I am usually a sound sleeper. But on a very rare occasion, I find myself unable to sleep, no matter what I do or how tired I am. The source of my insomnia is almost always anxiety. The cause of my anxiety is almost always procrastination or financial irresponsibility. (There’s nothing that keeps me awake like a looming deadline or a lack of money in the bank.) And procrastination and financial irresponsibility are almost always a reflection of bad choices.
Proverbs 3:21-26 recognizes the intimate connection between our choices and our physical wellbeing, including—but not limited to—how well we sleep.
Verse 21 begins with a fatherly exhortation to make good choices:
My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment,
do not let them out of your sight;
According to Tremper Longman, sound judgment “may be defined as ‘an inner power that helps one escape a fix.” Discernment means “thinking through the consequences of an action and choosing the most effective way.”[*] Like wisdom, sound judgment and discernment are essential skills for living. They are valuables worth hanging on to; they are mentors worth watching closely.
Verses 22-25 elaborate on the benefits of living with sound judgment and discernment:
they will be life for you,
an ornament to grace your neck.
Then you will go on your way in safety,
and your foot will not stumble;
when you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
Have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked…
Notice how very earthy and physical these benefits are. Life here doesn’t mean “eternal life” as much as it means “here-and-now life.” The wise life is the good life.
An “ornament to grace your neck” seems to refer to your reputation. They are something that enhances you in the sight of others. People who live well never lack for admirers.
Sound judgment and discernment keep you from disasters small and large. They keep you from stumbling. If you’re wise, you’ll look for the sudden curbs, the small cracks in the sidewalk, the obtrusive tree branches. The little obstacles to everyday walking don’t trip you up. But neither do the big obstacles: natural disasters and sudden ruin. If you’re wise, you’ll be both observant and prepared.
And then there’s sleep. The father tells his son, “you will not be afraid,” and “your sleep will be sweet.” No insomnia for the wise. They have no worries. They’ve finished the day’s work, and they’ve got money in the bank. They don’t just fall asleep, they sleep well.
Proverbs’ wisdom is often secular in character. It concerns itself with our ordinary, physical lives. But in Proverbs, the spiritual is never out of sight. What guarantees the connection between good choices and good living is not a what but a Who. According to verse 26:
the Lord will be your confidence
and will keep your foot from being snared.
For a good night’s rest, see wisdom. But mostly, see the All-Wise One.
[*] Tremper Longman III, Proverbs: Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2006), 41.
GeorgePWood.com 