Proverbs 16

“All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirit” (v2).  The proverbs continually remind us that there is One who sees our hearts, our motivations, and our hidden goals.  We may justify our actions to ourselves or others, and we may follow the letter of the law in terms of moral behavior, but God sees deeper.  He wants us to surrender our desires and hopes, to commit our ways to Him (v3, 7), and to “seek first His kingdom.”

When our hearts are aligned with God’s ways and purposes, our plans will “be established” and we will be at peace, even among our enemies (v7).