Part III – The Art of Wise Living (Proverbs)

Sermon Title: Part III – The Art of Wise Living

Good News Statement: The Human Plans, but the LORD Directs

Preached: Sunday, October 17, 2021 at Dogwood Prairie and Seed Chapel UMC

Pastor Daniel G. Skelton, M.Div.

 

Scripture (NRSV): Proverbs 16:1-4 and 9 – Today’s scripture reading comes from the wise words of King Solomon: Proverbs chapter sixteen, verses one thru four and verse nine. Listen to the wisdom of the LORD:

 

¹ The plans of the mind belong to mortals,
but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
² All one’s ways may be pure in one’s own eyes,
but the Lord weighs the spirit.
³ Commit your work to the Lord,
and your plans will be established.
⁴ The Lord has made everything for its purpose,
even the wicked for the day of trouble.

⁹ The human mind plans the way,
but the Lord directs the steps.

 

Introduction:

Everywhere we look there are signs. These signs warn us about what is to come, what and who to watch out for, how to behave in certain places and spaces, and there are even signs that encourage us. For example, a red sign in the shape of an octagon, reminds us to stop; signs that read “Speed Limit” provide us with suggested speeds we should follow; red and white triangular sings recommend that we slow down and yield; signs that state “Road Closed” literally mean this road is closed do not go past this point. Additionally, there are signs that tells us how far we have travelled and that this particular area is prone to the crossing of various animals. Furthermore, we often see signs that promote people for a certain positions: politicians, community leaders, and employment opportunities. We also see signs that show case the wonderful records of the St. Louis Cardinals! Let’s just face it, our world is filled with signs that help (and sometimes dictate) our plans in life.

On the flip side, there are signs that remind us of how important it is to have laughter in our life. Here are a few examples of sayings that have appeared on random church signs: “Adam and Eve were the first people to not read the ‘Apple Terms & Conditions.’” Another sign read, “Too Hot to Keep Changing Sign: Sin-Bad, Jesus-Good, Details inside.” Another sign stated, “If you are praying for snow, please stop.” A sign outside Walnut Grove Baptist Church said, “Just love everyone. I’ll sort’em out later. From God.” A simple road sign shared this joke, “With all this rain, we need an ark. Fear Not! We No-ah guy!” Lastly, Creek Baptist Church promoted a time of sleep for the sleepless by having their sign say this, “Having trouble sleeping? Try one of our sermons.”

Again, our world is filled with signs. These signs vary from being instructive, to protecting and offering us safety, and to simply just being humorous. Like these signs, God also puts signs in our life to remind us that without him our plans for life would not be fulfilled nor would they be directed in the right direction. Without God, we would be like Adam and Eve: skimming through the terms and conditions of life merely to get what we want. We would always be putting our plans before the plans of God. The human plans but the LORD directs.

Opening Prayer:

            Let us pray… Dear LORD, our lives are busy, sometimes even chaotic and distracted causing our plans to be more focused on ourselves rather than on you. LORD, through your words today, help us to trust in you as you direct us where we need to go in our life. I pray that my words fall to the ground as your words settle in the hearts of all those before me. In your name we pray, Amen.

 

Body:

How many of you have skimmed through the “Terms & Conditions” of any product you have bought? I do it all the time! As humans we have been trained to find the easiest and quickest way out of things because our schedules don’t allow us the time to pause and fully engage in what is before us. Sometimes we drive by signs without knowing what message they are really trying to convey. You give so much attention to your own plans that you forget or even neglect the plans of someone or something else. As Christians, we often forget or neglect the plans of God because they don’t fit into our own plans. How many of you have put your plans before the plans of God?

We must remember to allow God to guide our footsteps, to allow God to lead us to His plans, to become aware that the human mind is constantly planning, but it is the LORD who directs us where we need to go. It’s time to stop skimming, and begin reading the “Terms & Conditions” of God’s plan. The human plans but the LORD directs.

Proverbs chapter sixteen provides us with signs that help us stray away from the path of folly and allow the LORD to direct us towards the path of wisdom. As matter of fact, King Solomon specifically mentions the following verses to catch our attention: to provide warning signs that what we may be doing may not be what God has intended for us. King Solomon wants us to yield and even stop what we are doing so that we avoid disobeying the signs before us. Chapter sixteen is our reminder that when God puts up the sign that says “road closed” that we obey what God is saying and we do not dare venture past His sign.

Proverbs 16:1 states, “The plans of the mind belong to mortals, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.” What we plan on our own is strictly from our own minds and intent. When we plan things as mortals, our end goal usually ends up benefiting ourselves. That is exactly how we end up on the path of folly. We focus on our needs before the needs of others. King Solomon states, “Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker, but those who are kind to the needy honor him” (Proverbs 14:31). If we choose to put our needs before the needs of the poor, we insult our LORD because that is the opposite of what he seeks from us. He wants us to provide food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, a home to the homeless (Matthew 25), and love to the oppressed.

Jesus Christ sacrificed himself in a humble act reminding us that we are also to sacrifice for others—to set aside our wants and plans so that the needs of those around us will be taken care of. The plans of the mortal sometimes overlook the plans of the needy causing them to stray away from God.

You may be asking yourself, “Well, I give to this organization and that organization and I volunteer at this place once a month, isn’t that what God wants me to do?” Yes, supporting organizations and volunteering to help the needy is exactly what God has planned for us. However, what is your intent to giving and volunteering? Why do you give? And why do you volunteer? Do you give and volunteer because that is what you are supposed to do? Or do you give and volunteer because that is what Jesus did? Do you remember WWJD—What Would Jesus Do?

Proverbs 16:2 contemplates this moral dilemma: “All one’s ways may be pure in one’s own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirit.” When we choose to give to an organization and volunteer at this event once a month, most of us believe what we are doing is good because that is what we have been taught to do. I don’t disagree with this notion. As matter of fact, I strongly believe that we should give to certain causes and that we should volunteer our time especially if it helps lead people to Christ. What I disagree with is the true intent of one’s efforts. Do they give to promote themselves, therefore doing what is right in their own eye? Or do they give because it resembles the selfless, humbling, and honorable acts of Jesus Christ? What is your intent? What we do with our own plans might seem good to us, but it is not good to our LORD; therefore, we find ourselves on the path of folly once again.

So how do we get off this path? How do we commit our plans to the LORD so that the LORD becomes the main director of our steps? First, avoid the Naïve, the Fool, and Scoffer in your life. Second, commit your work to the LORD.

Throughout the Book of Proverbs, King Solomon intentionally brings forth certain characters—certain signs—to distract us from the path of wisdom. Besides the loose women, King Solomon brings forth the characters of Naïve, the Fool, and the Scoffer. Proverbs 1:22 introduces us to the trinity of folly: it reads, “How long, O simple, naïve, ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?”

The phrase of the naïve or simple ones is “I am an exception to the rule.” These individuals are trying to persuade us that our plans, the plans of mortals, supersedes, rises above, the plans of God. According to the naïve it is humankind then God. Sometimes in life we may think like this. We may say to others, I don’t have to follow these rules because I am an exception: these rules don’t apply to me. My sister thought this way in High School…and well…I’ll just say it didn’t end well for her. But God reminds us, that his plans direct us towards his purpose and that we can escape from the naïve or simple person.

Then comes the fool. The fool lives by this motto: “I’m old enough to know better, but I am too young to care.” This saying dates back to the 1900s and in laymen’s terms means that someone should have gained enough wisdom, enough knowledge, by a certain age not to have done or said something foolish. How many of you can relate to the fool? You have been taught to not do something, but yet you still do it. Some of the greatest advice I was bestowed with came from my oldest brother who said, “When mom yells at you, start smiling and laughing. And when she asks, ‘Why are you smiling?’ Say, ‘If you could see your face right now, you would be smiling too.’” Even though I was old enough to know not to make fun of my mom, I still did it anyway. Although I knew better, I still smiled and laughed. Needless to say, it worked for my brother; but it did not work for me. I was the fool. But God reminded me, that even when I act foolish his plans for me never wavered. God continued to direct me, like he directs all of us when we act foolish, towards his purpose.

Finally, scoffer enters the scene. A scoffer is a person who mocks or makes fun of someone or something. The scoffer lives by the saying, “I don’t believe in God and I don’t want you to either.” How many of you know someone like this in your life? They don’t believe in God, sometimes they make fun of you for believing in something that they cannot see or fully describe, and then they try to lead you astray down the path of folly. Sometimes they succeed, and others times they fail. I went to college with a lot of these people. The scoffer is closed minded about God; they can believe in God, but won’t to believe in God; and if they believe in God, then they become accountable to God—resulting in dependence rather than independence. The scoffer is the last character before there is no turning back. The scoffer is the “loose woman” who will do anything she can to lead you down the path of folly.

Sadly, there are people like this in our life; people who have chosen the path of folly, who have been persuaded and led astray by the naïve, the foolish, and the scoffer. We may personally know someone like this. If you do, then what are you doing to help them find the path of wisdom? What are you doing to let them know that God is waiting to direct their steps, to establish his purpose in their life? What are you doing and what are you waiting for? We know through the words of Jeremiah that God surely “knows the plans” (Jeremiah 29:11) for our life, but not everyone knows that God has plans for them. What are you waiting for?

In order to escape from the naïve, the foolish, and the scoffer, we must commit ourselves to the work of the LORD. Proverbs 16:3 states, “Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.” Do you remember what we talked about last week? We talked about eh’sher, and how eh’sher is translated as “blessing” or “happiness” in the Book of Proverbs. Eh’sher isn’t just any kind of blessing, though: it is a blessing that the LORD gives to those who do the work of God. This work, this good work, is what is produced when we “trust in the LORD with our whole heart” (Proverbs 3:5).  When we commit, when we trust in the LORD with our whole heart, the plans that we have for ourselves will be incorporated into the established plans of God. God will direct us on this journey through life if we let him. “The human mind plans the way, but the LORD directs the steps” (Proverbs 16:9).

Conclusion:

We will never stop seeing or receiving signs in our life. We will see signs that keep us safe, and others will lead us to danger. We will see signs that tell us we are exceptions to the rules; and other signs remind us to be humble and vulnerable. We will see signs that strengthen our knowledge; and other signs will encourage us to jump when the sign says “don’t jump.” Lastly, we will see signs that lead us astray, down the path of folly; but, we will also see signs that allow God to direct our footsteps down the path of wisdom. The sign that directs us towards wisdom is the sign that hung above Jesus on the cross: it said, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews” (Matthew 27:37). Those eight simple words, carved into that insignificant piece of wood, changed the world. That very sign reminded all of us—and still reminds us today—that when we put our trust in him, we have the wisdom to escape the naïve, the foolish, and the scoffer in our life so that our plans will be set aside as our LORD direct our steps.

“Listen to advice and accept instruction,” proclaims King Solomon, “that you may gain wisdom for the future. The human mind may devise many plans, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will be established” (Proverbs 19:20-21). Are you ready to commit yourself to the LORD? Are you ready to follow the path of wisdom? Are you ready to help others understand that God has a plan and purpose for them? Are you ready to allow the LORD to direct your steps? The LORD knows his plans for us, but the choice is still yours. What path do you want to follow and what sign are you choosing to read: wisdom or folly?

 

Closing Prayer:

             Let us pray…Dear Heavenly Father, we all have our own plans. But LORD, we need to see your sign: the very sign that reminds us that you are our King—the very person who will help direct our steps. Lead us not into temptation, but lead us to wisdom. LORD, we commit ourselves to you right here, right now. Lead us, teach us, and grant us the ability to trust you with our whole heart. In your strong name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Benediction:

As you continue to make plans, remember to look for the signs of God in your life. Allow these signs to direct you towards the path of wisdom. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, go in peace as you live wisely and well in God’s world. Amen, Amen, Amen.