Read Proverbs 1:1-7
1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
2 for gaining wisdom and instruction;
for understanding words of insight;
3 for receiving instruction in prudent behaviour,
doing what is right and just and fair;
4 for giving prudence to those who are simple,
knowledge and discretion to the young –
5 let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance –
6 for understanding proverbs and parables,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
From Eugene Peterson’s introduction in The Message to the book of Proverbs…
“Wisdom is the biblical term for this “on-earth-as-in-heaven everyday living. Wisdom is the art of living skilfully in whatever actual conditions we find ourselves…”
“Wisdom has to do with becoming skillful in honoring our parents and raising our children, handling our money and conducting our sexual lives, going to work and exercising leadership, using words well and treating friends kindly, eating and drinking healthily, cultivating emotions within ourselves, and attitudes towards others that makes for peace. Threaded through all these items is the insistence that the way we think of and respond to God is the most practical thing we can do. In matters of everyday practicality, nothing, absolutely nothing, takes precedence over God. Proverbs concentrates on these concerns more than any other book of the Bible.”
The book of Proverbs is a manual for living. Other Wisdom books are Job (which has a lot to say about suffering),Song of Songs (which has a lot to say about sex) and Ecclesiastes (which has a lot to say about despair and questions about the meaning of life).
Today, when you face a situation or decision why not ask/pray… “What is the wise thing to do?”
The beginning of Wisdom is the fear of the Lord, What do you think it means to fear the Lord and why does that help someone live a fruitful life?
Where do you go for advice and wisdom? How do you respond to others when they give you advice that you know is good? What would it take for you to become wise?
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