Proverbs 16

"All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord...There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death...Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed." (Proverbs 16:2,25,3) I can take these few verses and apply them to almost anything. It's tempting to focus on some other life aspects, but I'll maintain my goal of examining what Proverbs has to say as it applies to marriage. I think these verses are talking about the choices that I will have to make. I don't know what those will be, but I'm told here that just by my ways alone, the choice may appear right, but I'll not be sure of a right choice unless God is involved in making that choice. I'll know I'm proceeding in the right direction if I know that my choice has been instructed or confirmed by the Lord. Verse 3 then says that with plans committed to Him, they will succeed. I don't think that He is trying to define success, but perhaps the absence of calamity. And finally, God is really looking at our heart motives when we make choices: is my heart in it for God, or is God a secondary factor? I know I'll be faced with making some tough decisions regarding Susan and I. I'm sure they will things like, where to live, how to discipline children, jobs to take or not to take, etc. but my challenge here is to remain in the presence of the Lord and not to let my ways and plans be above His. He already knows the desires of my heart and when I choose His ways, I trust that He will be rewarding in His own time. And until then, I have to commit all that I do to glorifying His purposes. -Bob