The Ways of God

Proverbs 16-17

            The first section of Proverbs 16 reminds me of a modern proverb: “Man proposes; the Lord disposes.” That is to say, there is a limitation to human plans. We can be careful, cover all our bases, think through contingencies, wrap the thing in prayer, but ultimately our success rises or falls on the will of the Lord. This calls for humility, a key aspect of wisdom. We can’t think of everything and we certainly can’t control all factors. Proverbs 16:18 suggests the consequences of abandoning that humility. “Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.” So, we work and plan and pray, and cast it on the Lord.

            A few others that stood out for me today:

            Proverbs 16:31: there was a time I fretted about my gray hairs. Anymore I see them as well-earned. It would be well if we didn’t try to feverishly to hold aging off. It would be well for our society if we weren’t so youth-obsessed. It would be well for us if we could regain a sense of honoring our elders.

            Proverbs 17:3: here’s one I don’t much like, but it’s still worth pondering. It is only by testing that we discover our mettle. People often (mis)quote 1 Corinthians 10:13, “God won’t let you be tested beyond what you can bear.” Here’s a think I note: only God really knows what our limits are; we only discover it in the fiery test. Consider Job, whose suffering was as much for his benefit as for anything, so that he could have his doubts burned off and be left with his absolute dependence on his God.