God's Compass for the Heart and Mind

Today's Reading: Proverbs 3: 7-12

Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.  It will be a healing for your flesh and a refreshment for your body.  Honor the LORD with your substance and with the first fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.  My child, do not despise the LORD's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the LORD reproves the one he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.

Yesterday we discussed the importance of depending on the Word of God as our compass throughout life.  Following the Lord's directions will change behavior  and challenge our thinking, attitudes, and desires.  He leads us to think differently about ourselves, our values, and even the difficulties facing us.
     We naturally want to determine our own course in life.  It seems like the only logical way to get where we want to go.  But being wise in our own eyes is pride.  To combat this tendency, the Lord instructs us to fear Him and turn away from evil. (v.7).  This "fear" is not a horrified dread of the Father, but an attitude of respect that motivates us to obey Him for both our good and His glory.
     We naturally want to keep our money for ourselves.  A desire for a better lifestyle or fear of not having enough leads us to hang onto everything we get.  But our compass directs us to honor God by giving Him the first part of all we have, trusting Him to provide for our needs (v. 9-10).
     We naturally hate God's discipline.  His painful reproofs seem to imply that He doesn't care about us.  But our heavenly Father says His discipline is th evidence that confirms His love and delight in us as His children (v. 11-12).

Early Light:
Sometimes in our desire to follow the Lord, we focus on obedient actions--doing what He says--but miss His directions concerning our attitudes and thought patterns.  To stay on God's path for our lives, we must make course corrections not only in our behavior but also in our hearts and minds.
--Charles F. Stanley