It’s here! The day when we can actually dive into Proverbs 1. You’ve put in some seriously hard work over the last week, and now you’re so much more fit to dive into studying this book verse by verse.

But I want to say something about the structure of our study before we jump in. Usually, you and I would study verse by verse through a book of the Bible. We’d take it one sequential verse at a time. But the book of Proverbs is unique, and its structure requires a unique approach. As we learned last week, the book of Proverbs is a compilation of wise sayings. Because of this, verses don't build upon the ones before. Instead, wisdom about various topics is scattered throughout the book, sometimes in entire chapters on one topic (like the virtuous woman in chapter 31) and sometimes in seemingly “random” order.

So this is how we will approach this study: 

We are going to study the characters that are described throughout the book of Proverbs. Each day of the next several weeks, your task is going to be a simple one. You will read one chapter of Proverbs, and make notes on any characters you find in that chapter. Simple enough? By the end of this study, you will have a portrait of each of the 38 characters in the book of Proverbs. You’ll be able to articulate what they are like and what they do. You will have everything you need to seek to emulate the godly characters and identify the ungodly.

You won’t do it alone! I’ll jump in each day with an exegetical insight that will help you better understand how the wisdom of this book applies to everyday life as a follower of Jesus. This book has a purpose: to teach us how to walk in wisdom! Together, we’ll learn how to take the wisdom of God’s Word in faith and live it out in lives of wisdom.

One more quick thing:

Wisdom comes by saturation. That’s why the book of Proverbs repeats itself so many times! To grow in wisdom, we need to soak ourselves in it; we need to saturate our minds with the wisdom of God! We’ve said from the very beginning that this book isn’t about having the right answers, but about becoming the kind of people who walk in God’s wisdom. Which means this process of growing in wisdom is going to take time! Don’t expect easy solutions or quick answers. Take it slow, soak it in – this is how you’ll grow in wisdom.

I’ve been studying this book every day for months. Before I even sat down to write this study, before this study was even a thought in my mind, I was living in Proverbs every day, because I needed to grow in wisdom in my personal life. In these pages, I’ve learned so much about how to do this; in particular, I’ve grown in making wise decisions as guided by the wisdom of Proverbs.

So for those of us who are eager to grow in the application of wisdom even while we “soak” in it, I’m also including weekly videos in which I share biblical principles I’ve learned for wise decision-making. Specifically, I’m going to share the six questions I ask before making big, and even small, decisions. These videos aren’t based off of one specific verse or passage in Proverbs, but are the result of soaking in this book over the long haul.

Okay ... enough context. Let’s get to work.

Read Proverbs 1 without taking any notes.

Read Proverbs 1 again, and this time, make notes on your Character Overview any time a character is referenced. 

The book of Proverbs causes us to crave wisdom. It makes us desire to be wise. If your appetite isn’t provoked just yet, don’t worry – we’re just getting started! The entire book lauds wisdom so much that, in a few days, you’ll be erupting: I WANT THIS WISDOM! 

Here’s something we learn about God in chapter 1: he makes wisdom available to everyone. Verses 20-21 depict wisdom as a person (this is Lady Wisdom! Did you add her to your Character Overview?), and she’s crying out to everyone: "come and get wisdom."

The wisdom of God isn’t reserved for the wealthy or the popular, the distinguished or the smart, the beautiful or the influential. It is available to all. That’s just who God is.

If, throughout this study, you find yourself craving wisdom, take encouragement from the book of James, which reminds us that, if anyone is lacking wisdom, they should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault. This is a glimpse at the character of God; his wisdom isn’t reserved for those who prove themselves or for those who believe themselves to be worthy: it is for those who come to him and ask.

PRAY & REFLECT

Thank God that he doesn’t ask you to prove yourself to him. Thank him that he has made his wisdom available to everyone without finding fault. Do you need wisdom? Ask him.