“Trust in God with all thine heart; and be not exalted in thine own wisdom. 6. In all thy ways acquaint thyself with her, that she may rightly direct thy paths.”
Prov 3:5-6, Thursday in the First Week At Vespers, Proverbs Prov 3:1-18
Man's wisdom is nothing; it is foolishness before God. The fear of the lord is the beginning of wisdom, that is, of fulfilling the injunction: “In all thy ways acquaint thyself with (wisdom).”
The Lord Jesus Christ is here called “wisdom”, it is one of His many titles. This is why we are told: “In all thy ways acquaint thyself with her.” Wisdom is not an attribute, but a person; one becomes acquainted with a person.
It is not coincidental that we are told in one breath to “trust in God with all thine heart”, and then with the next, to “be not exalted in thine own wisdom”. Man's wisdom does not trust the Lord with all its heart, it is “wise in its own conceit”. To trust someone is not just intellectually believing they are reliable; it is also willful submission to the person as a reliable guide and a strong protector. The flesh wants to go its own way; the proverb calls this “being exalted in (its) own wisdom.”
The way of life is not only belief; it is the forcing of oneself to trust in God. The adversary of trust in God is ourselves. We lie to ourselves if we say we trust God while also trusting ourselves.
How are we to trust in the Lord? It is from His revelation to us. No wisdom can come from ourselves, but knowledge grows in us as we cultivate a relationship with wisdom. This is the only way. Trusting God takes effort and involves everything in our life! “In all thy ways acquaint thyself with her, that she may rightly direct thy paths. ”
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1Co 1:20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
1Co 1:25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
Psa 25:14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.
Pro 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Pro 18:11 The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.
Pro 26:5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
Pro 26:12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.
Pro 26:16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.
Pro 28:11 The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.
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