More Than Good Advice

As my church has been going through a sermon series on the book of Proverbs, I've been reading a chapter a day. (It works out grand because there are 31 days in July, and guess how many chapters in Proverbs? Why yes! 31 exactly.) My view of the book has been that it's a collection of random sayings that are slightly more inspired than the Chinese proverbs, or quotable quips from classic authors. The Proverbs, in my eyes, were God's how-to's for sticky situations and social scenarios.

However, upon reading them this time around and hearing the book preached on each week, I've come to hold a different view of the Proverbs. This inspired book is more than the good advice I gave it credit for. It's a portrayal of wisdom: who she is, what she looks like, and how to win her.

There are so many things in life I enjoy... financial security, a stable home, physical health, the approval of others, and friends and family. Yet walking through the day to day with all those things isn't the ultimate goal. No matter how many blessings I experience in life, there is still something more worth acquiring than security, stability, and stuff: wisdom.

A pastor described wisdom as the ability to navigate life in a God-honoring way. The more I think about it, the more I am convinced that wisdom is an important spiritual characteristic as well as being straightforward and down-to-earth help. For example, Proverbs 3:30 says:

"Do not contend with a man for no reason, when he has done you no harm."

In one verse, God points me to spiritual character (patience, self-control, and joy) as well as a practical follow-through (don't become irritated with someone with no cause--a lesson I could work on from now until I'm 100 years old!).

 Navigating life is tricky... and my life is pretty simple compared to the experiences that many go through. If I desire to develop tact, grace, and a God-honoring way of living, I better be seeking wisdom. And for that, Proverbs is a good place to start.