An interesting cultural lesson that we learnt slowly when we were in Pakistan was that if, for example, we were going somewhere and we were unsure of the directions, then we needed to ask at least a minimum of 3 people’s advice. The first might indicate that we needed to go left, followed by the second who may say right, and the third (hopefully) would suggest either right or left. Then, unless we decided to get more suggestions and average them out, we could decide to go the way suggested by two out of the three and often that worked (sometimes).
So, why would one of the three give us a confident answer, even if he had no idea. Well, it was just the way in Pakistan. One never admitted to not knowing! And this for a reason, known only to them! (If you can explain it to me, please do).
A very well-known couple of verses in Proverbs are 3:5-6 which in the NIV says:
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
In the Message it reads:
Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Don’t assume that you know it all.
That lets us off from having to pretend we know the answer to all the questions others may ask us. We do not know it all and we can confidently admit so, but we do know Someone who does know it all, and in Him we can trust.
So, here in verse 5 we have “a contrast between a perception of reality that takes God’s revealed word as the starting point for all truth [5a], and one that assumes that human understanding is the starting point [5b].” (# 53)
In Pakistan I noted that many of my Pakistani friends were taught to not ask questions, particularly of their religious leaders. In other words, to live in “submission” to all they were taught, which basically is the meaning of the title of their religion. In the west of course, this is frowned upon. We are taught in our schools to question everything, which leads many to be totally confused about what to actually believe in life.
Proverbs here suggests that there is one area of life that is beyond questioning and that is God’s word. This is not “blind faith” as some would suggest, but real, life-giving wisdom! And the type of “submission” taught here is not “fatalism” but rather a trust in the character of God having experienced his goodness and wisdom in a right relationship with him.
The result of submitting to God is that he will make your paths straight. “The Bible will guide you in all your ways… As you immerse yourself in the Bible’s story of a personal God who made us and saved us for a relationship with Him, it makes every part of life… look different than if you didn’t believe the story. Then wisdom grows as you live daily life shaped by the biblical narrative and divine realities.” (# 51)
And so in the words of Paul:
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Amen. (Colossians 3:15-17)
Worship and Wisdom - Psalms and Proverbs 