You don’t have to live long to find out that life is full of choices, and that those choices have consequences. Some choices are as basic as deciding what we should eat for lunch, and other choices carry heavy commitments that can deeply affect our relationships, our work, our finances, and our futures. From the time we are infants until we’ve reached our final days on earth, each morning we wake up with two paths in front of us: the path of folly, and the path of wisdom.

The book of Proverbs positions us face-to-face with the wise and the fool and the consequences that follow them. A collection of pithy sayings primarily authored by King Solomon, this book is highly personal, at times uncomfortably transparent, and doesn’t mess around in zeroing in on the world’s greatest temptations that threaten to lead us astray from walking in the wisdom that God intended for us.

In this six-week study, you’ll notice that our reading plan will guide us through a topical look at Proverbs, beginning in week one with the Source of wisdom. We’ll then journey through no-nonsense proverbs that will point us to wisdom in our speech, our relationships, our work and wealth, and finally, we’ll discover how to apply wisdom in temptation. We’ll wrap up our study looking at the fruit that results from walking in wisdom. Our prayer is that through this topical introduction you’ll crave studying Proverbs in its entirety as a follow-up to our time together.

One important thing to keep in mind as we study is that proverbs are principles rather than promises. Promises are guaranteed, while principles focus on general truths. Parents who train their children in the way they should go (Proverbs 22:6) often witness the fruit of their children walking in the wisdom of the Lord as adults. However, because proverbs are not promises and we live in a fallen world, sometimes even the most diligent, faithful parents don’t live in this reality.

As we prepare to begin, two well-known verses from the say-it-like-it-is book of Proverbs come to mind. While this book contains wisdom inspired by God that is applicable to nearly every imaginable area of life, the following verses sum up an even greater overarching purpose:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

and do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make straight your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord instead of your own understanding: that is where the book of Proverbs ultimately leads us. God is the source of all wisdom, He uses these proverbs to show us the path that leads to wisdom, and He reveals to us the fruit of walking in this great wisdom… so that our trust is ultimately not in our floundering ways, but can be found securely in Him.

“That your trust may be in the Lord,

I have made them known to you today,

even to you.”

Proverbs 22:19

______________________________________________________

Join us on Monday, January 16th as we begin our Walking In Wisdom study!!! You can find our women’s and children’s Walking In Wisdom journals available on Amazon!

__________________________________________________

Wanting to join a Love God Greatly group? Click here.

Angela Perritt

Angela Perritt is the founder and director of LoveGodGreatly.com, a nonprofit online Bible study ministry reaching thousands of women in over two hundred countries around the world with God’s Word through their translated Bible studies. She and her husband live in Dallas, Texas with their three daughters. Angela is passionate about God’s Word and believes one woman in God’s Word can change a family, community and ultimately a nation. Her greatest joy is to encourage her children and others to love God greatly with their lives one day at a time. You can connect with her on Instagram.