Proverbs - Summer 08

In the past few years I have chosen a book from Scripture that I will study and meditate on over the summer months and I have really enjoyed the longer and more intentional time of reading that this allows. Last summer I read the book of Genesis and read Tremper Longman's helpful intro appropriately named "How to Read Genesis" beforehand. I really enjoyed my reading of Genesis and can't think of a more profound story anywhere in the universe than what is recorded there.

This summer I have chosen to spend time on the Proverbs and found out that Tremper Longman has a book "How to Read Proverbs" as well which is sweet!

I've chosen Proverbs for a few reasons. First, as Longman says in the intro to his book, life is difficult. It truly takes wisdom to live in a way that is right, not just in the ethical sense, but in a way that continues on the road that God has for us, or what Jesus calls "abundant life". We face so many decisions and choices in our lives, many of which have lifelong consequences. Life is too short to live without wisdom.

A second reason sprung from a conversation I had with a professor this past semester. We were speaking of difficult people and how they tend to bring out the worst even in the best of people and how it is so easy to lose your patience and say things that are not helpful. I am the king of this, but not just with difficult people, sometimes with ANY people! If you need a specific example (there are a plethora), just ask Devin Vaughn about the time (not long ago) where I lost my mind while playing Settlers of Catan and accused him of cheating for not good reason. (We have since decided it best for our friendship to take a break from the game). I can look back at my life and point out several times when I spouted off my mouth and regretted it later (unfortunately so can others). There are times when I have a quick trigger and I would like to lengthen the fuse a couple of feet.

In any case my professor confesses to have the same problem and said one of the more helpful things he ever did was to meditate on the Proverbs and allow them to shape his thinking.

I found how Longman explained wisdom interesting: “Wisdom is the skill of living. It is a practical knowledge that helps one know how to act and how to speak in different situations. Wisdom entails the ability to avoid problems, and the skill to handle them when they present themselves. Wisdom also includes the ability to interpret other people’s speech and writing in order to react correctly to what they are saying to us.” Longman 14-15

I could use a little more of all of that!