The resources God has given us to live a thriving life are His Word, Spirit, and People.
Read God’s Word:
Proverbs 1-4
Act 2: God’s Covenant People
Scene 5: Kings and Prophets: God shapes a kingdom people
Background Information: Proverbs 1-4
Proverbs are principles about how life works. They are not direct promises to be claimed or laws to be obeyed. They describe in general terms what a life of wisdom looks like. We must mine the book for the jewels of wise principles embedded there. The principles are often more nuanced, more indirect than the direct teaching portions of Scripture like Paul’s writings. They are aimed at increasing wisdom, which means they can help us grow in “how” to think, not just “what” to think. If we grow in our ability to think biblically, we can apply that wisdom to all the decisions of our lives. If we increase in biblical wisdom, we will think about the world and our own lives in ways that align with the reality of God and the cause-and-effect world that he has designed. As we grow in our capacity to think wisely, we will grow in our capacity to live with wisdom. Ultimately, this is wisdom’s aim: to live lives that glorify God. Wisdom is poetically personified in Proverbs. The good news is that wisdom, if we persistently seek “her,” will be found. We can, if we apply ourselves to making the effort, become wise. Wisdom in Proverbs is not about intellect or simply acquiring more information, it is about godly living. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Fear in this context is “awesome respect” or an attitude of reverence that understands who God is and who we are in comparison. This kind of fear is foundational to wisdom because it produces humility and eschews pride. Pride makes a person foolish, no matter how great their intellect. One of the most famous Proverb couplets is:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding;
in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3:5,6
This is a good summary of the “how” and the “what” of wisdom. If you put your full trust in God, not in self… If in every aspect of your life you recognize him as Lord… Then he will make straight, not crooked or broken paths for you to walk. Pray for God to grant you the grace and the grit to become wise as you read this great book.
Pray:
Praise God for…
Thank God for…
Confess your sins to God
Ask God for…(One prayer for River per day)
Ask God for… (what else concerns you?)
Reflect:
Write down one passage of scripture that stood out to you today.
Write down why this passage stood out to you.
Engage Community:
Text or call someone now and tell them…
– What you are praying for.
– What stood out from God’s word today.