March 27, 2015

So what I’m going to be doing is going through the book of Proverbs and making a post for each chapter.  The definition of proverb is this, a general truth or piece of advice.  A couple of reasons for this is what I keep reading and hearing about the book.  Charles R. Swindoll says that Proverbs is important because it accomplishes something no other biblical book does.  It compiles numerous short instructions for living an effective life on earth.  Dave Ramsey uses the book quiet often with its references for working as well as finances, and finances is what I want to be apart of and if I pursue this or whatever I pursue I want to do it the way God wants it done.

Just within the first few verses it is talking about wisdom, success, and discipline, teaching people how to live this way, but not just however you want, but in a way that right, just, and fair.  One great verse is this, let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser.  Let those with understanding receive guidance by exploring these proverbs. You never know too much, God is never done using you.  Another verse goes on to say, fear of the Lord is the foundation of the true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.  Within God’s word there are powerful verses and this is one of those verses.  Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, right here it’s talking about a respect for the Lord, an understanding of what He’s about, that verse goes on to say that fools despise wisdom and discipline.  So you are a fool if you don’t fear the Lord, if you don’t walk with God, you despise wisdom and discipline.

The next section in Proverbs Chapter One is titled A Father’s Exhortation:  Acquire Wisdom.  That is exactly what the verses start out with, “My child, listen when your father corrects you.  Don’t neglect your mother’s instruction.  What you learn from them will crown you with grace and be a chain of honor around your neck.”  Oh how true this is, so many times as children we learn who to ask, whether that be mommy or daddy.  But what this is saying is not to neglect either one, because what we learn from THEM, not one or the other, but THEM will be a great reward for us later.  So many people don’t realize how lucky they are to live with and be raised by good parents, luckily for my brother and me we had some of the best parents in the whole world.  And I can honestly say I wouldn’t be the man I am today if it wasn’t for them being in my life.

This same passage goes on to talk about sinners and the way they can persuade us to follow them and do what is wrong.  From hiding and killing a man and then robbing that man for our benefit so we may fill our houses with all the loot.  God warns us and tells us to turn our backs from those people, to stay away from their paths and to not fall into their traps.  Verse nineteen goes on to say, Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money; it robs them of life.  Don’t let money run your life and don’t use money for anything that God doesn’t approve of.

The last section is titled Wisdom Shouts in the Streets, and it has some strong words lined up in these verses.  These verses talk about Wisdom, in these verses Wisdom is described as a she, and listening to Wisdom to help you in life, it says Wisdom stands on the street corner and shouts to us but no one stops and listens.  Wisdom calls us simple-minded and says we are fools who hate knowledge.  Then it takes a huge turn and Wisdom goes on to say that she called to us, and shouted at us but no one listened, so she will laugh when we are in trouble, Wisdom will mock us, and when we finally cry out for help no one will listen.  The reason is we rejected and hated knowledge, and chose not to fear the Lord.  The last two verses in chapter one read this, For simpletons turn away from me-to death.  Fools are destroyed by their own complacency.  But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.  Just based on those last two verses, there is only one right way to live, and that is live in peace.  Anyone can live in peace, all you have to is walk with Jesus Christ and have a strong and healthy fear of the Lord.