Proverbs 3:1-12 (New International Version)

Proverbs 3

Further Benefits of Wisdom

1 My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,

2 for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you prosperity.

3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.

4 Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;

6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight. ^[a]

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and shun evil.

8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.

9 Honor the LORD with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;

10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.

11 My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline
and do not resent his rebuke,

12 because the LORD disciplines those he loves,
as a father ^[b] the son he delights in.

am praying hard for my finals as it is only 2 weeks away. there are a lot to study.this semester has been more hectic than ever. somehow i realised that we have a choice of whether to want god to carry us through the lives we are living. or we want to choose our own ways and do it our own way. this semester. i chose to live on my own for a period of time. and as i look back. i see the vast differences. one question that reminds me of god's kindness and mercy is : if i have a god that is so big, so powerful, so loving to want to help me in my life, why do i still want to rely on my own strength?

today's passage came timely for me. i have been feeling a little down due to the lower than usual marks that i received for my coursework. however, probably im learning to think out of just exam based. life is not all about exams. its a life long process. for me, to fully understand a statement, i need heart knowledge. many times i know it in my head, and i can even quote it for others. but to fully feel the words and the meaning, it comes from the heart. thats what im learning on the whole concept of education. its not about scoring the grades. its about learning. its about willing to take failures and work at it.

what would really mean more is having wisdom that comes from god.