If you assist a thief, you only hurt yourself. You are sworn to tell the truth, but you dare not testify. Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety. Many seek the ruler’s favor, but justice comes from the Lord. The righteous despise the unjust; the wicked despise the godly.
Proverbs 29:24-27

Dear God, I wonder how early on Solomon wrote these things. I would say that it’s safe to say that he probably wouldn’t have thought to say such things later in his life. But I’ve spent enough time talking about the fall of Solomon. Let me focus on what he actually said here.

What kind of safety do you offer. I think a lot of us misinterpret this word in this context. We want to think it means that you will put a hedge of physical or even monetary protection around us.

But I learned a couple of years ago that you don’t work that way. And I suppose if I am the kind of person who is loving you with all of my strength and loving my neighbor as myself then that won’t be my goal. In fact, I’d like to say that I want it for my children–and, to be sure, I have wanted your protection for my children–but I’ve come to learn that you use the struggles in my life to grow me into the man you need me to be and I am learning to trust (there’s that word again) that you are doing the same for my children.

Father, I trust you to make all of this go the way you want it it go. The way you need it to go. I’ve prayed a lot the part of the Lord’s Prayer that says, “Your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Use me however you need to to make that happen. I will trust you with the results.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen