Every Good Path in Proverbs 2

If there was ever a time to be overly cautious about the path you are walking, it is when you are in the depths of loss. Loss brings vulnerability. Loss introduces a time when you need wisdom. It is a time for understanding the fear of the Lord and finding the knowledge of God.

If.

“My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.” Proverbs 2:1-5

If.

Receive the words of wisdom. Treasure his commandments. Keep attentive. Incline your heart to understanding. Receive it but also seek after it as you would any treasure.

Do this and you will be granted an understanding of the fear of the Lord, and you will be granted knowledge.

“Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path; for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you…” Proverbs 2:9-11

Then.

Then you will understand righteousness, justice, and equity.

Every good path.

I love that phrase. I cherish that phrase.

Every good path.

As I faced my loss, I learned to pray four overarching requests. A trustworthy framework to focus my prayers. First, I prayed his Kingdom would come in my life, as it is in heaven. Second, I prayed his will would be done in my life, as it is in heaven. Third, I prayed I would be helped to faithfully walk in his ways. Every good path. Lastly, I prayed he would not remove his steadfast love from me.

I cannot overstate the importance of these four prayer lifelines. They became to me like Eliza Edmunds Hewitt’s hymn, “My Faith Has Found a Resting Place.” She wrote, “I need no other argument, I need no other plea; It is enough that Jesus died, And that He died for me.” My gaze was fiercely focused upon every good path, much like her claim in these lines.

I needed no other plea.

My plea, the third overarching request, was to walk in his ways. It became a prayer to be safeguarded so I would not veer from his path. I knew I was vulnerable. Within hours of my loss, I desired to honor God and honor Kim. And later, I began to pray to be kept on his path. In essence, I was praying that he would give me the grace to keep his commands, statutes, and precepts—his good path. Path or paths is used seven times in this short proverb; way or ways is used five times. Good paths or ways are juxtaposed or contrasted with bad paths or ways.

I longed for the good path. Every good path.

Again, I recognized my vulnerability. And this second proverb cautions against “the forbidden woman” in verses sixteen and following. Here’s a caution for the simple: Refuse to assume you are immune to jumping off the good path. Refuse to assume you will not make serious missteps. Refuse to let your guard down. Refuse to think you will not make a mistake. “The forbidden woman” sounds so extreme. However, I remember guarding myself from making decisions out of loneliness. I remember seeking to take great care against emotional connection with any woman.

But this goes for both men and women.

And this good path refers to so much more. As Psalm 1:1-2 reminds us, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.”

“So you will walk in the way of the good and keep to the paths of the righteous.” Proverbs 2:20