He had another habit as well, and this is the one I am trying to develop. The book of Proverbs has 31 chapters, a very handy number when you think about it. Seven months of the year have 31 days, and all but one of the others have 30. Whatever day of the month it is, that is the chapter in Proverbs I read. I will get through the entire book seven times in a year, and most of it 12 times. In shorter months I could double up on those ending chapters, but honestly, after a couple dozen proverbs my brain is like an old wet sponge—it gets saturated much too easily. The second chapter’s worth just seeps out into a stagnant pool around me. Besides I have studied chapter 31 in depth so many times, reading it every other month or so is enough to renew my interest.
Speaking of proverbs, you probably grew up hearing the old saws like I did, and despite the fact that you rolled your eyes at them like most young people did, you have found yourself repeating them—they are true after all. When I was a child someone came up with the fun notion to rephrase them using ten dollar words, leaving everyone to guess the original adage. The only one I can remember is “Never calculate the juvenile poultry before the proper process of incubation has fully materialized.” It’s easy enough now, but it took a few minutes for a ten year old to come up with the solution. I don’t know why someone did this, but for a few minutes, people were once again pondering those wise sayings, and I know that I learned more of them than I would have otherwise.
I have always been amazed by people who can come up with quotes to suit any situation—Shakespeare, poetry, the works of the great philosophers. It would be so much more beneficial to quote the words of God.
Tomorrow is the first day of a thirty-one day month, so why not start this habit with me? I read through the chapter slowly twice, once in my good old 1901 ASV, then in the NIV. I make note of 1 or 2 proverbs that really strike me at the time. You see, reading is not enough. You have to go through “the proper process of incubation” for the effects of your study to “fully materialize.” You may find some of these materializations in future articles.
Come on. This will be easy. Even if you backslide you can pick it up and start again at any time, even in the middle of the book since there is no plot to worry about. And as long as you have a calendar you won’t even need a bookmark.
The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, the king of Israel: to know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding; to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, in justice, and in equity; to give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion; that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; and that the man of understanding may attain unto sound counsels; to understand a proverb and a figure, the words of the wise and their dark sayings, Prov 1:1-6.
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