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. Proverbs 3:5-6.
Trust-Place your full faith in God. Put yourself under His care.
In the LORD- Yahweh God. The great “I Am.” The transcendent yet imminent God.
Jesus is the LORD!
With all your heart- Your very being. The intellect, emotion, and will. The seat of all desire. All beliefs and decisions are submitted to God.
And do not lean- do not support yourself.
On your own understanding- Your own knowledge, insights, intellect, or habits. Choosing the Tree of Knowledge over the Tree of Life. Reject the fantasy of self- determination and pride.
In all your ways acknowledge him- Or “through all your ways know him.”
All your ways- Parallels “all your heart” in verse 5. This includes everything you do.
Acknowledge him- know him. Be aware of him. Have an intimate relationship with him.
And he will make straight your paths- This is not about particular choices, but about a lifestyle of trust and ethical behavior/character.
Paths straight- Your way will be level and clear- like a road being cleared of obstacles. Trust causes you to gain perspective.
Jesus is the fulfillment of Proverbs 3:5-6. He is the LORD that is to be trusted. But he is also the LORD’s plan that allows us to trust God. In what way? Because Jesus isn’t just the LORD who is making your path straight, he IS the straight path. Jesus said “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through me.” This claim is the fulfillment of Proverbs 3:5-6. Jesus is the cleared path. The obstacle remover. He has removed your sin and guilt and cleared the way to God.
What if the Disciples in Mark 8:1-21 could have seen Jesus as the fulfillment of Proverbs 3:5-6 and learned to trust him for their bread? What if we too could learn to rely on Christ’s life and love rather than our own understanding?
