on our own understanding when the very act of trusting God is dependent upon our understanding of God? Throughout history our perception of God has changed drastically; this idea is discussed in a book I’m reading right now - Robert Wright’s “Evolution of God.”


In Proverbs 5:21 it says, “For your ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all your paths.” I like this and see a parallel in philosophy; Socrates was known for saying that the unexamined life is not worth living. The importance of keeping focused and steadfast, the value of discipline and reproof, not straying from the straight path is addressed from a male perspective. The father warns his son to resist temptation, to not give in to the adulterous woman. I think it takes a conscious effort to keep your goals always at the forefront, of primary concern, and to not be swayed in any other direction. My youth pastor from home would say, “Whatever it is you seek first, organizes the rest of your life.” In Proverbs 5, the adulterous/loose woman is described negatively in that she wanders and doesn’t keep straight the path of life. This makes me think about how true the statement, “You are who you surround yourself with,” is. It’s easy to be friends with people who are lazy or unmotivated, because then it feels like you’re doing pretty well, in comparison to them. The best relationships are those in which the other person makes you want to be better, challenges you.