stephen R Harrison

My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart.  -Proverbs 3:1

It’s amazing how often we want to receive benefits without the hard work necessary to achieve them. When my family has traveled to a particular city for vacation, there is a shopping center we like to frequent. And by we, I mean my wife.  There are two stores, man stores I call them, I tend to visit. One is a hardware store, and the other is a health supplement store. Both contain items that can aid in building homes and healthier bodies. Both stores have excellent supplements and tools I enjoy looking at and even collecting. But nothing is built unless I work or work out using these items. 

While some of the items in these stores offer more efficient means to produce the results everybody wants in a home or health, you must do more than purchase them and expect them to perform magic. It would be foolish to get mad at the power tools you bought because they didn’t fly out of your toolbox and build the house. How insane would it be to purchase workout equipment and dietary supplements, not use them, and then call up the store manager and complain about how bogus their stuff was? Don’t skip leg (or any other workout) day! Don’t just display the tools neatly on your workbench! These items must be accompanied by doing and working, not just purchasing and collecting. 

Proverbs 3 reminds us of this very thing concerning our growth in the Lord. There is great blessing and reward to be found from God, but not apart from obeying and practicing His truth. Proverbs 3:1-12 reminds us to obey God’s word and do His will. It is only in doing Proverbs 3:1-12 that we can see the blessings Proverbs 3:13-35 describe. We cannot expect the blessings of God if we are not willing to obey and apply the Word of God! God cannot bless sin, disobedience, rebellion, or anything else contrary to His word, will, and way. There are no shortcuts! Interestingly, the rewards and blessings one finds are the growth and sanctification in the Lord that comes along the way. It is in the obeying and doing of God’s word, will, and way that we find blessing! Being transformed daily to be more holy is the ultimate reward! 

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” In submitting all our ways to Him, the path of blessing is finally found. The path of a changed life in Christ is the blessing! Guys, don’t skip spiritual leg day! You can’t be a man of God without spending time with God. You can’t know His will without opening and reading His word. You’ll find the blessings of the Lord are the results of obeying His word and will. 

Questions to Ponder

What relationship does obedience have with blessing?

Where do you need to obey God’s Word more?

What verse stands out the most to you?

What other questions came to mind?

Actions to Take

Write out Scriptures from Proverbs 3 that will help you obey the Lord in certain areas of life.

What blessings are present in your life because you obeyed the Lord and His Word?

Scriptures to Read

Proverbs 1:8-9, 13:13, 16:20, 19:16, 22:4

Prayers to Pray

God, I want to be a man that obeys your Word. Help me see the importance of your instruction, trust your commands, and heed your warnings. Keep me from disobedience and rebellion. May I cherish, run to, and live by your Word daily.