Real Hope: ProverbsSample

Some Sound Advice

My mum often spoke out little life lessons in the form of old proverbs. ‘A stitch in time saves nine’, or ‘worse things happen at sea’, among many others. While the proverbs in the Bible hold a deeper wisdom than my mum’s light-hearted proverbs, they also began as a collection of sayings given from a parent to a child. The themes are filled with advice on everything from friendship and love, to living with self-discipline and wisdom. It’s no wonder then that we often find a biblical proverb spoken at a wedding or included in a birthday or graduation card. Because they are short and to the point, it is easier to memorise them, and they often become a favourite verse.

With that knowledge, I have chosen to share with you a favourite proverb of mine. I heard this proverb when I first decided to trust in God, as a teenager, and it was such a relief to know that I didn’t have to figure out life all by myself as I looked toward my adult years. I could listen to God, through the words of the Bible, through mature Christian friends, and in my own times of quiet conversations with God. The Message version wasn’t written back when I first heard this verse but I like it the best now. Still, you may know these words: ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.’ Whichever version resonates with you, the main point is to remember you don’t have to do life alone. Do it with God.

Written by KATH HENRY