He Will Make Your Paths Straight
Two Reasons to Trust the Lord
Aaron Lee | January 28, 2024 | FCBCW Children’s Worship | Proverbs 3:1-26
Introduction
Proverbs 3:5-6 is one of my favorite songs to sing in children’s worship. The words are right out of the Bible:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
If we trust in God then he will make our paths straight. If you remember what Auntie Robin talked about last week, we see that this is one of those if/then statements. It serves as a general promise from God’s word. Making our paths straight means that you will live morally and rightly. When you and I don’t live morally and rightly - the Bible calls us sheep who have gone astray. Sheep don’t really know where to go. They wander. They get lost. Instead, we need to trust God to make our paths straight.
But how do we know that this is true? Is there any weight behind these words? Is the Bible telling us to just trust God blindly? Or are there reasons why we should trust him? When we look at more verses in Proverbs 3, we’ll see two reasons why we can and should trust the Lord. Of course, there are more than just two reasons on why we can and should trust in God, but we’ll just look at two from our passage today.
1. Trust the Lord because he loves you
Do not despise the Lord’s instruction, my son, and do not loathe his discipline; for the Lord disciplines the one he loves, just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights. (Proverbs 3:11-12)
God is said to discipline those whom he loves. When the Bible talks about God’s discipline, it means the way that God brings things into our lives to help us grow. In this context, discipline can be said to be difficulties or hardships. Sometimes they are because of sin. Or they are because God is showing us something. Or it may just be a way that God is causing us to grow. We don’t always know the reasons why God brings hardships to our lives, but we can know that God still loves us throughout it all. Don’t forget that God wants to have a relationship with you.
This proverb actually gives us a very clear illustration. God disciplines his children like a father disciplines his sons. My children might think that I make life hard for them. I don’t always do what they want. I remember one time when I was trying to teach them to put on their socks and shoes. They wanted me to do it for them. But I said no, and I said we’re going to sit here and practice. They thought I was making life hard for them. Those of you who are older, you know I was just trying to teach them so they could grow up to be like you and put on their own socks and shoes. I did it because I love them, and this is like God’s discipline. God wants us to grow.
Application: Be Happy and Holy
So, will you trust God’s love in the way he disciplines you in your life? Trusting God’s love in your life means being happy and holy. It means being happy because you know God loves you, but also being holy in the way you respond to God’s discipline. You won’t get angry or upset at him, but you’ll seek to grow and learn to be more like Jesus. People will say that if your life is hard, God does not love you. That’s not true. The Bible says that God disciplines us because he loves us. Let’s pretend that you get sick or hurt. You can show your trust in God by praying to him, continuing to worship him, and telling others that God is still good no matter what happens. If God is disciplining you because of your sin, you can learn to say sorry to God and to others if you were in the wrong.
2. Trust the Lord because he is wise
The Lord founded the earth by wisdom and established the heavens by understanding. By his knowledge the watery depths broke open, and the clouds dripped with dew. (Proverbs 3:19-20)
The second reason to trust the Lord is because he is wise. While knowledge is knowing facts, wisdom is knowing how to apply that knowledge in a way that pleases and praises God. In our passage, we see God’s wisdom as he creates and sustains the earth. We also see that God established the heavens by understanding. In our technological age, we think that we are so smart. But the Bible reminds us that even something basic like the earth and the weather are things that only God is wise enough to truly understand. Don’t forget that God is your maker.
This proverb gives us a very interesting example of wisdom. When we think of wise people, we might picture an old man sitting on a chair and just saying smart things. That’s not the picture that the Bible paints for us. The Bible gives us a picture of God taking action. Look at all the verbs in this verse: founded, established, breaking open, dripping with dew. As God works and takes action in your life, you can believe that God is orchestrating everything in his wisdom. He is the active agent in your life. He is participating in the plan he has for you. Our God is not a dead, lifeless idol - our God takes action.
Application: Be Happy and Humble
So, will you trust God’s wisdom in the way he takes action in your life? Trusting God’s wisdom in your life means being happy and humble. It means being happy because you know God is doing what’s best for you, while also being open to what God will show you, where he will have you go, and even what you grow up to be or do. Sometimes our life does not go the way we plan or want. You might think you know what is best for yourself. I’m going to tell you something very gently, yet firm: you do not know it all. You might say of course, but sometimes your actions say otherwise. It comes out in the way that you talk to your parents and teachers, when you are unkind or give attitude. It comes out in the way that you behave - when you think that you know better and therefore don’t follow the rules and disobey. This is called pride - and the Bible says that God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble. Have a humble confidence that trusts God’s wisdom in your life.
Gospel
I want to point out that our verse says to trust in the Lord with all of your heart. This means to trust in God 100%, with everything you have, with your entire being. If we’re being honest, we don’t do this all the time. We trust in other things. Some of us trust in ourselves. Some of us get distracted from trusting God 100%, and we care more about money, or school, or toys, or clothes, or other things in the world. When we don’t trust in God, or when we get distracted and forget about him, this is our sin. The Bible says that we deserve to be punished because of our sin. Admit you are a sinner, believe that Jesus is the son of God who died on the cross for your sins, and confess him as the resurrected king over your life. You will be adopted into God’s family. Follow him on earth and follow him into heaven.
Big Idea
I gave you two reasons to trust the Lord. Here is our big idea for today: Trust the Lord because he loves you and because he is wise.
Conclusion
God’s love and wisdom was best displayed in Jesus. We have his example as the perfect person who showed God’s love and wisdom best. It’s interesting that Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd. In his wisdom and love, Jesus our Good Shepherd takes care of his sheep and makes sure not one of them is lost. He goes back and gets those who have wandered off. His sheep hear his voice, and they know him. I pray that you will trust in the Good Shepherd to make your paths straight.