Don't Get Lost - Proverbs 3:1-12

Introduction

Several months ago I had a unicorn of a day — no kids, no seminary work, no pressing ministry needs, even my precious wife was at work. It was just a day to myself. Now, I’m an introvert so basically for me it was like a quick glance of what life will feel like in the new heavens and the new earth. And, I was enjoying my alone time so much that I decided it was a great opportunity to get as far away from civilization as I could. I just wanted some peace and quiet, you know? I did a hike that I’ve done more times than I can count over the years, but it had been a few years since I had done it. So, I started hiking, and I walked 3 miles or so to this big overlook, and I ate lunch and just laid on a rock and stared out over the mountains without anybody needing a drink or spilling their Spaghetti-O’s. It was awesome. I was having such a good, quiet day that I decided that I would take the long way home. Now, on the long way home, the trail gets a bit tricky — which I knew — because there’s an unmarked section where you have to choose your turn carefully. I had done it before and really wasn’t very worried about it — until the trail got narrower and narrower and longer and longer. And, when I pulled out Google Maps to try to get some bearing on where I was, I realized that I had hiked miles off course, and I had miles and miles if I was going to make back to my truck. What was supposed to be a 6 or 7 mile hike turning into about an 18 mile hike.

Here’s the irony of it: In the pursuit of peace and rest, I got lost, and because I got lost, I became more worried and exhausted rather than more at peace and rested. For a little while, it felt like I was on the right path, but, eventually, I realized that I had made a wrong turn. I wonder if any of you can relate to that. Every human being on earth is looking for the same basic thing: Provision, peace, and purpose. We all set out to live so that we can be at peace with who we are, where we are, and what might come. And, though we’re all looking for the same basic things, we come to these intersections in life where the trail doesn’t seem clearly marked, and we make the decision that seems most likely to lead us where we want to go. And, for a little while, it seems right and feels fun, but eventually you look up and realize, “I’m lost.”

God’s Word

We’re in a series called “The Big Story” where we’ve been learning that Jesus is the main character of all of Scripture, and the gospel is the message of every book — even those in the OT. We’re in Proverbs right now where we’re learning the essence of wisdom and much of the book is a father (Solomon) talking to his younger son. And, it’s this issue that he addresses with his son in Proverbs 3 — How to Find Peace without Getting Lost (Headline):

Remember your “map.”

Proverbs 3:1-4 “My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.”

Where You’re Headed and How to Get there

Proverbs 3:2 “for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.”

You know, if I would’ve had a map it would have saved me a lot of trouble, worry, and embarrassment when I had to call Andrew to see if he’d come pick me up. I would’ve known which trail to take to get me back to my truck. Notice something interesting about Proverbs 3. Every other line is a reminder of the destination that his son wants to reach — that all of us want to attain. And, he’s presenting what he’s saying here as if to say — follow my instructions, follow this map that I’m giving you, and you’ll end up where you want to be. It would be good for us to understand that all of the destinations mentioned are really just an elaboration and expansion of the first — “peace” or “shalom”. “Shalom” is more than just a feeling of rest; it’s wholeness. It’s well-being. It’s being right with God, within yourself, and in your relationships. It’s living with the right priorities so that you can have the right kind of contentment and the right kind of satisfaction. It’s what Jesus refers to as an abundant life.

Remember the Way

Proverbs 3:1 “My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments”

So, the father is here asking: “Do you want “shalom”? Do you want peace? Then, remember the way that I showed you because it’s the only way. Hold on to your map, and look at it often because there’s a lot of confusing paths that will tempt you off course.” You can see this in verse 1. He says the same thing in two different ways. “Do not forget my teaching” and “let your heart keep (or guard) my commandments.” He’s calling his son to vigilance and concentration. He doesn’t want him to end up off course. He must focus himself to remember to look at his map.

There are two ways that we forget. There’s passive forgetfulness, and there’s willful forgetfulness. Passive forgetfulness is when I put the bread in the oven, get distracted by other things, and the bread burns. It’s not intentional; it’s just a lack of focus and concentration. Willful forgetfulness is when I know I should report all of my income on my taxes, but I put it out of my mind so that I can keep a little extra. It’s purposefully putting it out of your mind what you know you ought to do so that you can do something else that you want to do. Both of these are being addressed here. He doesn’t want his son to become so wrapped up with living and working and doing that he forgets to make sure he’s still on his course, and he wants his son to “let (his) heart (guard)” the path, that is, he wants to warn his son to check to be sure that his heart isn’t steering him off course with corrupt thoughts, desires, and actions.

Have you forgotten the map? Have you allowed all of the concerns and craziness of life to lead you off the path? Not intentionally, but a slow drift. Or, have you willfully been putting out of your mind the way that you know is right because you wanted to go your own way? Don’t forget your map!

Follow the Trail

Proverbs 3:3-4 “Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.”

The father here is wanting his son to follow his trail. That’s the thing about trails, isn’t it? They show where others have walked. In fact, this trail didn’t begin with Solomon; it began with the Lord himself. Solomon personifies “steadfast love and faithfulness”, and he says that you can’t let them leave. You have to chain them to yourself. They have to become a part of you. This phrase comes up often in Scripture, but typically it’s referring to God, not us. “Hesed” is God’s covenant love. It’s his loyalty and devotion to his people. It’s his practical, real world provision and protection of him. “Faithfulness” refers to God as being true to his people, upholding all of the promises that he’s made. So, this is a trail that was blazed by the Lord far before Solomon had walked down it, and, now, Solomon calling his son to follow suit. That is, the “steadfast love and faithfulness” of God had come to him, and now they must become a part of him — so that he demonstrates and reflects those very same realities in his life. This is what his “teaching” has been.

What trail should we be on if we want God promises? The trail that was established by Christ. Jesus said more than any other phrase in the gospels, “Follow me.” We try to attain all that God promises by all the ways that we invent, and where does it leave us? Lost! Do you want the peace, contentment, and joy that Jesus promises? Are you walking in Jesus’ ways? Are you following the trail? Are you remaining steadfast and loyal to Jesus, or are you living for yourself? Are you remaining faithful in your devotion to him, or are you caught up by all of the alternative routes you see? You will not experience what Jesus promises apart from the way Jesus established.

Watch your “step.”

Proverbs 3:5-10 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.”

You’ll notice that as we move into the main body of what he’s saying that Solomon keeps the every other verse pattern. He’s always talking about the destination as he instructs him on the path. We have to help our kids do that, don’t we? Often, they don’t see the connectedness of the big picture. In verse 8, you can see even clearer what this concept of “shalom” is. He says that the aim here is to experience “healing in your flesh” and “refreshment in your bones.” That is, the aim is to be healthy in both the outer man and the inward man. Many of you may be aiming at one or the other, but both are required for a healthy person. That’s God’s design for you. To recognize that you’re an integrated person: inward heart and physical body, and you need peace in both. There are some questions we can see in these next few verses that help us know we’re headed in the right direction:

Are you stepping on solid ground?

Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

Proverbs 3:7 “Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.”

You know, the reason that I didn’t have a map, the reason that I ended up getting lost is that overestimated myself. I thought I knew what I didn’t know. How many of us have the scars to prove that we often overestimate ourselves? That’s what he’s getting at in verses 5 and 7. We have to choose between two alternatives: will we trust the Lord or ourselves? Will we put our wellbeing in the hands of God, or will we attempt to seize control ourselves? I want you to think about what this implies. If trusting God is the antithesis of trusting your own understanding, then that means that trusting God will often contradict what you understand. That’s what our generation doesn’t get and can’t get behind — that God might possibly know better than us. We trust our opinions, our feelings, our beliefs (remember all of these are involved in “all your HEART”), more than we trust what God has said. And, Solomon says that it’s like “leaning” up against a rotten post or sitting in a rotten chair; it can’t possibly hold up our weight. When we were building our house, Megan was nine months pregnant. We were building this porch that was 15 feet above the basement. She went to step out of the door before the porch was built, and I thought I’d lost her and Sara. Why? It was second nature. It was natural. It’s what she instinctively did. That’s what it’s like leaning upon our own understanding. It’s stepping onto ground that will give beneath you. You think there’s a porch there, but it leads to a crash. Who do you trust more — your opinions or God’s word? If your god has never disagreed with you or changed your opinions, he’s a homemade puppet, not a resurrected Lord. Are you stepping on solid ground?

Is your compass true?

Proverbs 3:6 “In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

In verse 6, Solomon says to “acknowledge him” in all your ways. Acknowledge doesn’t just mean lip service or a head nod though. It literally means “in all your ways know him.” That is, live like you have the knowledge of God in every relationship and responsibility and decision in your life. Live like He’s there, and that you’re answerable to him. You know, there are times when the maps get confusing. You may even be thinking of how nice it would be if God just gave you a clear map that gave a well-marked trail to an abundant life. But, life is messy, and we spend a lot of time trying to figure if we’ve got the map upside down. What you need when the map seems unclear or confusing is a compass that’s always pointing north. You need a compass that let’s you know if you’re headed in the right direction. This is what it means to know God in all your ways. "Acknowledging him” is not just having God as one priority among many; it’s living with him as the foundational priority the sets every other priority.

Why are so many people — even those who proclaim Christ — ending up lost and unraveling in this world? Their compass is broken. Even if we list God first, we honor him last. If the homework is done and the dishes are washed and the practices are finished and there’s no games to attend and our favorite show isn’t on, we “acknowledge him.” But, the truth about the resurrection is that if you believe that Jesus was really raised from the dead then his new life completely reshapes all of yours. Where does your compass point? That is, what’s most important in your life — who/what is your actual god?

Are you walking or wandering?

Proverbs 3:9-10 “Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.”

It’s interesting that he brings money into this, isn’t it? Why would he talk about wealth when he’s talking about trusting the Lord and acknowledging him? It’s because your faith and knowledge of God must impact how you actually live, and nothing reveals how you actually live like your money does. How you steward your money reveals where you think peace and contentment and joy comes from. Actually, when you think about it, all of the gifts that Solomon promises are the very things we are convinced more money could resolve. Peace/length of life/quality of life/provision/refreshment and healing. We think with enough money we can have good enough house and enough organic food and enough botox and enough savings so that we can finally just rest. So, he instructs his son to not just give God his leftovers. This isn’t digging some change out of the couch cushions. He says to give God what’s first and best. Why? Because it’s an act of worship that declares where we actually believe peace, provision, and life come from. They don’t come from what we make; they come the God whom we know! It’s the difference between walking and wandering. When I’m walking, I know exactly where I’m headed and how to get there. When I’m wandering, I’m leaving my options open in case a better path comes along. Are you walking or wandering in your life? That is, are you walking deliberately and intentionally as someone who believes that God is the source of everything good, or are you keeping your options open so that you can try every new path that comes along? What would your checking account say about who you most trust and most love? What would it say about where you’re seeking peace?

Appreciate course “correction.”

Proverbs 3:11-12 “My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.”

You know, when I think about the hike that I went on, the part that makes me feel the dumbest is how happy I was on my way to getting lost. I was having the time of my life before I realized that I was a long way from getting home and wasn’t exactly sure how to get there. And, that’s the case for many of us as we wander through this life. We have fun in high school and college. We get a career started and buy a house. We married and have kids. And, it all seems on schedule and feels like it’s what we’re supposed to do, and then one day, we look up, and we realize that we’ve gotten lost along the way. And, very often, it’s because we’ve ignored all of the counsel people have said and the sermons that we’ve heard and the warning flags that we saw. We were having fun and doing what made sense to us. That is, we’ve resisted anyone who would bring correction to our course and resented the advice when it’s come.

Solomon says to his young son, and to us, that this isn’t the path of the wise man. This is the path of the man who is wise in his own eyes and heading for painful crash. Instead, we should seek the correction of God, and we should receive it when it comes. We should allow the Bible to overrule our opinions. We must allow sermons to change our steps. We must heed the wise advice of trusted friends. And, we must receive God’s painful discipline because it leads to greater joy.

It’s interesting that this admonition starts with “My son” and ends with “my son.” This isn’t just about who God is; this is about who you are. If you have staked your life on God’s Son and his resurrection, then you’re his son, too. And, he disciplines his son because God wants your greatest good, not a cheap knockoff. That is, our Father sends his Spirit to us so that He can lead us back home. We may be lost, but He will not lose us. And, I wonder if that’s why some of you are here this morning. Maybe it’s been a long time since you’ve been in church or concerned yourself with the things of God. Maybe you’ve gotten lost, and this morning, the Spirit is leading you home. Will you listen? Will you change your course?