How to Find Favor with God and Man - Proverbs 3:3-4

Dr. Solomon exhorts us to be tenderhearted and kind. In our journey through wisdom, we see the pathway that leads to favor with both God and man. If you think about it, it is easy to find favor with man, and it is easy to find favor with God. What is tricky is how to find favor with both? We typically have a disposition to simplify this by trying to pit social favor against divine favor. We think it is impossible. And when we think like that, we become spiritually lazy, which leads us to compromise one for the other.

We are to take a stand on truth and promote godly wisdom. But if we do this in a mean-spirited way or perhaps in a rude fashion, we are not going to be winsome to others. It takes great skill to be able to promote and present the truth in a winsome way. Therefore, Solomon tells us bind mercy and truth around our neck. To be able to speak truth into another person's life in order to encourage them towards Christ takes thoughtfulness, planning, finesse, and prayer. We want to be like Christ who grew in wisdom and stature and favor with men and God (Luke 2:52).