When we come to the end of what wisdom and understanding gives (Proverbs 3:13), we have covered much territory. As we saw it affects the material aspect, and the mental aspect of ones life. Today, at the end, we also see it covers the physical life of the individual who truly gets wisdom and understanding. 

Proverbs 3:17, we see that the ways are pleasant. How special is this? Doing a search through our Scriptures, we will find this is the only place this phrase is found! That means there is really one way to have true pleasantness in this life, through wisdom and understanding. There is only one way to truly get these two things, through God. There is only one way to go to God, through Jesus Christ! The singular uniqueness of this whole thing is what separates the world from what they seek. 

If that is not enough, the word for pleasantness is found only seven times, and it is very telling when we do find it. As was stated, everything points back to God. This word really brings this truth to bear. Here is the list and feel free to study this out further and see where else the Scriptures lead:

1. This pleasantness is described as an attribute of God in the word meaning beauty – Psalm 27:4; 90:17

2. Here, in Proverbs 3:17, pleasantness is used to describe the word ‘kindness’.

3. The words of the pure (as contrasted to the very thoughts of the wicked) are pleasant to God – Proverbs 15:26

4. It is the pleasant words that are sweet as honey, and not just processed honey, but fresh honey from the comb – Proverbs 16:24

5. This pleasantness, which was assumed would always be, was broken as a sign of God’s impending judgment on the nation of Israel (I would say we can also see similarities between Israel’s impending judgment and America’s, but that is for another time). Hence Zechariah broke the staff called Beauty. -Zechariah 11:4-11

This pleasantness is what the world seeks for. They pursue it with all they have. They want the finer things in life. The wealth, power, prestige. They pursue it while denying and ignoring anyone and everyone else. Those who are handed a trust fund, as is shown by statistics, spend it and lose it within two generations.

Those who truly have wealth, and they hold fast to it, they are terrified of losing it. So the only way to guarantee keeping it is to make it impossible for anyone else to gain. That is why Klaus Schwab of the World Economic Forum has said that

In 2030 you will own nothing and be happy.

Notice, you. That means everyone else but him and his friends. Bill Gates tells everyone eating insects is the food of the future. Yet he is trying to purchase one of the greatest land areas in the Dakota’s. Why? He is going to have cattle, food, grain, etc.

We can repeat this with our politicians, our government, and even some people we know. Rules for thee and not for me is the mantra that can be applied.

While all of this is being pursued, those of us cannot help but to be broken hearted for them. Why? First, for all they have, they are miserable. Only miserable people would make and do the things we see. They have, what seems like everything, but it is not enough. Second, their desire for more brings the sharp reality of how fleeting wealth can be. We covered this in our sermon on James 5:1-6 and I would encourage you to watch that. Third, we are sad because we see the desperate, childish behavior to gain only to lose it when they die. This world is all they have and this life is it. Since they know they only have maybe 100 years, they are desperate to squeeze out of it all they can. They become petulant children that act more like spoiled babies than adults. This life is when they have power. But as the Psalmist says, we know their end. Fourth, we know that no matter what they say, while they may “act” like they have control and power, they are really just pawns in God’s hand. He is moving them, controlling them. We are sad because we see them thinking they are doing their own thing, but in reality, they are the sacrificial pieces to move God’s plan forward. Fifth, we also know that no matter what they do, God knows our needs and He will supply it out of HIS abundance, not the worlds. We are not beholding to these world leaders for our sustenance (Matthew 6:32; Luke 12:30; Philippians 4:19).

With these things, how can we not be broken over them? Pray for them to come to Salvation. For those who have found the ways of wisdom and understanding, the ways are truly pleasant. Because we know that all roads lead back to God. Therefore, it may not be easy roads, Christianity never is (Matthew 7:13-14). It may not be soft roads, we are going to be bruised and pressed on all sides (2 Corinthians 4:7-11) but we are not conquered (Romans 8:37). While we may not have the world’s “wealth”, the way for the Christian is pleasant because we know our end. We know who is in control. We know where we are going and our Spirit is back into a right relationship with God our creator. That is the pleasantness that the world cannot have for any amount of money. But this verse goes further.

The paths are peace. In the same thread, those who pursue after the wealth also pursue after peace. As Brethren, we are one of the three traditional and original peace churches. Peace, however, is not what we worship. Peace is the byproduct of our worship and surrender to God. Notice the connection back to God! Through our surrendering to God, we will have the peace the world so desperately craves.

Peace is not the absence of war. Please understand the importance of this statement. Many believe that peace means no pressure, struggle, strife. This is false. Peace is a calm assurance and grounding on the foundation that will not be moved (2 Timothy 2:19). It is through the wisdom and understanding that our paths are going to be the paths of peace. We will not be shaken because of the storms of the world around us for we are under the shadow of the Almighty and He will lead and cover us through these storms. The world cannot and does not have that.

Do you see why we should feel sorry for them? The answer to all of their struggling, strife, turmoil, and hurt is the very thing they try to shut down, turn away from, reject. Peace and pleasantness cannot be had, in any real meaning, outside the acceptance and submission to God. But now we turn our focus to the word “path”. Again, we have spent a lot of time looking at paths and ways throughout Proverbs, and here is one more example of the beauty of this word.

This word is used twenty-six times throughout the Old Testament. The meaning is very interesting. Again, see where the Scriptures lead you as you dig deeper, but here is where it is found:

1. It describes the traveler – Judges 5:6

2. It is a road or a path – Job 18:10; 19:8; 24:13; 28:7; 30:13; 38:20; Psalm 78:50; 119:35; 119:105; 142:3; Proverbs 1:15; 3:17; 7:25; 8:2; 8:20; 12:28; Isaiah 42:16; 43:16; 59:8; Jeremiah 6:16; 18:15; Lamentations 3:9; Hosea 2:6

3. It describes the wake that is left behind someone – Job 41:32

4. Deals with streets – Isaiah 58:12

Therefore, the path and roads that are traveled in this life and the way it is traveled, and even what is left behind as we travel can be one of two things: peace or chaos. Our world, and the people in the world, including many in the Brethren as a whole, find themselves in the midst of chaos while they pursue, ironically, after peace. Why? Peace becomes the god, the idol, the very object that is wanted.

Peace was, is, and will never be able to fulfill what it promises, if peace is the object in of itself. True peace, as we see here in Proverbs 3:17is only possible when peace moves from being the pursued object to being nothing but the BYPRODUCT. That is key. Peace can only be when wisdom and understanding are grasped. That can only be grasped when coming to God, and that can only happen through Jesus Christ. All roads of true wisdom, as we said in Proverbs 1:1-6, lead back to God, as evidenced in Proverbs 1:7.

Therefore, dear reader, are you looking for pleasantness and peace? The first question which must be asked is, how are you in your standing before God? If you have not come to Him through the only way possible, Jesus Christ (John 14:6), then this peace and pleasantness you seek is going to be just a shadow, a vapor, which will never be captured or received!

There is, and this will be discussed next week, one more thing we get from wisdom and understanding. We spent a great deal of time going over how the paths and ways are going to be peaceful and pleasant. What about life as a whole? There is one more level this is taken. Not only is the day to day experiences surrounded and enveloped by these things, but in Proverbs 3:18, there is a summation of a life that is built on this wisdom and understanding.

Lord willing, we will discuss proverbs 3:18 next week and we will see trees being part of this equation. The symbolism here is amazing! Until then, God bless, dear reader.