Have you ever found yourself asking God for wisdom to handle a difficult situation, hoping to receive instruction of what to do? Help is already available in the Book of Proverbs.
Why read Proverbs? Proverbs 1:1-7 opens the chapter with an explanation [paraphrased]:
The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: (are written so that you may)
- Know wisdom and instruction, (in order to)
- Perceive the words of understanding, (in order to) receive the instruction of
- wisdom,
- justice,
- judgment, and
- equity
(Proverbs will also) give prudence to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion.
A wise man [who reads and pays attention to Proverbs] will hear and increase learning,
And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel, [in order to]
Understand a proverb and an enigma, [and understand]
The words of the wise and their riddles.
The fear of
the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Those who read and learn from the Book of Proverbs:
- Dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil. (Chapter 1)
- Will be given wisdom from the Lord (Chapter 2)
- Find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man. (Chapter 3)
- Have their ways be established. (Chapter 4)
- Obtain favor from the Lord (Chapter 8)
- Goes in the way of understanding (Chapter 9)
- Their lips will disperse knowledge (Chapter 15)
- Will find good and be happy (Chapter 16)
- Will cause God’s heart to rejoice (Proverbs 23) ed1 \lsdl
Many other chapters of Proverbs offer comparisons between the righteous and the fool. We’ll save those for another time. One more thing you might consider are the words of Agur, the son of Jakeh. He declared, “Surely I am more stupid than any man, and do not have the understanding of a man [because] I neither learned wisdom nor have knowledge of the Holy One.” By reading Proverbs regularly you can learn wisdom and have knowledge of the Holy One.
– – Note – –
Writer Anna Glass is an active member of Joy. She reads a chapter of Proverbs every day – choosing the chapter that corresponds to the date. For instance, on June 1st read Chapter one, on June 7th, read Chapter seven. By doing this, you will have read the entire book every month, and you will build God’s wisdom into your life.
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