January 4; Proverbs Chapter 4:1-4
Christians looking for a simple way to review the Bible regularly have long been convenienced by the fact that the book of Proverbs has 31 chapters. Each chapter includes multiple bite-sized verses (uhm, proverbs) and can be read through simply in one sitting, one appropriately numbered chapter per day through a month. My simple mind balks at the idea of trying this pattern in any month with less than 31 days (It just does, all right?), but there are 7 months every year that are suitable for the effort.
My idea here is to share about 1/7 of the verses of each day's chapter on my blog throughout this year, every time a 31 day month pops up, along with a few comments from The Barking Owl. So in January, we will get through the first few verses of every chapter and then in March, the next group, so that by the time December comes around we can finally get to the last set of verses in each chapter and complete the book's reading. If you are smarter than I am, you will read the whole chapter related to each day, every 31 day month, and then you will have read the whole book 7 times this year! By then you are guaranteed to be wiser than Solomon AND The Barking Owl together!
Proverbs 4:1-4
1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction;
pay attention and gain understanding.
2 I give you sound learning,
so do not forsake my teaching.
3 For I too was a son to my father,
still tender, and cherished by my mother.
4 Then he taught me, and he said to me,
“Take hold of my words with all your heart;
keep my commands, and you will live.
I can feel the urgency, and the frustration, in Solomon's voice here. What more does a man want than to see his own children do well? And yet, what more does a growing son want than to find out for himself if his wacky dad knows up from down?
Solomon is literally pleading with his sons to listen. And he seems to be even testifying that when his father wanted to pass on the wisdom of the ages, he, Solomon DID listen. Not sure telling your son that YOU were a 'goody two-shoes' really impresses him, but...we gotta try. Whether Solomon did listen to his Dad (King David) or not, eventually he came to the point of admitting that his Dad was right, as most young men do, and when God later asked him what he wanted above all else he answered, WISDOM!
Christians looking for a simple way to review the Bible regularly have long been convenienced by the fact that the book of Proverbs has 31 chapters. Each chapter includes multiple bite-sized verses (uhm, proverbs) and can be read through simply in one sitting, one appropriately numbered chapter per day through a month. My simple mind balks at the idea of trying this pattern in any month with less than 31 days (It just does, all right?), but there are 7 months every year that are suitable for the effort.
My idea here is to share about 1/7 of the verses of each day's chapter on my blog throughout this year, every time a 31 day month pops up, along with a few comments from The Barking Owl. So in January, we will get through the first few verses of every chapter and then in March, the next group, so that by the time December comes around we can finally get to the last set of verses in each chapter and complete the book's reading. If you are smarter than I am, you will read the whole chapter related to each day, every 31 day month, and then you will have read the whole book 7 times this year! By then you are guaranteed to be wiser than Solomon AND The Barking Owl together!Proverbs 4:1-4
1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction;
pay attention and gain understanding.
2 I give you sound learning,
so do not forsake my teaching.
3 For I too was a son to my father,
still tender, and cherished by my mother.
4 Then he taught me, and he said to me,
“Take hold of my words with all your heart;
keep my commands, and you will live.
I can feel the urgency, and the frustration, in Solomon's voice here. What more does a man want than to see his own children do well? And yet, what more does a growing son want than to find out for himself if his wacky dad knows up from down?
Solomon is literally pleading with his sons to listen. And he seems to be even testifying that when his father wanted to pass on the wisdom of the ages, he, Solomon DID listen. Not sure telling your son that YOU were a 'goody two-shoes' really impresses him, but...we gotta try. Whether Solomon did listen to his Dad (King David) or not, eventually he came to the point of admitting that his Dad was right, as most young men do, and when God later asked him what he wanted above all else he answered, WISDOM!
Very insightful. I agree and would be willing to bet that Solomon did not listen to David until later in life. Most kids learn late. I know I did. Excellent post!
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