Proverbs 3:4 “so you will find favour and good success in the sight of God and man”
I was working for a company that trained commercial divers. I was not a diver but somehow found myself leading this business. When I went into this position I found the business to be a mess, with years of under-investment and a legacy of broken promises to the team. For months we focused on resolving these issues, clearing out all the clutter, getting lean with the space and equipment we used, and intentionally building trust with the team. The operation had no cash, the sales were not enough to break even never mind meeting some of the massive investment needs. We had overwhelming debts and large loans outstanding. I focused on developing key account businesses.
It was too slow, I travelled and spoke to customers, worked through phone lists day after day, attended exhibitions and explored new opportunities. In short, we did everything we could every moment of every day to see if we could move the business forwards, but nothing would click.
But I had a promise from God that he would grant me ongoing favour.
Out of the blue, and unconnected to any work any of us had done (no one could take any of the credit for this) we had an approach from another country to train a group of their divers in their language. It was a massive project for around 3 months work, would use all our equipment and all our staff and locations (in fact they bought us around $100k of new equipment to help us deliver the course) and the total cost was well over seven figures with a healthy 30% margin. At the same time, we off-loaded a massive unused asset and cleared the outstanding debt on it, in a market that was in a slump.
In those moments, in business, we experienced favour and good success in the sight of God and man. All the credit and glory goes to God.
KNOWLEDGE
I catch a reference in the Old and New Testament here, [1Sam 2:25]. Now the boy Samuel continued to grow in both stature and in favour with the Lord and also with man & [Luke 2:52} And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favour with God and man.
As a young man, Samuel was dedicated to a life serving God and he heard God and obeyed God, and, as a young man Jesus was dedicated to serving God, and he heard and obeyed God. The outcome of this approach, which is what Proverbs has been advocating now for the last 59 verses is an increase in our natural physical life, our prosperity and our insights. Could it be that we will find what we are looking for when we look for it with all our heart? Jeremiah 29:13 you will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
When we seek God our lives will be full of contentment, peace and clarity. We see even in the difficulties and trials God’s hand working in our character, we don’t seek to escape, or cry for change, but rather we grow………in stature, in favour, in wisdom.
UNDERSTANDING
Let’s pick one word from this verse to look closer at and see if that can help us gain a deeper insight into how God would love us to live?
The word “favour” is found 69 times in the Old Testament, [ESV} and the original word is pronounced “hen”. It is translated as. Favour; grace; adornment; gracious; magic; and, charm. In Proverbs 3:4 “hen” is the moral quality of kindness – favour with an added dash of grace.
WISDOM: We can reverse engineer this in our own life – if you can see what you are finding, then you will understand what you are seeking – what are you finding right now in your life?
STRENGTHS THOUGHT: Adaptability – you thrive in chaos, and can lend your calm to others, remember to take time to explain your thinking in the big moments.
Allan’s Unauthorised Version – [you will arrive and be recognised to dwell at a place of pleasant kindness with delightful and joyful instruction, in the eyes of our all-powerful triune God and all mankind.]
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PRAYER: Father, thank you for today. Please help me to recognise your favour in me and your success for me, and give you all the glory. Thank you
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“Seek me with all your heart and you will find me”. I loved this message and received a lot of wisdom from it. Trials and frustrations are a part of our every day lives. This message teaches me to have complete faith in God where I cannot find a solution on my own. Thank you, Pastor Allan, for this beautiful message.
Amen!
God’s favoured children! When we obey and love Him, God honour us with favour and blessings of long life!
How marvellous are His Ways!
Thank you.
Love this! Well done for sticking at it and not giving up. Trusting God will bring you favour and fulfill his promise
Love – what are you finding right now in life? And the strength thought that we can bring calm to others and bring His peace in chaos.
Thanks Allan. Favour is always welcome!
Amen!
“When we seek God our lives will be full of contentment, peace and clarity. We see even in the difficulties and trials God’s hand working in our character, we don’t seek to escape, or cry for change, but rather we grow………in stature, in favour, in wisdom.”
-this is so very true for me right now, Ps Allan.
I love your statement of Strengths Thought…..
You thrive in chaos and you can lend you your calm to others.
What a very meaningful and true statement as children of God.
In this unprecedented situation and chaos of this current situation, we will be able to show our stand as children of God with so much calm and confidence that He is in control of everything and we will be His vessel of His mighty Kingdom and Glory. Amen
A great promise & wonderful reminder that God is for us & our lives can greatly impact those around us in so many ways!! We are blessed with God’s unmerited favour & grace not because we have earnt it by any good works but only because of our repentance & acceptance of Jesus in our lives and all that He has done in His finished work on the Cross! It’s by our obedience & desire for the things of God that we grow in stature in favour & in wisdom & ultimately we have favour with God & with man ! God uses every situation both good & bad to refine our character if we embrace the work He is doing in us & so He rewards us with so much blessing & favour. How GOOD is Our God!!!!
Thank you pastor Allan. I love the two scriptures about Samuel and Jesus.
One of the things that we do well in our family all the time, is to talk about God’s favour in our lives. This develop a grateful heart within us. Our prayer is that our children and each of us will grow in wisdom, stature and find favour in the eyes of men and God.
This resonated in my spirit today,, “We see even in the difficulties and trials God’s hand working in our character, we don’t seek to escape, or cry for change, but rather we grow………in stature, in favour, in wisdom.”
I cannot tell you how many times in my life that I have desperately tried to convince the Lord to get me out of challenging circumstances. It’s only as I’ve grown in age and my relationship with Him that I can look back and see His hand safely shielding, but also using the challenges to grow, develop, mature and also bring healing to me.
And I look back and see His kindness and favour and I’m so grateful to be called a child of God! Thank you Pastor Allan. Absolutely beautiful! I’m so grateful for these devotionals! I’m being reminded daily of how good God is and how blessed I am.
Thank you Allan . What you have shared is no small thing. It is a testimony of God’s love for His favoured . What joy and peace comes with this truth. Amen .
A very timely message for us just this day. A verse to hang onto and trust Amen ! To keep speaking over our circumstances and hold onto in faith .
Thank you Lord for your favour as we live obedient to you
I love this verse what a promise from God when we obey! the line “remember to take time to explain your thinking in the big moments.” in strengths was a good reminder for me, Thank you
Living in obedience to God’s instruction brings favour and success from God,
This is a beautiful promise to hold on and move forward,
To be encouraged to make great choices in life in keeping with God’s teaching.
And receive all that He has in store for your life is a blessing.
He is gracious in all his ways !
Thankyou Pastor Allan. I have been shown great favour by the lord for which I am eternally greatfull.
Amen! Thank you Ps Allan.
God’s favour on one’s life opens great doors. When you have favour with God you have favour with men.
Thank you for this beautiful message Allan. Yesterday’s verse spoke to me that steadfast love and faithfulness requires intentional effort on my part to push away the negative critical thoughts I sometimes have and instead reframe my thoughts and attitude towards others to be loving, compassionate and obedient to the commandment to love my neighbour. Today I had my third chemotherapy and am feeling more tired and the accumulating psychological weight of my medical situation. Reading today’s message reminded me that God’s favour is with me, even as flawed as I am, with the love that surrounds me from my church, family and friends.
Great encouragement from this Allan. Am believing for a certain opportunity in my own business this year. An opportunity that I have had a go at creating unsuccessfully. Now I’m doing what I should have done in the first place – pray.
‘Hen’ sounds like the ultimate endearment used by the Scots 🙂
Thanks for the encouragement Susan- much appreciated! Will be praying with you! And yes “hen” is a familiar and endearing term – unless said with an aggressive tone! But 99% of the time it’s drawing people into your family circle.
Blessings
Allan