The book of Proverbs is one of my favorite books of the Holy Scriptures. I’ve encouraged our congregation to pore over Proverbs daily by reading the chapter that matches the number of the day. As a pastor, I’ve preached through the Proverbs twice under the heading “Powerful Principles from the Proverbs” wherein I’ve covered a theme of one or several verses from one chapter each week on a Sunday night. This has proven beneficial to me and to others.
One of my favorite chapters in the book is Proverbs 3. Since coming to faith in 1969, I have learned so many foundational truths from these few verses, especially verses 1–12. They’ve guided me these fifty-five years since I began my study as a teenager who had no Christian foundation. Let’s look at a few of those truths together.
God’s Word is a record of faith—faith to believe and be saved, faith to live, faith by which to die. God’s Word gives us many examples of saints from the past living out two very familiar verses:
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. (Prov. 3:5–6)
These verses are easy for us to memorize and quote but much harder to obey and thus persevere in the day-to-day, especially as we live in a world that wants us to rely on our own knowledge and sight. The world, therefore, mocks and chides the child of God who steps out in faith and obedience to the Lord. Remember the graciousness of the Lord’s wisdom to reveal in His Word both those who took this principle to heart to obey as well as the error and downfall of many who didn’t.
We see the commendation by the Lord of many of those saints of old, recorded in Hebrews 11, who, not having the book of Proverbs in hand to read and quote, nevertheless strode ahead in obedience “by faith” in the “assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1). We read of their courage to endure as “seeing him who is invisible” (Heb. 11:27).
You may notice that some of the names in this “Hall of Faith” chapter are not given in the narrative of Hebrews 11:23, but their actions stand out. For example, Amram and Jochebed (the parents of Moses) are not named in Hebrews 11:23, but Jochebed’s actions of faith are apparent. Her actions demonstrate the trust that is discussed in Proverbs 3:5–6.
The word “trust” in Proverbs 3:5 is complete dependence on another. It entails dependence on God’s Word and His promises. We display a similar kind of trust every time we sit in a chair. We don’t sit halfway and then slowly progress into the chair, holding our breath, expecting the possibility of a crash to the floor. No, many times, we plop down with some force on the chair. The trust commended in Proverbs 3:5–6 and elsewhere in Scripture is one in which we throw ourselves on the Lord with complete dependence. We are to lean not on our own understanding. In the chair example, we must leave our feet—our familiar support—and give ourselves over to the chair. So, too, must we give ourselves wholly to the Lord.
Moses’ mother, Jochebed, is a model of this kind of trust. According to the wicked edict of Pharaoh, her child was to be thrown in the Nile, along with other baby boys. But when she had conceived and given birth to a son, she saw that he was a special child and hid him for three months. When she could hide him no longer, she made a basket and put him in it and placed him among the reeds by the river bank (Ex. 2:1–3).
Hebrews 11:23 summarizes that all these actions were “by faith,” mentioning not just Moses’ mother but his father also. No doubt this act required the participation of both parents. They saw, they recognized, and they were not afraid of the Pharaoh’s edict. If they were caught, it would mean the certain death of the child and probably the death of the parents as well who had acted together against the Pharaoh’s wicked command.
I see that there are five things in Jochebed’s story that reflect the teaching of Proverbs 3:5–6 and have been applicable to my life these fifty-one years of family life and ministry.
1. Faith
These parents chose to act in faith, doing that which was dangerous while trusting the goodness of God. Many others gave over their baby boys. But Moses’ parents chose in faith to obey God rather than man.
2. Fear
Did they feel fear? It is not too much assume that they had some fear that they would be found out. Isn’t the Lord gracious that He has given us many “fear nots” in His Word to sustain us in our difficult slog through this unbelieving world?Sometimes, we must agree to take a step while fear looms large. We must push on through with courage. Many a soldier has been asked after a heroic episode in the battle, “Weren’t you full of fear?” “Yes, I was; but I had to act with a courage that propelled me through this danger with trust in God.”
3. Fortitude
What fortitude it took for them to go on for three months! Three months of close calls, vacillating between fear and fearlessness, to go on one more step and endure.
4. Follow-Through
We have not even gotten to the Nile River scenario yet, but they had no doubt been sweating bullets for three months trying to keep an infant hidden. Imagine the cries of parents all around them as they are grieving the death of their baby boys. Does it cause this faith-filled couple the fleshly fear we commonly experience as another nerve-racking day passes? But now they had to follow through in their journey of faith. Do something, plan something, attempt something, build something. In this case, it was to devise a plan and then to follow through with the gathering of materials, constructing a basket, waterproofing it with slime and pitch, and scoping out the best place to put the basket that held their precious infant boy. Then, on that fateful morning, they had to exercise faith and put the basket among the reeds, trusting in the Lord with all their hearts, leaning not on their own understanding, but acknowledging the Lord and His laws in refusing to obey the Pharaoh’s orders.
5. Forsaking
The finality of placing their baby in the reeds is the culmination of acting on belief. They trusted God with all their heart concerning the outcome of their special baby boy. They had to walk away and, in a sense, forsake him while trusting that the Lord would somehow deliver him from death in the Nile. We all know the rest of the story: Moses became the deliverer of the people of God in Egypt.
Conclusion
I like to think that Amram and Jochebed were praying bold prayers for those three months. It’s a prompt for us to pray boldly—for things which others might think astonishing, incredible, or remarkable.
I think that all the people and situations listed in Hebrews 11 would fall into these many categories. May we in the days ahead continually practice the powerful principles in the Proverbs as we trust in the Lord with all our hearts.