Proverbs 2:1 - 4:27

I will not be able to do the book of Proverbs justice. I hope that you read it yourself - over and over - you will continue to find jewels in there that you didn't see before. It is an ever changing book for me.

2:3-5 and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, 

and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, 

then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.

 

We live in a time of instant gratification. We want everything - NOW!  There are few treasure hunts anymore. We don't have the patience for it. Gaining wisdom and understanding take patience and perseverance.  And action. We have to be willing to call out, cry aloud, look and search.

3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and 

lean not on your own understanding; 

in all your ways acknowledge him, 

and he will make your paths straight.

I have trouble with this one ... trust ... If I can't get that part then the rest won't come. Maybe if I do the second part - lean not on my own understanding, don't try to figure out everything on my own - then the trust will come. 

 

The last few verses of chapter 4 implore us to guard our hearts, watch what we say, watch where we look and not to stray off the path.  In our time - it is getting increasingly difficult to do all that. We are bombarded visually and auditorially with negative messages all the time. How do we escape that? Guarding hearts is a constant battle.