I just cannot express clearly the depth of wisdom and joy that fill my soul from this book. It is an amazing storehouse of observations, insights, clues, hints, humor, warnings, consolations and directives. They are almost all in small couplets, with half a verse introducing a thought, and the other half finishing it out, either with explanation, contrast or some other pithy way of driving a peg into your thoughts and hanging a concept on it.
I memorized chapters 10-20 as a young man, and do not know why I abandoned that practice. I would have been a much wiser, much less scarred and bruised, much calmer and centered man had I kept those going. I used to walk across campus at UofA with 3x5 index cards, reviewing them and sensing the presence, power, love and the AWE of God. I find that this still is the picture. Rather than beat myself up for my stupidity, foolishness, and errant nonsense, I believe God is happy to say "well, son, lets get back on the horse... I have lots of stuff for you now and I am not interested in thrashing you about it... I think you have enough marks on you already and don't need more from Me." If you are motivated, here are a couple of hints that have helped me:
1) 31 days in a month. 31 chapters of proverbs. You can cover them all in a month. (Billy Graham's "quiet time" or devotionals consisted of 5 psalms-150 of those so they fit the monthly stuff- and a proverb).. just to say, we would be in good company here
2) I find it astounding to hear the "echoes" of proverbs in the teachings of Jesus. Stuff I have read a million times in the gospels are illuminated, enhanced, and highlighted by proverbs. It is impossible not to say "wow, this is SO similar." It gives me a strange pleasure to picture Jesus as a young boy/man reviewing these, praying over them, thinking about them, and then having them just bust out in His teaching. That perspective also helps me avoid a "danger" of proverbs which is just thinking they are a manual for me to do, rather than see them as how a man who believes THE GOSPEL will live. All the difference in the world, there.
3) It was proverbs that taught me what the bible means when it promises blessing for those who "meditate" on His word (day and night). The arrangement of the book into little self contained "thoughts" which are compact, riddle-like, and often confusing NATURALLY LEADS YOU TO PICK THEM APART and examine them more closely. That is, it leads you to THINK about them. When you do that, and combine that with prayers (help me be like this because I am not, thank you for your kingly rule, man, but I am stupid in my goals here, please change them, help me develop these character qualities) of asking, celebrating, redirection, and worship.. this is the mental process which "cuts a groove" in our mental state and actually rewires our brains and entire being. These little sayings are designed to help YOUNG BOYS AND MEN especially learn HOW to "meditate" on Scripture. "Meditate" is not the eastern concept of clearing the mind of everything, (I am not dogging on that idea, by the way) but rather focusing intently on basic truth and allowing it to fill our minds. It is THE ONE promised path to blessing, contentment, wholesome goodness, stability wisdom and a balanced, happy life.
4) Finally, it hammers over and over on the one thing we need, and yet ignore and/or recoil from, which is a constant sense of the watchful presence of God over us. The older testament phrase for this is the "fear of the Lord" which is in some ways unfortunate, as it reinforces the false idea of God's people constantly walking around cringing in terror that God is going to lay down the hammer on us and then finally cast us into hell if we don't get our act together. It is weird, because that IS in fact a (perverted) element of the fear of God. A healthy awareness of a cosmic eternal judge who constantly sees every thought, action, desire and secret of ours is a good thing (Jesus thought so, anyway!). However, the "fear of God" is a happy sweetness of joy and comfort that the eternal God who made all and rules all is not distant, but eager to be involved in every single element of my life. Only the gospel message can bring this, and the OT people of God had the gospel, just as we do... just in types, shapes, images, foreshadowings and pictures.
I liken it to being in love with the woman who became my wife. In the early days, I did not even have to verbally speak with her about everything..... I just wanted her to be WITH me. Crap, I even enjoyed going shopping for clothes with her (that did not last long!), I was just so thirsty for her presence. You know the same thing if you have a good friend. You just like being around them, and don't even have to speak. Sometimes just working on similar projects in proximity is somehow more satisfying. That is a poor picture, I know, but the idea is of a whole universe of GOD being present in everything... this is the "fear of God" and is the very beginning and essence of what the bible calls "wisdom" in life.
Hope that long rambling helps someone. It helped me to write it out.
I memorized chapters 10-20 as a young man, and do not know why I abandoned that practice. I would have been a much wiser, much less scarred and bruised, much calmer and centered man had I kept those going. I used to walk across campus at UofA with 3x5 index cards, reviewing them and sensing the presence, power, love and the AWE of God. I find that this still is the picture. Rather than beat myself up for my stupidity, foolishness, and errant nonsense, I believe God is happy to say "well, son, lets get back on the horse... I have lots of stuff for you now and I am not interested in thrashing you about it... I think you have enough marks on you already and don't need more from Me." If you are motivated, here are a couple of hints that have helped me:
1) 31 days in a month. 31 chapters of proverbs. You can cover them all in a month. (Billy Graham's "quiet time" or devotionals consisted of 5 psalms-150 of those so they fit the monthly stuff- and a proverb).. just to say, we would be in good company here
2) I find it astounding to hear the "echoes" of proverbs in the teachings of Jesus. Stuff I have read a million times in the gospels are illuminated, enhanced, and highlighted by proverbs. It is impossible not to say "wow, this is SO similar." It gives me a strange pleasure to picture Jesus as a young boy/man reviewing these, praying over them, thinking about them, and then having them just bust out in His teaching. That perspective also helps me avoid a "danger" of proverbs which is just thinking they are a manual for me to do, rather than see them as how a man who believes THE GOSPEL will live. All the difference in the world, there.
3) It was proverbs that taught me what the bible means when it promises blessing for those who "meditate" on His word (day and night). The arrangement of the book into little self contained "thoughts" which are compact, riddle-like, and often confusing NATURALLY LEADS YOU TO PICK THEM APART and examine them more closely. That is, it leads you to THINK about them. When you do that, and combine that with prayers (help me be like this because I am not, thank you for your kingly rule, man, but I am stupid in my goals here, please change them, help me develop these character qualities) of asking, celebrating, redirection, and worship.. this is the mental process which "cuts a groove" in our mental state and actually rewires our brains and entire being. These little sayings are designed to help YOUNG BOYS AND MEN especially learn HOW to "meditate" on Scripture. "Meditate" is not the eastern concept of clearing the mind of everything, (I am not dogging on that idea, by the way) but rather focusing intently on basic truth and allowing it to fill our minds. It is THE ONE promised path to blessing, contentment, wholesome goodness, stability wisdom and a balanced, happy life.
4) Finally, it hammers over and over on the one thing we need, and yet ignore and/or recoil from, which is a constant sense of the watchful presence of God over us. The older testament phrase for this is the "fear of the Lord" which is in some ways unfortunate, as it reinforces the false idea of God's people constantly walking around cringing in terror that God is going to lay down the hammer on us and then finally cast us into hell if we don't get our act together. It is weird, because that IS in fact a (perverted) element of the fear of God. A healthy awareness of a cosmic eternal judge who constantly sees every thought, action, desire and secret of ours is a good thing (Jesus thought so, anyway!). However, the "fear of God" is a happy sweetness of joy and comfort that the eternal God who made all and rules all is not distant, but eager to be involved in every single element of my life. Only the gospel message can bring this, and the OT people of God had the gospel, just as we do... just in types, shapes, images, foreshadowings and pictures.
I liken it to being in love with the woman who became my wife. In the early days, I did not even have to verbally speak with her about everything..... I just wanted her to be WITH me. Crap, I even enjoyed going shopping for clothes with her (that did not last long!), I was just so thirsty for her presence. You know the same thing if you have a good friend. You just like being around them, and don't even have to speak. Sometimes just working on similar projects in proximity is somehow more satisfying. That is a poor picture, I know, but the idea is of a whole universe of GOD being present in everything... this is the "fear of God" and is the very beginning and essence of what the bible calls "wisdom" in life.
Hope that long rambling helps someone. It helped me to write it out.
