Right With God: Exploring Life, Relationships, Faith and Spirituality Through God’s Word. 

www.movingforwardcontent.com 

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Do you want a satisfying life? 

I think most men I know would answer this question yes. We are so often looking for satisfaction, and living a life defined by it would be a dream. 

To understand how to live this life, I dove into Proverbs 3. 

“My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart. If you do this, you will live many years, and your life will be satisfying. Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart. Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation.” Proverbs 3:3-4

This is not a far-fetched reality; relational satisfaction and favor are near for those who truly seek. In order to find them, one must know God. This is implied in the next 2 verses:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all that you do, and he will show you what path to take.” Prov 3:5-6

The kind of acknowledgement and seeking referenced here is a knowing which comes from the Hebrew word “yada”. This implies a deep relational knowledge and intimate knowing of someone (as Adam knew Eve). 

Next, take a look at 2 key words in verse 3 that describe what a relationally satisfied man “wears”. 

Loyalty and Kindness (NLT translation): from the Hebrew words emet and hesed 

“While often translated simply as ‘kindness’, hesed embodies a deeper meaning of covenantal obligation, compassion, and reliability. It is the same word used for God’s steadfast, loyal love toward humanity.

It is frequently paired with emet (truth), indicating a total commitment to being both kind and honest/faithful.”

Emet is “derived from the root aman, which is related to faith, trust, and firmness. It carries the imagery of being supported by strong arms; it is often used to describe the character of God as faithful, trustworthy, and consistent.”

These 2 words imply strong, covenantal loyalty in relationships. I see this as applying to the relational strength of a man living committed to kindness, truthfulness, loyalty, integrity, and reliability. 

Life Models: A Man With God

A man who knows God should live out hesed and emet. His outflow (the arrows in the image below) is produced by and through his experience, or relationship, with God. The natural outflow of a close relationship with God is a transforming life marked by God’s character, wisdom, covenantal love and loyalty towards others. 

A Man Without God

A life without a real or right relationship with God is often marked by pulling away from God and pulling (or taking) from others, things, and circumstances to find inner peace, purpose, and satisfaction. And while relational satisfaction may still be found as an extension of God’s grace towards everyone, the deepest and most soul-filling satisfaction won’t.

The outflow of this man may be performance-driven (“trying” to be a better man, dad, husband, etc) and self-centered. This life model is weakened; it results in poor relational strength, wavering joy, and a less satisfying life. I know–I’ve been in these shoes. 

Living Loyalty and Kindness 

A man living out hesed and emet cultivates a character that is self-sacrificing and growing in trust, humility, faith, and expressions of love towards others. He…

Keeps commitments

Practices love

Chooses mercy and forgiveness

Lives kindly, truthfully, consistently

Speaks life

Remembers the Lord’s commands

Leans and trusts God in humble dependence

Seeks God’s will in all he does

Fears the Lord

Turns from evil

Honors God with the best he has

Doesn’t reject or despise God’s discipline

Seeks wisdom

His life is guided by God’s wisdom and sourced in God’s strength, powered by the Holy Spirit. The fruits in his life are evident and good– not only for himself– but for others.

I have walked in both shoes. I’ve experienced both good and broken relationships in a life without God. But, the most deeply growing and satisfying relationships I have ever had have been in and through knowing Him. I personally found that a right relationship with God was the only thing that could produce the inner peace and transformation needed to discover the relational favor found in these verses.

Moving Forward

What kind of man are you becoming and living as today?  

Look towards a right relationship with God to cultivate hesed and emet; seek to know Him. Let your life model be guided with love, loyalty, and kindness. Begin to taste the satisfaction God has in store for those who love Him–come to know Him today!

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Want To Start?

If you don’t feel like you are right with God, and are wondering how to start, feel free to reach out to me at gerberxc@gmail.com. 

A right relationship with God starts with placing your trust in Jesus. Ask God to help you do this today. 

[16]  “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

[1] Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Romans 5:1