Not your own…God’s

Not your own…God’s
by Pete Berardi

When we are children we are completely and totally dependent upon our parents for everything. As infants we unequivocally would perish if our Mother and Father did not feed us and provide us shelter. As we grow older, our dependence slowly fades. Perhaps as teenagers we may be able to feed ourselves but could not afford our own shelter. Then as we become adults, we are totally and completely independent of our parents. There is nothing wrong with being independent. I think it is shameful for one to “mooch” off their parents if they are too lazy to make it on their own. I will say this however. Society has pushed us to become independent and be “on our own”. The Bible has something to say about this.

While the word “own” appears close to 600 times in the Bible, it appears close to 50 times in the book of Proverbs. I want to examine a few of these verses and how it relates to the contrast of “our own” way of thinking and God’s way of thinking. I think you will agree with the wisest of the wise Solomon, the author of the book of Proverbs, that most if not all of the time, our thinking is moving in the opposite direction of God’s thinking.

I have gleaned several verses from the book of Proverbs. Please read them and think about them. Meditate on them. Memorize them if you could.

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Proverbs 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.

Can you see how a man’s understanding is so clearly described as being contradictory to God? Do not lean on your own understand but trust in the LORD. Do not be wise in the way you see things, but fear the LORD. Do not always think that you are right but listen to counsel (God).

Here are a few more:

Proverbs 21;2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.

Proverbs 23:4 Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.

Proverbs 28:26 He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.

In the preceding verses, Solomon is reminding us that we can be blinded by our own selves. It is easy to think that we are always right. It’s called being wise in our own conceit (Proverbs 26:16). In Proverbs 23:4 he even asks us to cease from our own wisdom. Can’t you see how powerful that is? The book of Jeremiah tells us that the heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). Can’t you see God’s love in these verses and how he is trying to protect you from yourself?