Making Wise Decisions
I want to begin this morning by asking you to just shout out the most popular passages from the Bible. What verses do you hear quoted all the time? What’s your favorite Scripture? Here are some that come to mind:
John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son…”
Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want…”
Romans 12:1: “…present your bodies as living sacrifices…”
Philippians 1:6: “…He who began a good work in you will complete it…”
Romans 8:28: “…in all things God works for the good…”
Proverbs 3:5-6: “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.”
Let’s admit something right at the beginning. When some of us hear these verses, we simply check out. We’ve heard them so many times before that they’ve lost their impact. As soon as someone gives the reference or the first phrase, many of us say something like this in our minds: “Oh yeah, I know all about that verse.” We then disengage and shut down. God’s truths are terrific, but over time, if we don’t keep our hearts tender, they can denigrate into little more than trite sayings.
Familiarity can breed contempt, or at least boredom. Recognizing the risk involved in preaching through a popular proverb, I urge you to sit forward, engage your mind, and prepare your heart for what God wants to say through His Word to you today. As we conclude our series called, “Wise Words To Live By” from the Old Testament Book of Proverbs, I want to camp in Proverbs 3:5-6 so that we can learn how to make wise decisions: “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.”
In a nationwide poll of 5,000 churchgoers, people were asked the following question: “What topic would you most like to hear your pastor preach on?” The number one subject matter was Bible prophecy (I’ll let Pastor Jeff handle that one). The second most asked about topic was how to understand God’s will for life (as quoted by Megginson, “The Promise of Guidance” on SermonCentral.com).
I love the story of the woman driving through the mountains west of Denver when she ran into a snowstorm. She was completely lost and then peered ahead and saw a snowplow. She decided to follow it and kept as close to the machine as she could while it removed snow from the road. At times the blowing snow almost cut off her view, but her faithful guide kept on leading the way. After some time, the plow stopped, and its driver got out and walked over to her car. “Lady, where are you going?” he asked. “I’m on my way to Denver,” she replied. “Well, you’ll never get there following me! I’m plowing a parking lot!”
In order to get to our destinations, we must make sure we’re on the right road. And, we need to follow the One who longs to give direction to our life.
I’d like to recommend a fantastic book by Ray Pritchard called, “The Road Best Traveled.” Some of what I’m going to say this morning is gleaned from his treatment of the topic. One of the things that Ray argues is this: “God wants you to know His will more than you want to know it and He takes personal responsibility to see that you discover it” (Page 18). God is not playing a cosmic game of hide and seek with us. He delights in revealing His purpose and plans if we’re serious about finding His will for our life.
Myths About Guidance
Let me list some common myths that we need to identify and dispel before we go much further.
Myth #1: God’s will is hard to find. While many of us struggle with trying to discern what God wants us to do in specific situations, much of what He desires is already revealed in the Bible. Referring to God’s words of wisdom, Proverbs 6:22 puts it this way, “When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.” The Word of Guide guides us, protects us, and speaks to us. In other words, the Bible has already revealed God’s will in most of the situations in life.
For instance, just from what we’ve learned in Proverbs this past month, God’s will is for us to revere Him and seek after wisdom. It’s also God’s will that we monitor our mouths so that we speak words of life instead of sentences of death to people. God has also given guidance for our family relationships and has personalized it for husbands, wives, grandparents, parents, and children. Last week we discovered that God’s will is for us to avoid fatal friends, to cultivate some faithful friendships, and to put our faith in our forever friend. Some of us are searching hard for guidance when we forget that God has already revealed Himself in the pages of the Word of God.
Myth #2: God wants us to know the future. God does not reveal what’s coming next week or next month or next year, but instead urges us to take the next step. Proverbs 6:23: “For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light…” The picture here is not of a spotlight that fills the entire room but of a man who is out in the dark, walking along a dangerous trail. The only light he has is an old oil lamp that glows just enough to reveal the terrain right in front of him. When he takes a step, then the light provides guidance for the next step. One reason that God doesn’t reveal our entire future is because He wants us to trust Him moment by moment as we take one step at a time.
Myth #3: We need to be 100% sure before we make a decision. In our search for certainty about God’s will, we can end up being paralyzed by reservations and uncertainty. Trusting God means that we put our faith in Him even when we have some nagging doubts or fears. Don’t wait and wait and wait until you are 100% certain. You may be waiting a long time. God wants us to step out in faith. When we do, He will accomplish His purposes according to Proverbs 16:9: “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”
Myth #4: God’s greatest goal is my happiness. As Americans, many of us have bought into the legend that we deserve to be happy and successful. Some of us believe that God must want us to be happy as well. This is a myth. God is committed to our holiness, not our happiness. And, in order for that to happen, sometimes He allows us to go through some pretty tough times. The last part of Proverbs 6:23 makes this clear: “…and the corrections of discipline are the way to life.”
Some of us spend way too much time trying to figure out what God wants us to do and where He wants us to live. While God cares about these things, He is much more interested in the kind of person we are. In other words, instead of focusing on your vocation or location, commit yourself to personal transformation. This is God’s resolve for our lives according to 1 Thessalonians 4:3: “It is God’s will that you should be holy.”
Now, let’s unpack Proverbs 3:5-6: “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.” This passage gives us two key responsibilities. We need to lean on the Lord and learn to love Him with everything we’ve got. When we do, He promises to lead us. Our task is to lean and learn. It’s God’s job to lead us.
Lean on the Lord
The word “trust” in Hebrew literally means, “to lean with the whole body” or “to rest one’s full weight” upon something. We think of trust as putting our assurance in someone but it’s really more than that. The word picture carries the idea of stretching yourself out upon a bed or on a hard surface with full confidence that you will not be let down. When you trust you put your full weight on something.
[Demonstrate by lying down on cot]
To trust in the Lord is to rest your full weight, everything you’ve got upon Him. The title “Lord” is the name “Yahweh” or “Jehovah,” and focuses on God’s covenant-making and promise-keeping character. We’re called to trust the Unchanging One who can be counted on. Proverbs 29:25: “…whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.”
Notice that we’re called to total trust and complete commitment: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart.” This same word “all” is used in Leviticus 6:22 to refer to an offering that was to be burned in its entirety. God doesn’t want half-baked sacrifices or half-hearted devotion. He wants us to be like offerings on the altar where we give ourselves without reservation to Him. Coming to church was never meant to be a hobby or a pastime. A committed Christian should not be out of the ordinary. In fact, the norm should be for each and every one of us to be fully devoted.
A chicken and a pig were walking down the road together when they came to a sign in front of a building that said, “Annual Fundraiser. Ham and egg breakfast.” The chicken said to the pig, “Hey, that’s right up our alley. Why don’t we go in and help out?” To which the pig replied, “That’s easy for you to say. For you that’s just a contribution. For me we’re talking total commitment.”
Are you just making a “contribution” or are you ready to make a total commitment to Christ? God is not looking for contributors. He’s calling for committers. What’s holding you back from full surrender?
The word “heart” refers to more than just the place where feelings come from. In the Old Testament, the heart was considered the center of the mind, the will, and the emotions. We’re to trust God with all that we are with all our feelings, our thoughts, and our decisions. Knowing God’s will is not a matter of learning a tricky technique or following a fancy formula.
Verse 5 continues: “and lean not on your own understanding.” To “lean” means to rest upon something for partial support. It’s what you do when you feel a bit unsteady. The word is used for leaning against a tree or to use a cane when you’re walking.
[Walk with cane]
We’re given a positive admonition: to lean fully on the Lord. [Fall back on bed]
Now we come to the rebuke: don’t trust your own understanding. [Demonstrate with cane that you can’t put your full weight on it].
“Understanding” refers to the mental process we use to analyze a problem, break it down into smaller parts, and then make a decision about what we’re going to do. Some of us pray, not to find God’s will, but to get His approval of what we want to do.
Let’s admit it. Most of us think we can figure things out on our own. We can do just fine by ourselves, thank you. But, if we’re serious about making wise decisions, we must fight against that internal inclination to trust what we think is best. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t use common sense or the wisdom that God gives us, but it does mean that we shouldn’t “lean” on our understanding for total support. If we try to figure out our life and handle every decision that comes our way, we will be in trouble. Proverbs 14:12: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” Proverbs 28:26 brings us up short: “He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe.”
While we must avoid leaning on ourselves, Proverbs encourages us to get the council of others and to lean on them for some wisdom when we need to make a decision. Proverbs 12:15: “The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.” Before considering a big project, we’re warned about trying to be a lone ranger in Proverbs 20:18: “Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance.”
This wisdom really helped this week when I received an invitation to speak at a men’s breakfast for another church. My first inclination was to accept but then I asked for some advice from a trusted friend. My friend forced me to think through some things. This helped me to slow down and take another look at my schedule. I called the person back and took a rain check. If I had leaned on my own understanding I probably would have done it. But by accepting that invitation, you may not have had a sermon this morning (That probably would have been OK with some of you!).
Learn From God
Here’s what we have so far. First, Lean on the Lord. Give yourself totally to Him. Lay yourself out for the Almighty. [Lean on bed]
Don’t automatically trust what you think you should do but get the advice of others. [Lean on cane]
Let’s look now at the first part of verse 6 where we’re urged to do a second thing: learn from God. This is stated in the imperative and should be understood as a command: “In all your ways acknowledge Him…” In “all your ways” means, “in everything you do, in every detail of your life.” It refers to a journey, or the distance between two points. Not just on Sundays but every day, in every way, all the time.
The word “acknowledge” carries with it the idea of intimate communion and is used to describe the marriage relationship. We could translate it this way: “In everything you do, make sure you know the Lord.” It’s the kind of knowing that only comes by personal experience. When we know God’s heart, we will never question His will because knowing God’s will is really all about knowing God.
Max Lucado, in his book, “Just Like Jesus,” has written about a man named Frank Lauback who decided to live with a distinct awareness of God every day. He wrote down some thoughts in his diary. Here’s part of what he wrote: “Can we have that contact with God all the time? Can we attain that? Can we do His will all the time? Can we think His thoughts all the time? Can I bring the Lord back into my mind-flow every few seconds so that God shall always be on my mind?” I love what he wrote next: “I choose to make the rest of my life an experiment in answering that question.”
Are you willing to conduct that same kind of experiment? To acknowledge God is to invite Him into every area of life and to focus on knowing Him intimately. Are there any areas of your life where you have not allowed God access? I wonder what would happen in this church if each of us would plunge ourselves into a pursuit of God. If we would get lost in His immensity and get caught up in His beauty, our lives would change radically. And in the process, we would know more about His will.
He Will Lead Us
Our responsibility is to lean and to learn. The last part of verse 6 tells us that God will then lead us: “…and He will make your paths straight.” The word “make” denotes intensity. God is committed to pull out all the stops and go to work when we lean on Him and learn to love Him. Notice that God doesn’t promise to make us wealthy, healthy, popular or comfortable. He promises something much deeper. He will make our paths straight, which means that He will make it clear what direction we should go and will help us navigate through whatever life throws at us.
When the Interstate highway system began construction in the 1950’s, the planners looked for the least hilly areas to construct the roads. When they decided on the route, they then went to work to knock down the smaller hills and fill in the valleys to make the roads as flat as possible.
In ancient Israel, people generally traveled to their destination by foot. Hilly and rocky terrain made the going difficult. Paths and roads zigzagged between hills, making the journey even longer. We experienced this when we lived in Mexico City. In order to get a couple blocks away we might have to travel 30 minutes just to find a road that went over a ravine or up the mountainside.
Solomon is telling us that life is like a journey that goes up into the mountains one day and swerves into the swamp the next. Sometimes the road is washed out or filled with perilous potholes. When we decide to give God first place and trust Him totally, He will straighten out our paths and even remove obstacles. The straight path is not always easy but it does lead away from sin and destruction and points us to deeper fellowship with Christ.
Guidance Guidelines
Let’s remember that God is more committed to our transformation than He is to our location or vocation. He calls us to lean and learn and then He will lead us. Recognizing that you may be facing a difficult decision right now, or soon will be, I want to give you some “guidance guidelines” from Proverbs that will help you make wise choices.
1. Lordship. Is Jesus occupying first place in your life? Are you willing to do His will, whatever it will be? Proverbs 3:7: “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.” Someone has said that there are too many “cafeteria Christians” that want to pick and choose what they want, instead of letting God plan the whole meal. Warren Wiersbe writes: “The will of God isn’t a curiosity for us to study, it’s a command for us to obey; God isn’t obligated to reveal His will unless we’re willing to do it.”
2. Word of God. What principles, commands, or prohibitions from the Bible apply to the decision you need to make? Has God given any promises or motivating verses on the subject? Most of the situations we’re faced with are already dealt with in the Word of God. Proverbs 13:13: “He who scorns instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command is rewarded.”
3. Prayer. Have I prayed about the decision? Am I seeking the Lord daily and allowing Him time to give me His direction? Most of the bad decisions I make are the result of not taking the necessary time to lay things out before the Lord. Here’s a principle: When possible, choose to pray and ponder for at least 24 hours before making a decision. Solomon wrote: “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” (21:5).
4. Godly counsel. We’ve already mentioned this one but don’t underestimate its importance. Proverbs 19:20: “Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.” When faced with a decision, find a faithful friend or two and ask for their input.
Conclusion
Proverbs 19:21 provides us with a good reminder: “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” God is sovereign. He’s in control. Even when we make bad choices and decisions, His purposes will prevail.
He does not lead me year by year,
Nor even day by day;
But step-by-step my path unfolds,
My Lord directs my way.
Tomorrow’s plans I do not know;
I only know this minute.
But He will say, “This is the way,
By faith now walk in it.”
And I am glad that it is so,
Today’s enough to bear;
And when tomorrow comes, His grace
Shall far exceed its care.
What need to worry then, or fret?
The God who gave His Son,
Holds all the moments in His hand
And gives them one-by-one.
