Proverbs 3

**For some reason I could only do this in italics, I couldn't get it just normal print, sorry!**

Today I broke the chapter up into 3 parts...
Part 1- Verses 1-10
1. Verse 3- "Let love and faithfulness never leave you" The Message uses the word loyalty instead of faithfulness. The NLT says "Never let loyalty and kindness leave you!" Whatever phrase or translation you use, never let those words leave you. I am not sure I ever want to know what life would be like if I did not have faith in God.

2. Verses 5-6- I know we all know them, and probably repeat them to ourselves on a daily basis.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take."

Since I tell myself this everyday, why do I still not trust 100% of the time? Is it that I have let faithfulness leave me? Have I let evil creep into my life, why do I doubt God and his plan for my life? There are plenty of things that I do not understand in this world, and I think all I can do is trust God because if I had to come up with an answer to "why do bad things happen to good people?" I seriously would be a wreck, and on lots of medication. I don't know why bad things happen, but I do know God loves each and everyone of us, and he also has a plan for each of us..."For I know the plans I have you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." Jer. 29:11

Part 2- Verses 11-20

1. Verse 11- Right off the bat I do not like the idea of discipline. I was one of those kids that hated being punished. I can't say I never broke the rules, but when I did, I hated being punished. To think of God as a God who punishes seems odd, but it is true. He is a just God, he is the ultimate authority and ruler. But without rules and discipline we all would be even bigger messes! In Hebrews both of these verses are quoted as an encouragement to Christians to hold strong during hard times, to never let faith leave you.

2. I love the way the author describes Lady Wisdom in Verses 14-18, she sounds like an exotic, beautiful woman.

Part 3-Verses 21-35
1. Verse 21 "My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight" Have you ever trusted someone that you knew deep down they probably weren't all that trustworthy? That has happened to me, a lot. Especially being in the ministry. I am very, very trusting of people, and I guess I am naive, because I expect the same thing in return. There are many times I tell someone something thinking it is in confidence, only to find out they told their whole Bible study group, and it got back to my husband. Then I am in big trouble! Do you have times like that? That you know you shouldn't, but you do it anyways. Maybe we should all listen to the Holy Spirit that is urging us to turn around, run away.

2. Verse 30- "Do not accuse a man for no reason-when he has done you no harm." For me this verse means do not believe everything you hear about someone. If you have not experienced a relationship with someone, do not judge them or their actions. You do not know the whole story. When Eric and I moved to Cincinnati after college, there was a lady at our church that took us out to dinner one night. She totally unloaded the church gossip on us and told us who we should be friends with and who we should steer clear of. Eric and I first were so embarrassed that she told us all of this, and second we learned way too much about people we had never even met before. Some of her advice was true, but we learned that the hard way. We wanted to give everyone a chance there before we made judgments about people. Some people were great and other people that lady liked, we didn't really click with them. So here's the word to the wise-make your own relationships, form your own opinions about people, but keeping in mind that we are God's children, and he loves us all.

I have really enjoyed the first 3 chapters of Proverbs so far, have you? Remember to store up the wisdom God has given you in your hearts, and never stray from it!

What do you think?
See you tomorrow...