Proverbs to Start the Year off Right

A few things you probably already know about the Book of Proverbs:

There are 31 chapters--one for every day of the month. Whatever the date is, read the corresponding chapter. The verses may seem random and not tied together by any theme, but you will likely find that at some point in the day, one of thoses verses will come in handy. That's how God cares for us.

The book was written by Solomon, the son of King David by Bathsheba--that's a whole other story. But Solomon was the wisest and richest man to ever live. His wisdom is legendary, and he would be worth trillions of dollars in today's economy. (See how those go together...wise and rich, rich and wise?) He was wise with the wisdom of God, not the world, having asked God for wisdom when he first ascended the throne, likely when he was 19-20, some say even as young as 14. God said that because he had asked for wisdom, he would also gain riches.

What I just learned about King Solomon's writings:

The word 'proverb' has a deeper meaning than I realized. The standard definition is "a brief popular epigram or maxim," "a wise saying or precept," and dictionary.com designates "a profound saying, maxim, or oracular utterance requiring interpretation" as the 'Biblical' definition. But have you ever heard, "Define the Bible by the Bible"? Well, in the Passion Translation, Proverbs 1, the prologue or explanatory chapter, says this:

Here are kingdom revelations, words to live by, and words of wisdom given to

empower you to reign in life, written as proverbs by Israel's King Solomon, David's son.

Read Proverbs 1 in your favorite version of the Bible, and compare it to the above. You may have to look up a little Hebrew, but you'll find that first sentence of the book (Passion Translation) encapsulates what the rest of the chapter spells out.

So, a Biblical proverb is a kingdom revelation that empowers you to reign in this life. Suddenly, reading Proverbs sounds more enticing, doesn't it?