‘When life hands you a lemon, make lemonade,’
wrote Norman Vincent Peale, who published his best known book, The Power of Positive Thinking, in 1952. It stayed in The New York Times bestseller list for 186 consecutive weeks. Much of what he had to say was extremely good and helpful. But, the words of Jesus go way beyond the power of positive thinking.
Norman Vincent Peale said,
‘A positive mental attitude is a belief that things are going to turn out well, and that you can overcome any kind of trouble or difficulty.’
Just as Jesus Christ said,
‘With God all things are possible’ (Matthew 19:26).
This is far more than the power of positive thinking. It is the power of God that makes what seems impossible possible. Even the word impossible says I'm possible and this can be achieved with God. Nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37).
Proverbs 3:11-20
11 My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor detest His correction;
12 For whom the Lord loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.
13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding;
14 For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, And her gain than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies, And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand, In her left hand riches and honor.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who retain her.
19 The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding He established the heavens;
20 By His knowledge the depths were broken up, And clouds drop down the dew
Through Jesus, the universe was created and the fact that with God ‘all things are possible’ is proven by the fact that God created the entire universe out of nothing,
‘By wisdom the LORD laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place; by his knowledge the deeps were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew’ (Proverbs 3:19–20).
The writer of Proverbs sees wisdom as a Person (Proverbs 3:13–18). Through the lens of the New Testament, we see that that Person is Jesus. St Paul tells us that ‘Christ [is] the power of God and the wisdom of God’ (1 Corinthians 1:24).
Until you find a relationship with Jesus, life will not really make sense. The entire universe was created through Jesus (John 1:3). He loves you. In a relationship with him you find God’s wisdom and God’s power.
When you find Jesus, you find the source of all wisdom. This is the way of blessing (Proverbs 3:13a). It is also the way to understanding (Proverbs 3:13b). It is far more profitable than all the material blessings (Proverbs 3:14–15a). In fact, ‘nothing you desire can compare with her’ (Proverbs 3:15b).
This is the path to long life (Proverbs 3:16), which is ‘eternal life’ in the New Testament, see John 3:16). Here you find true ‘riches and honour’ (Proverbs 3:16). This is the way to a peace beyond understanding (Proverbs 3:17). Here you find the ‘tree of life’ (Proverbs 3:18).
