Do You Trust Me? (encore)
A reflection from Proverbs 15
"The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, observing the wicked and the good." (Proverbs 15:3, HCSB)
As I was reading the opening verses of Proverbs 15, I noticed that verse 3 seemed out of context. I've learned over the years that when something in the Bible appears to be out of context, it's usually worth digging into it to find out why. It's kind of like God puts these little clues or hints for us to find so that we dig a little deeper. And that process can generate a conversation with God about what we're looking for or finding, which means we're spending more time with our Father in his Word.
In Proverbs 15, verses 1, 2, and 4 all have to do with the tongue, our speech. But verse 3 isn’t about us or our tongues at all. Here's the full text, so you can see what I mean:
1 A gentle answer turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath.
2 The tongue of the wise makes knowledge attractive, but the mouth of fools blurts out foolishness.
3 The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, observing the wicked and the good.
4 The tongue that heals is a tree of life, but a devious tongue breaks the spirit.
Notice that verse 3 doesn't seem to fit in with the others. That really stuck to me. As I was talking with God about it, and reflecting on the passage, the thought popped into my head: Do you trust me?
Suddenly, I saw what God wanted me to understand. God is everywhere. He sees everything. He's watching over us, and he will handle things. I don't need to use my tongue to speak harshly, manipulate the conversation, blurt out my foolish thoughts, or stir the pot because I'm not getting my way. I need to trust God enough to let him take care of things. I need to use my words to speak encouragement, wisdom, and life.
The extent to which I trust God to see everything and deal with it his way is the extent to which I can stop using my mouth as a sledgehammer or a wedge and start using it honorably. My prayer for this week is that we will trust God enough to use our words for his glory and the common good.
What has God been speaking to you lately?
I often question myself about when or what God is saying to me. I so much want to be like the people that know with no question when God is talking to them. I know God talks to me but am I just not listening? Do I simply not want to hear what he's saying? My questions are not about God, but about me, about my faith.