Daily Readings and Thought for March 26th. “THAT YOU MAY GAIN INSIGHT”
Solomon’s proverbs in today’s reading of chapter 4, reflect on how his father David had taught him. “When I was a son with my father … he taught me and said to me, Let your heart hold fast to my words; keep my commandments and live; get wisdom.” [v.3-5] As we started the chapter we noticed an interesting word, the word “insight” – “Hear, O son a father’s instructions and be attentive, that you may gain insight” [v.1]
Other modern versions render it as gaining “good sense” – looking “inside” a matter. How do you do that? How deeply do we think through the decisions we make, weighing up all the pros and cons? Where do we get our “scales” from so as to ‘weigh up’ the major decisions in our lives? Often they begin with small things! Do we consider God’s principles – or are we totally motivated by human desires?
“Hear my son,” Solomon continues, “and accept my words that the years of your life may be many” [v.10] He adds, “be attentive to my words …. Keep them within your heart … keep your heart with all diligence for from it flow the springs of life … ponder the path of your feet then all your ways will be sure” [v.20,21,23,26]
But the tragedy is that Solomon in his old age failed to complete the preparation of his son Rehoboam for the kingship, nor is there any indication that he had a godly wife who played her part in training the next generation. But remember this, in drawing lessons from the Bible we are instructed just as much by the failures, as by the successes. So many take hardly any notice of instructions of how to operate the machines they purchase and only look at them when they find they are not working properly, if at all. But that approach is fatal in human relations, when they break down they are often extremely difficult to repair.
Of course, the relationship that matters above all else is our relationship with God and with His Son, and that needs to be a relationship which grows and grows. Look at v.18, “But the path of the righteous is like the dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.” So “ponder the path of your feet then all your ways will be sure” [v.26] Reading the Bible every day is an essential part of walking that path.
