Mind, Ear & Heart To God’s Word
BRD REFLECTION 2025
Proverbs 22:17-29, 23:1-9 and Psalm 117 (NIV)
(Ng Bee Kuan, Associate Lay Leader)
READ:
The book of Proverbs is a wisdom literature which is packed with so much richness and truth for Christian living. In today’s reading, I will focus on what stood out for me in Proverbs 22:17–19.
17 Pay attention and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise;
apply your heart to what I teach,
18 for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart
and have all of them ready on your lips.
19 So that your trust may be in the Lord,
I teach you today, even you.
OBSERVE:
V17 tells me how I should respond to the sayings of the wise. It involves the mind to focus, the will to be quiet and listen as well as the heart to be transformed. God’s Word is the ultimate source of wisdom for my discipleship. It is not merely hearing but applying my heart in putting into practice what I have learnt. V18 encourages me to keep God’s word in my heart and have them ready on my lips to speak His truth, to make a defense of my faith and share the wisdom from God’s word to build up the body of Christ.
Proverbs 22:17-18 sets the tone for our appropriate response to the thirty sayings of the wise in the rest of the chapter through to chapter 24:22 and beyond. These wise sayings offer precious nuggets to help us in our daily Christian walk. How will they help us put our trust in the Lord as suggested by Proverbs 22:19? Romans 10:17 says that, “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ”. The more we read the word of God, the more we will learn of His nature and character. The more we apply God’s word and be obedient to His call, the more we will draw close to Him and learn to trust Him.
APPLY:
I believe these verses do not just apply to the sayings of the wise in Proverbs but the whole of scripture. God reveals Himself to me through His creation and His Word. The only way to let God’s Word do its transforming work in me is to give it my whole attention, a stillness without distraction and allow it to take root in my heart and put it in practice.
DO:
Find a dedicated space and time to do my quiet time.
Commit to memorise a verse each week to start my collection of verses in my heart.
PRAY:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for the gift of Your Word. Grant me a real hunger for Your Word so that through it I may get to know You better and to love You deeply. Holy Spirit, help me to allow the Word to speak and transform my heart to total obedience. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
