5 Lessons from Reading Proverbs

This month I am reading The Book of Proverbs. Twice. Why?

On January 1, I will start The Way of Wisdom: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Book of Proverbs, by Timothy Keller. I have had the book since spring and have dipped into it now and again, but as it is a dated devotional starting on the first of the year, I have been waiting for the New Year to begin it properly.

In preparation, I wanted to familiarise myself with The Book of Proverbs and decided to go through it twice at the end of this year before starting the devotional in the New Year. Read on for 5 Lessons from Reading Proverbs.

I was drawn to The Way of Wisdom because it covers Proverbs thematically and encourages daily reflection and application of the wisdom therein.

5 Lessons from Reading Proverbs

To borrow a literary device from Proverbs, here are four things I have learned from reading Proverbs, five things reading this book of wisdom has taught me:

1. The Power of Planning:

The first few chapters and the last one, Proverbs 31, were all familiar to me. I am familiar with Proverbs 31 through reading it, listening to sermons, and reading about it. Although I have read through The Book of Proverbs on more than one occasion, I suppose I have read the first few chapters quite a few more times than the rest due to starting it several times but not completing it. I felt challenged by this and considered ways to address it. I know I am more likely to finish what I have started when I can easily keep track of it.

Using Bible Reading Plans helps me stick to more systematic Bible reading than I have become used to recently. I enjoy studying words and themes in the Bible and have not committed to reading through the books of the Bible for some time. Since I prefer physical Bible Reading Plans, as they minimise the use of potentially distracting electronic devices during my Bible reading time, I created a trifold Bible Reading Plan for Proverbs which I can fold in 3 and keep it in my Bible as a reminder and a record. Bible Reading Plans are a record of my intention as well as a method to track my progress.

I would love to share this with you. Soon you will be able to download and print the Proverbs in 12 Days Bible Reading Plan I used to go through Proverbs in 12 days. A Proverbs in 30 Days Bible Reading Plan will also be available.

2. The Power of Purpose:

The wisest man, King Solomon, opened the collection of proverbs and wsidom poetry by telling us the purpose of documenting proverbs. See Proverbs 1:1-7. He could have jumped right in and it would have been possible for commentators and interested readers alike to determine the collection's purpose. It struck me, therefore, that purpose is important to wise people. I believe that we should be actively seeking God about the purpose of our earthly lives, the purpose of the season we are in, the purpose of our interests and desires, and so on. We would do well to record and regularly review the answers we receive to make sure our lives line up with God's purpose. When we are clear about our purpose we make better decisions and can more easily determine what to say yes and no to. Purpose should be a primary consideration of every believer. God does everything for a purpose and God is the wisest of all.

At the end of a calendar year, we often think about what we want to achieve in the year ahead. It is the ideal time to also consider why; to enquire about God's purpose and examine our motives. We may find that as we do so some of our plans for the future shift.

3. The Power of Pondering:

The Book of Proverbs is for pondering. As I read 2 or 3 chapters per day, I found myself pausing frequently and rereading verses before moving on. This meant it took longer to read than the word count would suggest. This pondering is necessary. It is important to consider what each verse means and what it means for me. I must ask myself how I can apply it and make sure that my decisions and actions are filtered through the Word of God.

Whilst it is possible to read from Proverbs chapters 1 to 31 in under 2 hours, the benefit of quickly reading through Proverbs once, ticking it off and moving on, may be limited. Many people read a chapter of Proverbs daily because it means the 31-chapter book can be read through every month (usually), with each chapter taking 2 to 4 minutes. Taking time to ponder and journal thoughts and inspirations after each reading is time well spent because it leads to understanding.

Jesus illustrated the importance of understanding with the Parable of the Sower. In Matthew 13:23 we see that understanding the Word of God, not just hearing it, is key to fruitfulness. If we want the Word of God to bear fruit in our lives we must take time to understand it. Reading Proverbs slowly, contemplatively, intentionally, and prayerfully, and meditating on the themes and individual verses, is vital to developing this understanding and not forgetting what we read.

4. The Power to Profit:

Wisdom is very profitable. I don't just mean financially, I mean in every area of life. There are so many benefits to wisdom! Proverbs 3:13-18 lists some, but there are others throughout the book.

However, Proverbs also tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (see Proverbs 9:10). If we want wisdom or to profit from wisdom we must begin by acknowledging God and making Him the centre of our lives. We cannot see ourselves or our needs as the centre of our world. Proverbs 15:33 tells us that it is the fear of the Lord that teaches us about wisdom and that the humility that comes from recognising our place compared to God's is required for us to honour Him and be honoured by Him.

5. The Power of Pursuing Wisdom:

Wisdom is not something to merely desire, it is something to constantly and intentionally strive for because it is attainable to those who pursue it. The layout of the book presents each reader with an opportunity for the pursuit of wisdom. Will we, the readers, dig into it and consider what God is saying about specific topics? Will we, for example, go through it and colour code or write out all the verses on specific themes such as life versus death, good versus evil, righteousness versus wickedness, or wisdom versus folly and then consider what they teach us? Will we consider how Proverbs relates to the rest of the Bible and ask the Holy Spirit to use it to reveal something about Jesus as we read? Will we actively engage in the pursuit of wisdom by seeking to understand what it means to fear the Lord before modifying our actions and attitudes accordingly?

I am reading Proverbs through twice this month, but I am pursuing wisdom daily as I reread, reflect and study this beautiful book. Why don't you join me?

Blessing in Action: 5 Lessons from Reading Proverbs