“These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel. Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise. Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair” (Proverbs 1:1-3 NLT).
The Book of Proverbs contains the God-given wisdom of Solomon. It promises to teach people “wisdom, discipline and understanding.” But not only wisdom to think rightly, but to do “what is right, just and fair.” Wisdom has the good judgment to rightly apply knowledge and experience. Discipline has the insight to be led by wisdom rather than desire. Understanding has a deeper comprehension of knowledge, so that it is able to know and explain a thing simply.
Conveniently, the Book of Proverbs has 31 chapters, so if one reads a chapter a day, it can be read through 12 times a year. That’s 12 times closer to being wise than when the year began!
Yet, the deepest wisdom is to know Christ. As the apostle Paul wrote, “But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:24).
PRAYER: Dear Father, we want to live by Your wisdom, rather than our own. For Your wisdom leads to life and blessing. Help us to grow in wisdom this year as we grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. For it is in His name we pray, amen.