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4/5 Reading Portions: Leviticus 8; Psalm 9; Proverbs 23; 1 Thessalonians 2
Proverbs 23:26
My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.
BEGIN
Before we see the wisdom of this verse for our instruction, let us first look at its prophetic fulfillment in the Messiah, the Son of God. As perfect, sinless Man, Jesus was the embodiment of true wisdom. In our verse today, it depicts our Lord as the ever-submissive Son to the heavenly Father (John 5:30a). Christ’s heart was given wholly to the Father. The Hebrew Sh’ma, the first and great command of the law (Matt 22:37-38), says this:
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Deuteronomy 6:4-5
The only person capable of fulfilling this commandment without sin, schism, or corruption was the Lord Jesus. The faithful, spiritual eyes of Christ as perfect Man observed the ways of the Father always (John 5:19; 8:28).
Recognizing this, we then can see this verse as an instruction from Christ, our Mighty God and Everlasting Father (Isa 9:6), to you and me as His redeemed children (John 1:12). This humbles us and helps to keep us from thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought to think (Rom 12:3; Gal 6:3). When we see Christ in Scripture, we should recognize that the best of our good works and righteous behavior can never match the sinless nature, the impeccable goodness, and the perfect deeds and works of Christ. The truth of this perspective helps us to keep from justifying ourselves when we’ve done right or exalting ourselves when we have, by God’s grace, overcome temptation. Indeed, then, let us give Christ our hearts and let our eyes of faith observe His ways.
When we begin to see Christ in Scripture, we will begin to see Him in fellow believers and in our situations and circumstances. When we see Christ Jesus with eyes of faith because He is our all, and in all (Col 3:11), then we will exalt Him in our Bible reading, in our prayers, in our praises, in our fellowship with the saints, and in our situations and circumstances. When we are exalting our Lord Jesus then our heavenly Father is glorified; then our fellowship is gladdened; then the feeble souls are strengthened; then the faithful are filled with godly fear, becoming wise so that we may respond to God’s love in Christ with love and godly fear. Hallelujah! What a Savior!