Proverbs 2

Introduction

Planning is central to our culture. We have a saying: “People don’t plan to fail; they fail to plan.” While we acknowledge the importance of planning, our plans do not always work out. Sometimes our best planning falls short. Great plans fail because others do not see their validity or because they are not well thought out.

In Proverbs, there is much about planning, but the wise person plans with God in mind. The wise person understands that God must not be left out of the picture. Today we are going to look at what Proverbs has to say about planning. As we begin this morning, we celebrate this communion meal together. We share this meal because God is the great planner. God planned for Jesus to be our Savior, and through that great plan we are able to be in his family. Let us celebrate God’s great planning.

Trust

In our text, the wise father instructs his son who is beginning the path of wisdom. In Proverbs 1:7, the father tells the son that real wisdom is found in the affectionate reverence of God. Recognizing that God is far greater than anyone or anything else while at the same time recognizing that God wants his creation to be close to him is what the father means by “fear of the Lord.” This affectionate reverence is the beginning of wisdom. Wisdom is to be pursued, for it is paramount to living life well and pleasing to God. Proverbs helps us understand how we get this wisdom. Getting this wisdom comes from listening to those who are older and have spent time attaining wisdom. Wisdom is passed down from generation to generation. The father reminds his son that wisdom begins with God.

In verses 1–4 of our text, the father adds to the son’s wisdom by presenting the promise of wisdom’s reward in a number of ways: longer life, success, and good reputation. But the focus is on the often-used text found in verses 5–7. Trust in the Lord with all your heart is a tall order. Trust is paralleled in the text with the word “rely,” and that is the intent. To trust something means one relies on that thing. The father tells his son that God is the one upon whom he is able to rely. This reliance is contrasted with one’s own understanding. In other words, we can trust in God or we can trust in ourselves. The word “rely” suggests leaning against something for support. To do this means you are confident that the thing you lean against will support you. Our confidence can be in God or our confidence can be in our abilities.

Even in our best moments, our understanding and knowledge is limited. This is the father’s point. God is the one who has all insight and knowledge. So much is God to be trusted that the father continues in verse 6, expressing the depth of wanting to know God. The father is expressing the importance of knowing God. Some translations read “acknowledge,” which is too weak; “submit” adds an element. The intent is captured well in the Easy to Read Version: “With every step you take, think about what he wants, and he will help you go the right way.”

To know someone means you can understand how that person thinks and feels. You may not be one hundred percent accurate, but to know a person is to know deeply. This is what the father says is true about God. We are to know him. In everything we do, we are to think about what he thinks, see as he sees, and feel as he feels. Such depth of knowledge will result in straight paths. We will not meander through life but will remain focused on what God wants.

The father summarizes with this command: do not be a know-it-all. Do not think or act like you know more than God. Do not allow your perspective to take the place of your trusting God. The father returns to where he began in Proverbs 1:7: “fear the Lord” and shun evil. Have this affectionate reverence for God and turn away from evil. Push evil away even as you are drawing near to God. The father is clear about what makes this life far better and one’s plans successful: lean on God and God’s perspective. Come to know God so deeply that you see things from his perspective rather than trusting your own insight.

How?

These are great words, but how do we make that happen? Assuming you want to follow God and his ways rather than your own, and assuming you want God’s perspective rather than your own, how does one go about gaining the wisdom of God’s perspective? This is a good question. Proverbs speaks of planning and how important it is to carefully plan for life.

Proverbs 21:5 states: “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” Hastily made plans generally fail. When it comes to planning, we must think through the possible consequences before we act. The wise person plans, thinks of possible situations and circumstances which may arise, and considers how to deal with the unexpected. Once the plan is put into action, the wise person stays with the plan with dogged determination because the wise person has carefully planned.

Proverbs 15:22 says: “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” Plans made without the consultation of others also leads to failure. Two heads are better than one. But we seek advice from those who have wisdom. To seek wisdom from one who is lacking in wisdom results in poor planning.

Proverbs 24:27 instructs: “Put your outdoor work in order and get your fields ready; after that, build your house.” The wise person counts the cost of a project before beginning. Jesus said the same thing in Luke 14 when he was encouraging those who wanted to follow him. He likened their discipleship to the king who counts the cost of battle before going to war and the builder who counts the cost of construction before the project begins. All the planning is in vain if we do not plan carefully, seek the advice of others, and count the cost.

Seeking God is wise, but it is not easy. The father in Proverbs reminds us that trusting God is a choice, but he also reminds us that choosing to rely on ourselves is also possible.

Proverbs 21:31 tells us: “The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord.” We make the horse ready for the day of battle, but it is foolish to rely on the horse for victory, for it is God alone who can provide victory. God will bring to an end those plans which do not acknowledge him and which do not serve his purpose.

Proverbs 16:3 affirms: “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” If our plans are to be successful, then they must be brought closer to God’s plans.

Proverbs 16:9 teaches: “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” Man plans, but the wise man understands that even careful planning without God is foolish.

This affects two areas of life. First, knowing that God’s will is going to be done should affect our prayer life. Prayer is an expression of our willingness to allow our plans to be shaped by the will of God. We pray “not our will but yours” because we want God’s will to be done and we want our will to be in submission to his. Because God’s will is going to be done, the wise person brings his will into conformity with God’s.

Second, knowing that God’s will is going to be done, we place our trust and faith in him. Proverbs 27:1 says: “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.” God is faithful even when we are not. God has a plan even when we do not. God knows what is going to happen even when we are not certain. We plan, but it is God who makes things happen. He alone is worthy of your trust, confidence, and faith.

The story of scripture is that of God working out his purposes as he brings about his will to accomplish salvation. Peter expresses the intent and purpose of God in Acts 2:23 when he writes: “This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge, and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.”

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