Proverbs 3:3,4

Love and trust should always be with us. As Solomon writes this, he is thinking about Deuteronomy 6:7-9. ‘Teach God’s law to your children. Talk about God’s law at home! Talk about it, when you travel! Talk about it, when you lie down! Talk about it, when you wake! Tie the words of God’s law on your hands! Tie the words about your head! Write God’s law at the side of your doors and gates!’

‘Wear them about your neck.’ You cannot really wear love and trust. But you can show your love and trust to other people. Everybody will know your attitudes when they see your behaviour.

‘Write them on your heart.’ You cannot really write ‘love and trust’ on your heart. But love and trust should direct your whole life, even in private. Love and trust should direct your thoughts, plans and attitudes. Love and trust should always be in your heart and mind.

Love and trust should not be just ideas. We must not remember them today, and then forget them tomorrow. They must be part of our lives. They should guide every decision.

v5 Trust in God with your whole heart.

Do not depend on your own intelligence!

v6 Wherever you go, think about God.

He will clear the path for you to follow.

Verses 5

Verses 5 and 6 are very important. It is a good idea to learn them. They will help us if we worry about the future.

‘Trust in God.’ People trust many things. Some trust money. Some trust governments. Other people trust luck or fate. You might trust your family or your church. Sometimes all these things will fail. But God never fails. ‘God is like a castle. We are safe with him, because he is strong. He is always with us. He protects us whenever there are troubles.’ (Psalms 46:1)

‘Your whole heart.’ Perhaps you trust God sometimes, but not at other times. Some people become Christians, but do not trust God with their whole hearts. God is part of their lives, but only part. Maybe they want God at home, but not at work.

God wants our whole hearts. We should always desire his wisdom. He wants us to live as Christians at work and at home. We must trust God, even when our lives are difficult.

God encourages us to trust him in everything.

‘Do not depend on your own intelligence!’ God is wiser than we are. We may know many things, but God knows everything. We must not be proud. We must not imagine that we are wiser than God.