Third Timothy

“These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel. Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise.” (Proverbs‬ ‭1:1-2‬)

It’s fun to dream of a time when you will be invited into the inner circle of people who occupy high places, the big names who hold titles of prestige and influence, imagining that they will actually notice you and want to share inside information, possibly giving you knowledge reserved only for the few, the powerful, the mighty.

Well, today is that day. God offers the wealth of Solomon’s brilliant mind to anyone who wants to go to the next level. The problem is that these treasures are hiding in plain sight, oftentimes right on top of the coffee table in the living room or on the kitchen counter where you plopped them last Sunday. And you didn’t do anything about it then either.

It’s time to wipe the dust off your Bible and turn the pages to the book of Proverbs. It is like a pregnant woman who is three weeks overdue, ready to deliver at the first hint of opportunity. God wants you to know what’s in his mind, and he put much of it into Solomon’s. It’s there for the taking. Anyone can have it. All of it.

But I will warn you: it’s more than you can handle all at one sitting. Read one verse each day. Let it roll around in your brain; let your own mind get comfortable with brilliance, with reaching out and touching the intimate thinking of the God of the universe who has the power to create and to save lives for eternity. His words will transform you, and you will become more like him. Just like he planned it.

“Then Jesus said, ‘I chose the twelve of you, but one is a devil.’” (John‬ ‭6‬:‭70‬)

The hatred of Pharaoh was used to demonstrate God’s great power and free his people from captivity in Egypt. The treachery of Judas was used to facilitate a trip to the cross for Jesus that offered freedom for all of mankind—from sin and death.

In every situation, what appears to be evil can easily be used by God to bring glory to his name and blessings to you. Perhaps not a devil, but your unruly child, your abusive spouse, your thoughtless employer—each one is being used by God to make you more like Jesus.

When everyone else would have called down fire from heaven, Jesus called, “Father, forgive them!” I believe he gathered the fullest appreciation for the plight of mankind during his final moments of torment, realizing in the spirit and the flesh their destiny without his sacrifice.

Whether or not your persecutors look to Jesus for salvation, you do! You come to him in prayer, you draw near, you grow closer as the troubles pile heavier on your back; you begin to understand the true value of God’s love for this mixed-up humanity that doesn’t even seem to know right from wrong. And your freedom tastes sweeter than ever before.

“How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you!” (2 Samuel‬ ‭7:22‬)

Can we develop in our hearts and minds the kind of perspective David had? If it makes any sense to describe the relationship like this, he recognized God as beyond his recognition—he couldn’t have imagined greatness or beauty or wisdom such as the Sovereign Lord!

“We have never even heard of another God like you!” Other peoples, nations who worshiped idols, with skilled artisans combining all their creative abilities—whose works are even now still being discovered and called priceless—were not able to craft a false god that could compare with the one and only real God.

And what a God he is! What other God loves his people before they love him, before they worship him, before they offer him any sacrifice, before they recognize him as God? What God calls us friend? What God lays down his life? There is no one like him.

David saw him when he spent time alone seeking him. The greatest obstacle to intimacy with God is . . . everything else. Remove all the distractions, find a quiet place, close this page, close your mouth, close your eyes! Then you can see him.