God Speaks
These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel.
2 Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline,
to help them understand the insights of the wise.
3 Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives,
to help them do what is right, just, and fair.
4 These proverbs will give insight to the simple,
knowledge and discernment to the young.
5 Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser.
Let those with understanding receive guidance
6 by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables,
the words of the wise and their riddles.
7 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
8 My child, listen when your father corrects you.
Don’t neglect your mother’s instruction.
9 What you learn from them will crown you with grace
and be a chain of honor around your neck.
10 My child, if sinners entice you,
turn your back on them!
11 They may say, “Come and join us.
Let’s hide and kill someone!
Just for fun, let’s ambush the innocent!
12 Let’s swallow them alive, like the grave;
let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down to the pit of death.
13 Think of the great things we’ll get!
We’ll fill our houses with all the stuff we take.
14 Come, throw in your lot with us;
we’ll all share the loot.”
15 My child, don’t go along with them!
Stay far away from their paths.
16 They rush to commit evil deeds.
They hurry to commit murder.
17 If a bird sees a trap being set,
it knows to stay away.
18 But these people set an ambush for themselves;
they are trying to get themselves killed.
19 Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money;
it robs them of life.
20 Wisdom shouts in the streets.
She cries out in the public square.
21 She calls to the crowds along the main street,
to those gathered in front of the city gate:
22 “How long, you simpletons,
will you insist on being simpleminded?
How long will you mockers relish your mocking?
How long will you fools hate knowledge?
23 Come and listen to my counsel.
I’ll share my heart with you
and make you wise.
24 “I called you so often, but you wouldn’t come.
I reached out to you, but you paid no attention.
25 You ignored my advice
and rejected the correction I offered.
26 So I will laugh when you are in trouble!
I will mock you when disaster overtakes you—
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster engulfs you like a cyclone,
and anguish and distress overwhelm you.
28 “When they cry for help, I will not answer.
Though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me.
29 For they hated knowledge
and chose not to fear the Lord.
30 They rejected my advice
and paid no attention when I corrected them.
31 Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way,
choking on their own schemes.
32 For simpletons turn away from me—to death.
Fools are destroyed by their own complacency.
33 But all who listen to me will live in peace,
untroubled by fear of harm.”
Source: New Living Translation: BibleGateway.com
We Respond
As we begin considering how to pray using the wisdom literature of the Bible, I recommend this video on the book of Proverbs from the Bible Project: https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/wisdom-proverbs/
The Introduction to Proverbs in the English Standard Version of the Holy Bible by Crossway 2005 was quite helpful in writing this blog. This collection of wise sayings, parental advice and comparison of wisdom and foolishness written between the tenth and the sixth centuries B.C. is amazingly relevant today.
Reflection: Consider the following questions regarding Proverbs 1:
1. What do these verses tell me about God?
2. What do these verses tell me about the human beings He created?
Here is one possible answer to each of these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit if there are any others for you personally to ponder.
Proverbs 1: 1-7
1. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.
2. People are foolish when they despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:8-19
1. God is a good father who instructs His children in how to have a good and happy life.
2. People, especially the young, can be led astray by those with evil intent.
Proverbs 1:20-33
1. God wants all people to search after and obtain wisdom; He makes it readily available to them in the Bible.
2. People who reject wisdom will suffer the consequences of their actions, while those who follow wisdom will be rewarded.
Prayer:
3. How might I pray regarding Proverbs 1?
Dear awesome creator LORD God, fearing You truly is the beginning or source of wisdom. Show me what that means. Please help me to gain wisdom as I study the book of Proverbs. I don’t want to be foolish and despise Your instruction. I acknowledge that if I do despise it, I will likely be led astray and suffer consequences; I much prefer to receive the rewards of living wisely. Help me to not just hear, read and study Your words but to memorize, meditate on (think about), and apply them in my daily life. Please help me to pass this knowledge and wisdom on to my children or other future generations. The more people turn to You for wisdom, the more people will live good lives and bring glory to Your name. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
4. What action does the LORD want me to take in response to Proverbs 1?
- I will look into what it means to fear the LORD.
- I will ask Father God to instruct me so that I can live a good and happy life.
- I will be alert to people who would lead me or my loved ones astray.
- I will claim the forgiveness won for me by Jesus’ death on the cross for my foolishness.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.