Proverb: The Thoughts of an Ancient King

Orchids Galore, Ginter Botanical Garden.  Copyright 2012: singeronthesand

These are the wise sayings of Solomon,

David's son, Israel's king,

written down so we'll know how to live well and right,

to understand what life means and where it's going; 

a manual for living,

for learning what's right and just and fair,

to teach the inexperienced the ropes

and give our young people a grasp on reality.

There's something here also for seasoned men and women,

still a thing or two for the experienced to learn-

fresh wisdom to probe and penetrate,

the rhymes and reasons of wise men and women.

Proverbs 1:1-7

Eugene Peterson's The Message, the Bible in contemporary language, has a wonderful introduction to the book of Proverbs.  "Many people think that what's written in the Bible has mostly to do with people getting into heaven...it does have to do with that, of course, but not mostly.  It is equally concerned with living on the earth - living well, living in robust sanity....Wisdom has to do with becoming skillful in honoring our parents and raising our children, handling our money and conducting our sexual lives, going to work and exercising leadership, using words well and treating friends kindly, eating and drinking healthily, cultivating emotions within ourselves and attitudes toward others that make for peace."

So many people believe that the Bible is a book of antiquated fables, absolutely useless to modern society.  King Solomon would beg to differ.  In his own introduction to the book of Proverbs, Solomon states that he has written the book as a manual for learning how to live justly and fairly.  He claims that his words are for all ages - young people, adults in the prime of life, and older, "experienced" folk as well.  He invites you and me to investigate the thought process of the wisest man that ever lived.  Solomon talks about anything and everything, and pulls few punches.  Proverbs is a fascinating chronicle of one great (wise) man's thoughts on living well and enjoying life.  Join me as we take a closer look at what he has to say.