The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting January 8th on Proverbs 8:1-5

January 8;  Proverbs 8, Verses 1-5

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, the same number as most of our months.  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 the 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 reprint about 1/7 of the verses of each day's chapter throughout this year, every time a 31 day month pops up, and offer 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 (is there any doubt?), you will read the whole chapter every 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 The Barking Owl at least, though no one will ever match the wisdom of Solomon!

[All Bible passages are from the NIV, and are copied from www.Biblegateway.com]

PROVERBS 8

¹ Does not wisdom call out? 
   Does not understanding raise her voice? 
² At the highest point along the way, 
   where the paths meet, she takes her stand; 
³ beside the gate leading into the city, 
   at the entrance, she cries aloud: 
⁴ “To you, O people, I call out; 
   I raise my voice to all mankind. 
⁵ You who are simple, gain prudence; 
   you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.


 How often do we wrestle with a decision, when we are fully aware of the obvious answer?  Wisdom is 'calling out' in such a case, but we are listening instead to some other more self-serving voice.  One which doesn't care about our long term welfare, as wisdom does.


Wisdom must raise her voice.  If the TV isn't turned up too loud, our attention is probably focused on a video game, a website or a rotten novel.  Maybe we have earbuds shutting out her cries because we must be entertained by something all the time.  We might do well to shut it all off for a few minutes every day, and listen.  What is wisdom saying to you?