Themes of Proverbs

WISDOM

God wants his people to be wise. Two kinds of people portray two contrasting paths of life. The fool is the wicked, stubborn person who hates or ignores God. The wise person seeks to know and love God.

When we choose God’s way, he grants us wisdom. His Word, the Bible, leads us to live right, have right relationships, and make right decisions.

RELATIONSHIPS

Proverbs gives us advice for developing our personal relationships with friends, family members, and co-workers. In every relationship, we must show love, dedication, and high moral standards.

To relate to people, we need consistency, tact, and discipline to use the wisdom God gives us. If we don’t treat others according to the wisdom God gives, our relationships will suffer.

SPEECH

What we say shows our real attitude toward others. How we talk reveals what we’re really like. Our speech is a test of how wise we have become.

To be wise in our speech we need to use self-control. Our words should be honest and well chosen.

WORK

God controls the final outcome of all we do. We are accountable to carry out our work with diligence and discipline, not laziness.

Because God evaluates how we live, we should work purposefully. We must never be lax or self-satisfied in using our skills.

SUCCESS

Although people work very hard for money and fame, God views success as having a good reputation, moral character, and the spiritual devotion to obey him.

A successful relationship with God counts for eternity. Everything else is perishable. All our resources, time, and talents come from God. We should strive to use them wisely.