Blog - Proverbs 3:4

If you like this blog, then you will like Get Wisdom, Get Understanding which is Pastor Wagner's commentary series on the book of Proverbs which is available on Amazon in paperback or Kindle. Find out more here. For all the blogs in this series, click here: Proverbs Commentary. Proverbs 3:4 "So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man." (Pro 3:4)

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In addition to a long, peaceful life (Pro 3:2), there is yet another blessing in store for the man who remembers God's law and keeps His commandments (Pro 3:1) and binds mercy and truth about his neck (Pro 3:3): he will find favour and good understanding in the eyes of both God and his fellowman. Favour is "propitious or friendly regard, goodwill, especially on the part of a superior or a multitude" (OED). Inserting the definition into the verse, we see that the man that keeps God's word and is known for his mercifulness and honesty will find friendly regard and goodwill from a multitude of men. He will be praised by heathen and Christian alike, having "a good report of them which are without" (1Ti 3:7) and a "good report of all men, and of the truth itself" (3Jo 1:12). In his youth, Samuel experienced the truth of Solomon's words many years before he penned them, for it was said of Samuel that he "grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men" (1Sa 2:26). The Son of God is the preeminent example of a man who lived the first three verses of Proverbs chapter three, and in turn experienced the promised blessing of verse four. The scripture declares that "grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (Joh 1:17) who is "full of grace and truth" (Joh 1:14). Therefore it should come as no surprise that as a child Jesus, being the embodiment of mercy and truth, "increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man" (Luk 2:52). Another example of the fulfillment of Pro 3:4 was the early Christians in the Jerusalem church who were full of mercy, so much so that they "sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need" (Act 2:45). As a result, they had "favour with all the people," and also had favour with God, which is evident from the fact that He "added to the church daily such as should be saved" (Act 2:47). Not only will keeping God's commandments and exhibiting mercy and truth (Pro 3:1-3) ensure that a man will find favour with God and man, but it will also guarantee that he will find good understanding in their sight. Understanding comes from the word of God (Pro 2:6), and it is acquired through knowing Him, for "the knowledge of the holy is understanding" (Pro 9:10). When a man studies the scriptures, he "shew[s] [him]self approved unto God" (2Ti 2:15), and when he meditates upon them, his "profiting [shall] appear to all" (1Ti 4:15). Thus, he finds "good understanding in the sight of God and man" (Pro 3:4). Gaining understanding, he then finds further favour with God and man, as it is written, "good understanding giveth favour" (Pro 13:15).

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