"Themes in Proverbs: Planning for the Future"

Themes in Proverbs: Planning for the Future

Outline drawn from Tremper Longman III, Proverbs, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2006), 557–558.

Having a Goal in Mind

• Planning requires a goal.
• A strategy is needed to reach the goal.
• Planning involves the imagination.
• To be a successful planner, one must understand what it takes to reach a goal.
• A good planner must anticipate obstacles on the way and devise alternatives to reach the goal or perhaps even alter the goal.
• To plan well requires wisdom, a skill of living that knows how to navigate life.

Benefits of Wise Planning

• A number of proverbs make it clear that the sages knew the value of planning.
• Wise planning will be successful and lead to great benefits.
• “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” (Prov. 21:5, NIV).
• Wise planning leads to great confidence in the future (ex: noble woman, 31:25).
• Those who plan wisely receive “covenant love” and “faithfulness.” 

Wise vs. foolish planning

• Wise planning seeks advice from other wise people.
• Yet the counsel of others is only helpful if the advice is coming from those who are wise.
• Examples of Bad counselors: Amnon and Jonadab (2 Samuel 13); Rehoboam and his “young” counselors (1 Kings 12).
• Wise planning also has a virtuous goal and will only utilize strategies that are fair and honest (12:5a). 

God’s Plans and our Plans

• The most important aspect of wise planning is awareness that one’s plans are ultimately at the service of God’s superseding purpose. 

To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the proper answer of the tongue. (Prov. 16:1, NIV)

Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. (Prov. 16:3, NIV)

The LORD works out everything to its proper end-- even the wicked for a day of disaster. (Prov. 16:4, NIV)

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps. (Prov. 16:9, NIV)

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD. (Prov. 16:33, NIV)

Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails. (Prov. 19:21, NIV)

A person's steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand their own way? (Prov. 20:24, NIV)

• People cannot be absolutely certain that they know the way the future will pan out. 
• In spite of their planning, they must be ready to implement changes if God so wills. 

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. (Prov. 27:1, NIV)

Daniel the Wise Planner

• A good example of wise planning is Daniel (Ch. 1).
• Daniel wants to eat differently than the king desires, consuming vegetables and water instead of the rich food and wine of the king. 
• His plans lead him to request the chief official, Ashpenaz, to substitute the former for the latter, but Ashpenaz refuses out of fear of Nebuchadnezzar. 
• Daniel does not panic but rather devises an alternate plan. He privately approaches the unnamed servant who actually brings the food to him and his three friends and asks him to make the substitution. 
• He proposes a ten-day trial period, and if the four Israelites grow weak and tired looking—what Ashpenaz feared—they would go back on the rich-food menu. The underling agrees, and Daniel reaches his desired goal.

Foolish Planning

• Proverbs does not talk only about wise planning; it also contrasts it with foolish planning. 
• God condemns foolish plans. 

There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him:     …a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, (Prov. 6:16, 18, NIV)

The LORD detests the thoughts of the wicked, but gracious words are pure in his sight. (Prov. 15:26, NIV)

• They are characterized as fraudulent.

…the advice of the wicked is deceitful. (Prov. 12:5b, NIV)

Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil (Prov. 12:20a, NIV)

• Those who plan in such a way will not succeed but will wander aimlessly.

Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness. (Prov. 14:22, NIV)