Connect360: Hope for Your Future

• Lesson 11 in the Connect360 unit “The Search for Wisdom: Words to Live By” focuses on Proverbs 23:17-18.

Interestingly, the word for “zealous” is in the same family of words as “envy.” The shades of meaning are different with zealous inferring a passionate pursuit of that which is good and envy the passionate pursuit of that which is not good.

Watch this carefully. The writer essentially was saying, “It’s fine to be passionate about things in life; just be sure that your passion for God is supreme.” So, we are challenged to replace the passion associated with envy, a negative passion, with a passion that pursues God—a positive passion.

When the writer used the phrase “fear of the Lord,” he was describing a life wholly committed to God. He was describing someone who loves the Lord God with all his/her heart, soul and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5).

Again, in my imagination I can hear the Savior: “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or, ‘What shall we drink?’ or, ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things” (Matthew 6:31–32). Jesus continued, “If you want to run after something, if you want to passionately pursue something, fine, then run after my Father’s kingdom and righteousness.”

It is sometimes very difficult to see past anxiety to a certain, blessed future, yet that is exactly what Scripture asks us to do. Jesus set the example. Look at how the writer of Hebrews said it: “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

Jesus saw past the horror of the cross to the eternal hope and joy of redeemed sinners, people whom he loved, trusting him as Savior. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, there is a future hope for all who may be anxious in this life. That includes you and me.

The writer of Proverbs was proclaiming joyous hope. “There is surely a future hope” for all who are “zealous for the fear of the Lord.” The contrast could not be greater. There is no hope or future for those who chase after the things of the world, who envy the ways of the sinners, whereas there is a sure and eternal hope for the God pursuers. That sure future is also found in the most known and quoted verse in all the Bible. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

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