“선한 일을 위하여 지으심을 받은 자니”(엡 2:10)

Steps to Wisdom (7)

Keep My Commands

Proverbs 3:1-8

Ice Break:
What is the most frequent piece of advice or nagging your parents gave you? Or, what is the advice or nagging you often give to your children?

In today’s passage from Proverbs 3, we are reminded to obey God’s commands and are told of the blessings that follow. If we obey His commands, we will live long lives, enjoy grace and peace, and if we keep kindness and truth close to us, we will be favored by both God and people. While there are many things we can gain, we must first recognize the conditions that must be met. In short, the condition for a blessed life can be expressed in one word: obedience.

In Proverbs 19:16, it is also stated, “Whoever keeps the commandments will live.” This is not about reading, memorizing, or meditating on the commandments; it is about keeping them. Proverbs speaks about the blessings given to those who keep the commandments. In James 1:22, we are told that if we only hear the Word but do not act on it, we are deceiving ourselves, and only those who do the Word will experience its blessings.

Wisdom is not knowledge. If knowledge is knowing what the right choice is, then wisdom is the ability to put that knowledge into action. In other words, wisdom is the blessing that comes from obeying God’s Word with knowledge. Reading Proverbs will build knowledge, but this knowledge, while it may change our words, will not affect our lives unless we obey it. Without practicing the wisdom of Proverbs, it cannot become wisdom in our lives.

Only those who have practiced obeying God’s will in their lives—though it may be hard and challenging—can experience the blessing that follows. For example, in James 4:23, we are commanded above all else to guard our hearts. The question then arises, how can we protect our weak and often shaken hearts? For that, we turn to Proverbs 14:30, which says, “A peaceful heart is life to the body, but envy rots the bones.” When we reflect deeply, we realize that the roots of our unstable hearts are often found in low self-esteem, pride, or a spirit of comparison.

How, then, can we uproot these weeds? Proverbs 16:9 says, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” The reason our hearts become shaken is because we make plans with desires in our hearts, but when those plans don’t come to fruition, we are disappointed and frustrated. This verse reminds us that when we trust in the Lord and follow His guidance, He will establish our steps and protect our hearts. If we want to follow the Lord’s guidance, we must practice His Word and obey it, and in doing so, we will experience His guidance. Through practice, what we experience becomes a part of us.

God guides us through His Word, prayer, and the Holy Spirit. The guidance of the Holy Spirit is something we must each discover for ourselves, through trial and experience. It is only through experience that we learn, “The Holy Spirit usually guides me in this way!” For example, in the hymn “I Will Follow Jesus,” we sing, “The Lord will always be with those who trust and obey. The path of trust and obedience is the joyful and blessed path in Jesus.” Those who have obeyed know why obedience is joyful and realize that this path is not a path of hardship and suffering, but a path of blessing.

The process of God’s Word becoming our wisdom through the book of Proverbs is crucial. When His Word becomes our wisdom, we will experience incredible blessings. God did not give us the book of Proverbs to rebuke or condemn us, but to offer us heartfelt advice as a Father, hoping that we would obey these words and live blessed lives. When we begin to obey even the small things, we will see remarkable changes in our lives!

1.Obedience leads to wisdom.

Application Questions:

1. Have you recently faced a situation where your heart was shaken or you were struggling? If so, reflect on which root of trouble it may have come from—low self-esteem, comparison, pride, or unfulfilled plans, etc.
2. What are the specific steps of obedience that God is leading you to take right now? Let’s share them and write them down on our calendars, and aim to practice them this week. If it’s difficult to share, write it in your personal calendar.