A Study in Proverbs.

Well I've decided to read a chapter in Proverbs each day and study on it. I thought I would try to do this every day hopefully and share with you my reflections about the chapter and what I've been learning as I study. Here goes:

Proverbs 1

The purpose of Proverbs is for the reader to know wisdom and instruction. For the naive to know prudence so that they are not easily misled or influenced as well as knowledge and discretion. From this book we should increase in learning and acquire wise counsel from the book of Proverbs.

The theme and/or motto is that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Proverbs 1:7)

It says that fools despise wisdom and instruction. When I think of this it reminds me of a child/teenager who tend to want to do anything their own way as most teenagers often do. They think they know it all and don't need advice. They want to do things their own way and tend to not care about what their parents have said is the right thing to do, being defiant of their parents. The Lord says that these people are fools. We would do better to listen to our parents counsel and would not be considered a fool in the Lord's eyes.

This is just what the Lord has shown me through the first seven verses of Proverbs 1. What a wonderful book of the Bible. Full of wisdom and instruction and good advice. If we all actually read it and not just remember it in our minds but also write it on our hearts through memorization just think how much wiser and better off we would all be if we actually did it.

The first section of verses is talking about how we(the son) should avoid bad company. Sometimes I think we can think we are in good company and end up being misled/led in the wrong direction and end up realizing later on that what we thought was great company was actually bad company. I have seen this play out in one of my sisters life last year and because of that company there was strife in the home. There no longer is that strife as there once was because through certain events she realized that she wasn't in as great group of company that she thought.

Proverbs 1:8 says "Hear my son, your father's instruction, And do not forsake you mother's teaching."

This verse seems to talk a lot about obedience. Always be listening to your parents for they are much wiser than you and have more experience then you've had as well. When I see the word "Hear" in this verse, I think it means listen, pay close attention to, and obey.

Proverbs 1:10 says "My son if sinners entice you, Do not consent."

The way of sinners make look attractive but we should not listen to them because the path they walk on only leads to destruction. We may gain momentary pleasure from it but is that what really matters? To be happy and have pleasure in this life? No of course not!

Mark 8:36 says "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?"

It profits him nothing. He can not profit anything in comparison to eternal life and salvation.

Another thing that Proverbs 1:10 made me think of was that we should never compromise our convictions. Though a lot of times we as followers of Christ can do that. People can compromise their convictions all the time. It isn't that hard to do. People pressured by their friends can be led to compromise their convictions to do something that they would not normally like to do or not feel comfortable or good doing. Stand by your convictions and never compromise your faith and/or convictions for anything.

"My son do not walk in the way with them. Keep your feet from their path, For their feet run to evil,"

The main thing in verses 20-33 is to always heed wisdom's advice. The first five verses in this section remind me of an open air preacher.

Proverbs 1:20-25 says:
20Wisdom shouts in the street,
She lifts her voice in the square;
21At the head of the noisy streets she cries out;
At the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings:
22"How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded?
And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing
And fools hate knowledge?
23"Turn to my reproof,
Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.
24"Because I called and you refused,
I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention;
25And you neglected all my counsel
And did not want my reproof;

This reminds me very much of an open air preacher but in this case it is not a man who is called wisdom but a lady who is wisdom. I find this to be interesting because there are some people that would say and think that women shouldn't be preaching in the open air. I disagree and think these verses could be an example to lady's open airing. This is just what I think based off what I see in these five short verses but will have to study about this more for I am growing and maturing in my faith. Only 9 years old in my faith currently.

So this is what I have learned and gleaned in just the first chapter in Proverbs. A total of only 33 verses. I hope this has caused you to think and will spur you on to studying God's Word more.

I can't wait to share with you what I learn and glean from the rest of the chapters in Proverbs.