Proverbs 3:1-4 says,...

Today's verses are Proverbs 3:1-4, which read, 

v.1, 2 - My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.

Here is a commandment with a promise.  It is very similar to the promise attached to the commandment to honor your father and mother.  Two instructions are given here for the wise to do.

The first is to not forget God's teaching and the second is that the not forgetting allows your heart to keep what you haven't forgotten.  How do you not forget?  Maybe it is the famous tie a string around your finger; maybe it is the post it note that you have stuck to your refrigerator or computer screen; or maybe it is the process of memorizing Scripture to have His words tucked away in your heart.  However you remember and not forget is not the point but that you put into practice the activity of remembering His teaching.  

For me the not forgetting God's teaching is tied to a schedule that I keep.  It is a time and a place set aside to be in front of my Bible with a pad of paper to jot down things that the Holy Spirit shows me through His words.  It is letting my heart have the time in front of His word so that I not only know His commandments but I can apply them to my life.  They are fresh on my mind and now I can see them acted out in my daily activities.

What comes of this activity of knowing and applying God's word is added days, years, and peace.  The days and years that I have will be used to glorify Him rather than just wasted on my selfish little plans.  I have the opportunity to be used by the Creator of me and the universe to do something on His behalf.  I will add to my life the days and years that I can serve Him.

It will also add to my life peace.  I have peace with God.  I have assurance of His love and a heavenly home with Him in the future.  I walk in peace rather than in turmoil even though life may be stormy at the time.  I am able to have these types of years and days and peace is there because I have not forgotten His teaching and let my heart keep His commandments. 

The greatest preparation for my day and for me to have peace throughout the day is my time spent with God and His word.  My actions and words will be shaped by Him to prepare me for the day that I don't what it holds but He does. 

It is the beginning of the morning staff meeting at work that gives you guidance for the work of the day.  It is really frowned on by your boss if you miss the meeting.  You are behind the 8 ball if you miss it and lacking new information or encouragement.  You might not be around long if you keep missing the start of the shift staff meeting.  You have put yourself at a disadvantage.  This may be a poor example but we have this opportunity to have daily staff meetings with the Lord but many of us blow it off and we are suffering for it.

v.3 - Do not let kindness and truth leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.

It is interesting that kindness and truth are put together.  It is like the "speaking the truth in love" combination.  You need one with other.  When you speak the truth you need to speak it with kindness.  When you show kindness, it needs to be based on truth and not flattery.  Take away the kindness and you have a cold, fact spitting Christian who cares more about accuracy than the creature of God in front of him or her.  Take away the truth and you have a wishy-washy Christian who has no godly guide to their emotions and counsel.

The proverb is to wear these two, kindness and truth, around your neck like a necklace and have them jotted down on a little tablet in your front pocket of your shirt.  The necklace  and tablet are not always seen by others but you know they are there.  Sometimes the necklace is seen and sometimes the tablet is pulled out to refer to and others understand and see where your kindness and truth are coming from.  They are readily available to you and you can even feel them like the necklace against your chest or the weight of the tablet in your pocket.  

v.4 - So you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and man.

"And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men."  Luke 2:52  This was said of Jesus after He was left in Jerusalem after the Passover when He was 12 years old.  Mary and Joseph found Him in the temple speaking with the religious leaders.  He spoke to His parents of His time with God in His temple as being the logical and essential place for Him to be.

This activity with God is not just something to check off your holy "to do" list.  It is required for us to have favor and good repute with God and man.  It results in a deeper walk with the Lord and a more effective witness to others of the Savior that we love.  His words and actions will be more readily on the tip of our tongues and at the end of our arms.  These two things that we desire are tied directly to our time with the Lord.  How many times do we try to get favor and in good with others that are not tied to God and His word?  Let's pray. 

"Lord, our time with You and Your word is given in this proverb as very essential to our walk with You.  If we have slacked on this practice that dictates our ways and words to reflect You then help us to make the shift change meeting with You to get the latest.  May our days and years be filled with peace because we are at peace with You and serving You with our days and years.  Amen."

Pastor Adam