Derek Smith, Lead Pastor LHBC
Proverbs 3:5-7
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
7 Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
I’ll never forget one of the most embarrassing events in my life. When I was in middle school I attended youth camp one summer with my church, and at the camp they held a contest one night in worship. The contest was a pick-up line contest (Yes, you read that right….at youth camp a pick-up line contest….pretty sad and lame and wrong on lots of levels huh?). They had a pretty young lady sitting on stage on what we thought was a couch, but it was actually two chairs with a sheet thrown over them leaving a gaping space in the middle behind. They asked young brash boys to come and sit beside her and unload the best one-liner they knew. Unbeknownst to us, while we were staged in the hall they prepped the crowd for our demise. Needless to say, I waltzed on stage and plopped right down on that sheet and fell flat on my back, feet up in the air and everything, in front of 200 people. The whole place erupted in laughter, and this 13 year old boy was devastated. Still to this day I can hear their laughter and see the stage. It was a moment I will never forget, all because of my own pride and teenage ego and choosing to plop down in the wrong place.
Solomon had some juvenile moments in his life, read Ecclesiastes. Through all his episodes he learned a great and powerful lesson, and I believe that lesson is articulated here. The lesson is simple: trust in the Lord and don’t lean on your own understanding. Although he is considered the wisest man to live on this earth, he recognized his wisdom was no match for the infinite wisdom of God.
I leaned on that sheet thinking it was a couch, and boy was I wrong. If you lean on the wrong thing you will soon find yourself flat on your back looking up at a laughing world. We cannot trust in our own supposed wisdom. Pride comes before a fall, and if you rely totally on your own mind, you will fall. He goes on to say here that we should not be wise in our own eyes.
The moral of the story is: watch your seat. What are your trusting in? Do not rest your hope and security in the thoughts, ways, or philosophies of this world. Place all your hope and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Read His Word and trust what He says. He will straighten the path and illumine the way. You will soon know where to go and have supernatural confidence to get there. Trust in the Lord. Stand on His Word. Don’t trust in yourself or in man or you will fall flat.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Father God, forgive me for relying on my own wisdom or experience instead of You. Lord, Your Spirit gives trust wisdom and Your Word is the true light. Speak to me and show me Your ways. In Jesus name, amen.
MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK:
Proverbs 21:30
No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the Lord.