July 12, 2025 | Proverbs 3:1-6

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DAILY READING

Proverbs 3:1-6

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REFLECTION

How to Be a Decent Human

By Carmel Elmer

I love Proverbs!  This beautiful collection of 31 chapters provides such simple, basic advice on how to be a decent human.  Words like righteousness, integrity, faithfulness, wisdom, prosperity, understanding, and love jump out of every verse and provide the words of wisdom for living well, spoken by a father to his son, according to Solomon.  Today’s short passage is packed with advice that provides important insight on how to live life well.  It seems to me the overriding theme of the entire book of Proverbs can be summed up in these words which are probably some of the most memorized verses in the bible:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight”

It’s the next line in the text that really convicts me:

“Do not be wise in your own eyes”

Ouch!  Personally, sometimes I find it so difficult to discern the line between what I think is best and what God knows is in my best interest, and as often as I repeat the words, “I trust You” I find myself asking for forgiveness for a choice that in hindsight, was clearly my own take on wise.  It’s no wonder this can be such a challenge when phrases like ‘trust your gut’, 'follow your heart' and 'look out for #1' are said to be the keys to getting ahead in life.  There are so many self help books out there that place the burden of success and happiness squarely on our own shoulders.

But Solomon tells us otherwise.  As I read this passage the words love, faithfulness, and trust stand out.

·       Love for others, not self.  There are so many different definitions for love according to Webster, but my favorite is “willing the good of another”.  Bind this around your neck and write it on the tablet of your heart.  This is how you win the favor of God and others.

·       Faithfulness to God.  It’s so easy to place your faith in the wrong things especially with the constant flow of information that we have at our fingertips every minute of every day.  Google may be able to help you plan your vacation but I’m not sure it provides the best road map for how to live a good life.  I need a daily discipline of reading God’s word, meditating on it, and asking him to help me live it out.  I still place my faith in the wrong things sometimes, but God’s not done with me yet and I’m grateful for that!

·       Trust in the Lord and not on your own understanding.  Ask to see everything through God’s eyes.  Ask for the wisdom of The Holy Spirit in every decision big or small and He will make your paths straight. 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight”. Can you imagine what a difference it would make in the world if we all could follow this roadmap for being a decent human and living well?

PRAYER

Father, I know I don’t always follow through on my desire to trust you in everything that life throws at me.  Sometimes it’s hard to see things from your perspective when what’s in front of me looks so different.  Please continue to speak to my heart and draw my attention away from what I see with my eyes and back to your perfect will for my life.  You know the path of living well and that straight path is the one I want to walk today and every day.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CARMEL ELMER

I have attended UALC for nearly 25 years, but faith has always been at the center of my life. My mom was an incredible role model, demonstrating a trust in God that surpassed any circumstance. I will always be grateful for her incredible example of faith, and I pray that one day, my children will say the same about me.