God’s thoughts soar as far above ours as the heavens are above the earth. So “do not lean” on your own way of thinking. “Lean” means “rely”—don’t rely on your mind, strength, righteousness, works. Put your weight totally on God in Christ.

How precious it is to know that the God who created and actively rules over the entire universe and all the earth has adopted us as His sons and daughters and takes a fatherly interest in everything to do with our lives. The book of Proverbs is written as advice given by a loving and wise father to a growing and almost adult son. Chapters 2 and 3 both begin with such a personal address: “My son, do not forget my teaching” (3:1). Traditionally, we have seen Proverbs as coming from the mind and pen of King Solomon. This is true enough. But we as Christian readers will benefit only if we remember that this book of wisdom comes ultimately from our heavenly Father, guiding us to live a wise life. Of all the words that He speaks to us in this book, perhaps none are more famous than Proverbs 3:5–6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Four lines, three commands resulting in a timeless promise—let’s unpack them one at a time.

Command #1: Trust in the Lord completely. This command gets to the heart of our entire relationship with God. It is by faith in Christ alone that we are reconciled to God and adopted as His children. Trust and faith are synonyms. But the Hebrew word translated here as “trust” is powerfully picturesque, literally meaning “throw yourself facedown in total abandon.” Cast off all restraint to give yourself entirely to God with every fiber of your being, holding nothing back. It usually has the connotation of security and serenity, assuring us that all our needs will be met and we will be completely protected from all dangers. God is constantly yearning for His children to reach this state of peaceful stability in His powerful, loving arms.

Command #2: Reject prideful independence. “Do not lean on your own understanding.” God will allow no rivals. He does not want to be part of a scheme of self- salvation, self-protection, or self-provision, self-reliance. All idols must be cast aside. One of the greatest idols is our own understanding. God made us in His image, with minds able to study and evaluate the world around us. That is good. But when that capacity raises itself up to unseat God in the control center of our lives, it becomes a deadly idol.

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