Proverbs

Quite a few years ago, one of my summer jobs while I was going to college was to work for my hometown of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio in their “beautification” department. I was looking forward to a summer full of mowing lawns, weeding flower beds, and trimming shrubs.

Unfortunately, one of the drawbacks I soon encountered in my job was that I had to work with some pretty rough guys. Since I was assigned to work at the Electric Department Building from 7:30 – 4:00 each day, I spent 40 hours a week around some of the most profane people I have ever met in my life! Rainy days were the worst, since I could not go outside to mow. I was stuck inside for eight hours a day, organizing the shelves of supplies that the men needed for their bucket trucks, constantly exposed to their crude conversations as they bragged and laughed about cheating on their wives and drinking their weekends away.

But twice a day, I had breaks in the “lounge” (an old sofa in the corner of the ladies’ restroom) where I could retreat and read my Bible. Someone had given me a New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs, and that summer, I fell in love with the book of Proverbs! God’s Word adjusted my perspective back to the truth each day, reminding me that God’s way is the right way, and God always has the last word.

Have you discovered the joy of reading the book of Proverbs? Interestingly, it has 31 chapters—making it the perfect book to read through each month, one chapter a day! The book of Revelation tells us about heaven, but Proverbs (the “book of wisdom”) tells us about earth—and how to live down here God’s way. It covers topics like debt, child discipline, the importance of a good work ethic, sexual purity, alcohol, jealousy, lying, stealing, marriage, and dozens of other practical topics that meet us right where we all live each day.

I hope you will consider adding a “Proverb a day” to your Bible reading habit. Praying for you this week as you serve our King!