In Proverbs 3:7-10 the believer is encouraged to be conscious of his or her own views of the self. Avoiding an overly aggrandizing sense of personal wisdom is stressed, along with reverencing God—who, unlike humans, knows all things. In this passage, there is a strong emphasis on God as the source of all things, and people as the recipient of His blessings—rather than seeing ourselves as the creator of our own blessings.
In verse 9, the believer is encouraged, if not commanded, to give to God—much as He gives to you. The Hebrew of this passage is actually quite strange. Literally translated, it says that we should "Be heavy with the Lord via our wealth, and with the first bit of all our income." While the Hebrew verb translated into English as "honor" literally means "to be heavy," the ultimate application of the passage is simply that you and I should show God that we are "heavily" or strongly grateful to Him for the many material blessings He has given us and, thus, we should take the very first part of all that we earn and give it to Him as an expression of our gratitude.
This Proverb echoes the biblical principle of tithing, wherein many biblical figures (e.g., Genesis 14:18-20) gave God one tenth of their increase as a "thank you" for 100% of what He had given or done for them. Thus, the proverb invites you and I to realize (1) we are not the ultimate source of our blessings or "increase" and (2) we owe God, not just a "thank you," but a material contribution as a way of letting Him know we really are aware of Who is the source of all blessings—material or otherwise.
In the book of Jeremiah, the prophet Jeremiah is speaking to the Israelites at a time of great despair. They were exiled, living in Babylon, far from their homeland. Jeremiah's words were meant to offer hope and assurance during this period of upheaval. His message was not just for their immediate comfort but also to give them a perspective of a hopeful future planned by God.
This passage in Jeremiah speaks directly to the heart of encouragement, especially in the face of uncertainty and difficulty. It's a reminder that even when our current circumstances seem bleak or disheartening, there is a broader plan for good, for hope, and for a future. This can be particularly resonant for us when we face our own periods of doubt or when our path seems unclear. It's a call to trust in a greater plan that we might not fully understand yet.