The Bible is actually 66 installments written over a period of 1600 years by more than 40 authors in three languages that have been seamlessly assembled without error or contradiction into one cohesive volume with a logical beginning and ending telling us one story about one person - Jesus Christ.
I remember the first time I set out to read the Bible. I treated it as a novel. I started at the front and was determined to read it through to the end. I really didn't get very far at all. I started stumbling over the names and the family genealogy. I was actually thinking that each of the names were characters that would be referred to later and that I needed to understand how they were related and where they were from. Needless to say, it wasn't long before I set the Bible down and didn't pick it back up for years...
I remember the first time I set out to read the Bible. I treated it as a novel. I started at the front and was determined to read it through to the end. I really didn't get very far at all. I started stumbling over the names and the family genealogy. I was actually thinking that each of the names were characters that would be referred to later and that I needed to understand how they were related and where they were from. Needless to say, it wasn't long before I set the Bible down and didn't pick it back up for years...
If only someone would have guided me through this common problem. I probably would have built a better foundation for my life earlier in my life. Instead, I struggled through life not really understanding that the Bible had the answers I needed. If only I knew how to use it. It wasn't until much later that someone guided me to specific areas in the Bible that helped me find the guidance I needed. It was the first step to beginning to really explore the Bible. Now, when I meet with others to discuss taking that first step to reading the Bible, I point them to a section that I found to be VERY helpful.
My shepherd pointed out to me that what I really needed was a discussion with the wisest person that has every lived. I remember saying "Yeah, if only..." He then introduced me to the wisest person who ever lived... King Solomon. I had no idea! When Solomon became king he asked God for wisdom. He knew that there was a vast difference between "knowledge" and "wisdom". We can build our knowledge through books and classes, but if we don't know how to apply our knowledge effectively, then it is of no value. Wisdom gives us the ability to apply what we know to our lives.
Solomon wrote hundreds of practical examples of how to live according to godly wisdom. These little tidbits were grouped into the book of Proverbs. Some would argue that the concerns of Solomon's time are not the same concerns of today. After all, as a society we are much more knowledgeable than the people of Solomon's time. This may be true, but remember knowledge is not wisdom. We may be more knowledgeable, but we are not WISER.
Amazingly, most of these saying have been handed down through the generations. We sometimes hear them referred to as "old wives tales" which just refers to matriarchs sharing their knowledge. But in fact these sayings originated from the Bible, more specifically from the wisest person that ever lived. I encourage everyone to start here.
The book of Proverbs is divided up into 31 chapters and most months have either 30 or 31 days in them (thanks February!). I recommend reading a chapter a day for at least a couple of months and then see how your life has been impacted. I've heard this referred to as "The Proverbs Challenge".
So let's take this first step together as we begin this new year. As we read through the chapters and verses, we can post some of the verses that hit home with us and tell why it impacted us so greatly.
I look forward to hearing from you!
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