Meditationen am Gnadenstuhl: Thursday, July 7, 2022 - Proverbs 3:21-35

Thursday, July 7, 2022

Proverbs 3:21–35

[21] My son, do not lose sight of these—

keep sound wisdom and discretion,

[22] and they will be life for your soul

and adornment for your neck.

[23] Then you will walk on your way securely,

and your foot will not stumble.

[24] If you lie down, you will not be afraid;

when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

[25] Do not be afraid of sudden terror

or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes,

[26] for the Lord will be your confidence

and will keep your foot from being caught.

[27] Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,

when it is in your power to do it.

[28] Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,

tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.

[29] Do not plan evil against your neighbor,

who dwells trustingly beside you.

[30] Do not contend with a man for no reason,

when he has done you no harm.

[31] Do not envy a man of violence

and do not choose any of his ways,

[32] for the devious person is an abomination to the Lord,

but the upright are in his confidence.

[33] The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked,

but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous.

[34] Toward the scorners he is scornful,

but to the humble he gives favor.

[35] The wise will inherit honor,

but fools get disgrace. (ESV)

Wisdom Leads to a Proper Relationship With Your Neighbor

In this fourth address of a father to a son, we see the benefits of wisdom, five warnings, and then three proverbs contrasting the righteous and the evil.

Wisdom and discretion, if kept and nurtured, give life to the soul not only in this life but in the life of the world to come. They adorn one like fine jewelry. That is to say, they operate internally but are manifested outwardly. They keep one secure and steady as they walk the Way of Christ. This confidence is rooted in and originates in Christ, keeping his footing secure even though those around him stumble in the consequences of sin.

Verses 24-26 should be memorized the best that you can. Consider making it first person as a prayer to pray in times of distress. "When I lay down, I will not be afraid. Jesus, make my sleep be sweet. I will not be afraid of sudden terror or the ruin of the wicked when it comes, for Christ is my confidence and will keep my foot from being caught,” or, “Christ be my confidence and keep my foot from getting caught.” When are we most vulnerable to our own internal doubting voice and the assaults of the devil? At night. When you are alone. Driving in your car. Whenever we seek peace and quiet, the devil is there to say, "Well, this just won't do," and attempts to inject his deceptions into our innermost thoughts, trying to corrupt them. Wisdom and understanding discern this and keep us on the true path. When Christ is our light, He shines that light into the dark corners of our minds where the devil tries to hide and whisper, and our own sinful thoughts brew in secret.

What comes next sounds like law, and it is. What fulfills the law is love. God's love for us creates love for our neighbors. We have no hope of keeping the law as we should, where our salvation is concerned. But Christ's death and resurrection have freed us from the penalty of the law; therefore, we are free to love God and our neighbor as His law demands without fear of being numbered with the wicked on the last day. The daily cycle of death to sin and walking in newness of life began the day you were baptized and will continue until Christ's return. Until then, the law convicts us of our sin, shows us our need to repent, receive absolution, and then confidently love our neighbor as Christ has loved us and died for us.

Verses 33-35 contrast the evil and those accounted as righteous for the sake of Christ. The wise man is humble before the Lord, righteous, and upright. The wise man has been made so by God. They are humble, meaning they do not stand before God pointing to their own righteousness, but rather repent humbly of their sins and rely on the mercy and grace of God to provide forgiveness. This is the fear of the Lord. We do not earn glory from God on account of our humility, but rather in humility, we stand upon the righteousness and perfection of Christ, for only He fulfilled the law perfectly in perfect humility and obedience and then suffered the punishment for your sin in your place. Grace is grace because it is given freely as a gift, not as a reward that can be earned.