Life Lessons in Proverbs

A godly life is one lived in righteousness.

A righteous life is one lived according to God’s Word. Proverbs clearly describes the many blessings and benefits of living a just and righteous life.

• Know that the Lord blesses the home of the just. Therefore, pursue righteous living.
• Diligently keep your heart pure, your mouth from deceit, your eyes from straying from righteousness, and your feet on an established path that leads away from evil.
• Refrain from incessant talking; it will get you into trouble. Let the things you say be nourishing and encouraging to others.
• Pursue righteousness; it leads to life.
• Pray confidently, knowing that the Lord hears the prayer of the righteous.
• Consider, be concerned for the cause of the poor; this concern is the way of the righteous.

Being devoted to God involves giving daily of yourself, your possessions, your thoughts, your heart, and your decisions to the Lord. It implies a continuous intimacy with God—of knowing and being known by Him.

• Trust God, and know Him intimately.
• Acknowledge Him in all that you do, and He will make a clear way before you.
• Honor the Lord with the first and the best of all that belongs to you. When you do so, God will honor you with abundance and plenty for all of your needs (2 Cor. 9:6).

Holy living includes turning away from wickedness and evil. Proverbs clearly portrays the ruin that follows wickedness and sinful behavior in contrast to the blessing that comes to those who walk a holy and upright life before God.

• Walk away from the path of evil. Walk in the way of the righteous; your path will be clear and your future bright.
• Know that God sees all of the things that we do. Turn away from iniquity and sin; it will trap you and keep you captive like one who is bound with a strong rope.
• Do not get drunk. Drunkenness and gluttony will lead to poverty.
• Seek help immediately if you see these traits in yourself or in someone you love.

Learning to walk in the fear of the

Lord is learning to live in awe and reverence of God. It is foundational to our walk of faith. God is loving and full of grace and mercy; but He is also all-powerful, awesome, holy, righteous, and sovereign over all things. Walking in the fear of the Lord will bring great blessing to your life.

• Seek wisdom, instruction, and knowledge.
• Choose the fear of the Lord; it is the beginning point for all of these.
• Fear the Lord by rejecting evil, pride, and arrogance.
• Fear the Lord, and you will find strong confidence and a place of refuge and protection for your children. It will bring a fresh flow of life.
• Fear the Lord; it leads to life and satisfaction.
• Seek humility and the fear of the Lord; for by them come riches, honor, and life.

One of the primary themes of Proverbs is wisdom. The words “wisdom,” “wise,” and “understanding” occur more than 140 times. Wisdom is frequently contrasted with foolishness.

Wisdom brings life, blessing, honor, and the favor of God, while foolishness brings death, poverty, condemnation, and disgrace. Proverbs urges us to seek diligently and earnestly after wisdom.

• Listen, apply your heart, cry out for, seek, and search for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. They come from the Lord.
• Listen to and do not stray from this wise instruction: run; keep away from the adulterer and the prostitute. Do not allow your heart to be drawn to their ways. Remain faithfully devoted to the one you marry. Let the love of your spouse alone satisfy you.
• Receive the instruction of wisdom. Here wisdom is personified, enabling us to better understand its immeasurable greatness and value.
• Diligently seek God’s wisdom daily; for with wisdom comes life, blessing, favor from the Lord, wealth, joy, peace, and other benefits.
• Walk in the fear of the Lord. It is the beginning of wisdom.
• Walk in humility, for wisdom accompanies humility.
• Listen to wise counsel, and you will grow in wisdom. Only the fool does what is right in his own eyes.
• Value wisdom above gold and silver.

The knowledge of proverbs consists of more than information, facts and sense data. It is knowledge that begins with the fear of the LORD and is therefore godly knowledge that always includes HIM as the primary factor. Because of its divine source it comes with understanding implicit in it

• Seek out knowledge. Cherish it as a valued possession when you have found it
• Study GOD’s WORD and listen to the HOLY SPIRIT. Believe GOD’s prophets. Understand that these are the true sources of godly knowledge

Discipline involves both instruction and exercise designed to train in proper conduct or action. Punishment may also be inflicted as a means of correction

• Embrace the discipline of instruction and heed reproofs gladly. Realize that man is inclined to turn away from both.

Proverbs presents two categories of people. The wise or prudent and the fool, scoffer or mocker. The former seeks wisdom and loves instruction. The latter neglects discipline and spurns reproof. Also each can be characterized by his response to parental and other authority, the former bringing joy and delight, the latter bringing shame, disgrace and sadness. Proverbs exhorts its reader to become wise and despise the foolish and his folly

• Be careful in what you say.
• Measure every word.
• Do not speak unless it is important that you do so.
• Speak only in order to build up and strengthen.
• Be diligent in all your work
• Avoid any form of laziness.
• Serve those to whom your lot assigns you with gladness.
• Seek to please those under or for whom you work
• Be frugal in your handling of money.
• Practice good stewardship.
• Avoid being either a spendthrift or a miser.
• Learn the proper investment of time and substance.
• Do not consume un necessarily.
• Use do not abuse the things GOD gives you.

Perhaps biblical wisdom most significantly challenges our modern philosophies and practices of childrearing

• Train children to honor authority, obey and follow instruction.
• Discourage rebellion, stubbornness, and disobedience
• Practice consistent discipline and corporal correction in rearing children